Breed Standard
Whilst not the most exciting document out there, it is a very important one. The 'Breed Standard' for any breed of purebred dog is the basic blueprint of features and points that make a breed (like a Finnish Lapphund), a good example of that breed. It dictates the way a specific breed should move, how big or small it should ideally be, what kind of temperament they should have, the length/texture/colours of coats, and how their body should be put together along with more nuanced points.
When a breeder (or exhibitor) attends a dog show, the judge they are showing to is comparing their dog presented in the ring, to this 'blueprint' and choosing the dog that they think most closely resembles the ideal breed standard.
For lots of breeds, there are very strict rules and points and they often look like clones of one another. Finnish Lapphunds on the other hand, have a more general blueprint which is open to differences, with minimal disqualifications for things like colour or size. One of the great things in our breed is the diversity of 'types' and 'styles', two lappies presented to a judge can look very different, but both can be equally as correct.
These standards and extensions are revised every 5-10 years, and slight updates or wording changes may be made to better convey the correct information. The last update was in 2017.
Below you'll find links to these important documents, click on the heading to be taken to the pages.
When a breeder (or exhibitor) attends a dog show, the judge they are showing to is comparing their dog presented in the ring, to this 'blueprint' and choosing the dog that they think most closely resembles the ideal breed standard.
For lots of breeds, there are very strict rules and points and they often look like clones of one another. Finnish Lapphunds on the other hand, have a more general blueprint which is open to differences, with minimal disqualifications for things like colour or size. One of the great things in our breed is the diversity of 'types' and 'styles', two lappies presented to a judge can look very different, but both can be equally as correct.
These standards and extensions are revised every 5-10 years, and slight updates or wording changes may be made to better convey the correct information. The last update was in 2017.
Below you'll find links to these important documents, click on the heading to be taken to the pages.
Dogs Australia Finnish Lapphund Breed Standard
The document which outlines the blueprint judges in Australia follow, and breeders aim to breed towards. In Australia, our standard is taken directly from the FCI standard.
Finnish Lapphund Breed Standard Extension
This document is an 'add on' to the existing breed standard. As the Finnish Lapphund standard can be a little vague at times, this extension was drafted in consultation with overseas clubs including the Finnish Lapphund Club of Finland and translated through the Finnish Kennel Club. It's used to train aspiring Australian Judges and give a deeper dive to some of the more nuanced parts of our breed standard. Sometimes translations don't always present in English the way they were intended, so this extension was a way to elaborate on some of those points.
American Kennel Club Finnish Lapphund Breed Standard
It's important to note that standards do vary slightly around the world, and the American Kennel Club is a good example of that. For the most part, the standards are much the same, but there are slight variations.
