Danish-Swedish Farmdog Gains AKC Recognition

The American Kennel Club, or AKC, has named another kind of dog to its registry. Say hello to the Danish-Swedish farmdog. Or maybe say "hej," the word for hello in Swedish and Danish. AKC officials announced the addition to its list on January 2. The recognition means the breed now may compete for many best in show prizes. It also will probably create wider interest in the small, lively dogs.

Fans of the breed are happy for the honor, but some also worry about the effect increased attention will have on the dog. Carey Segebart is one of the people who worked to get Danish-Swedish farmdogs recognized by the AKC. "We're excited about it. We're looking forward to it," she said. She plans to show one of her own at a dog show this month near her home in the American state of Iowa. Still, she thinks more attention can have both good and bad results for the breed. "We don't want the breed to just explode too quickly," she said.

The Danish-Swedish Farmdog Club of America says the breed, DSF for short, goes back centuries in parts of what are now Denmark, southern Sweden and some other European countries. "They're interesting, fun little dogs," said Segebart, who has owned them since 2011 and is the club's incoming president. She said they will try anything and “succeed at most everything." In their homelands, the dogs' main job was to control small animals called rodents. However, they also can herd, act as watchdogs and be playful with children. The club says some Danish-Swedish farmdogs have even performed in circuses.

After Denmark and Sweden became more developed in the 20th century, DSF fans decided to make the breed official in both nations. Kennel clubs there began registering the breed in 1987. In the United States, many of the about 350 Danish-Swedish farmdogs nationwide already compete in agility, obedience or other sports that are open to all dogs, including mixed breeds. Until now, the dogs could not enter the traditional breed-by-breed judging that leads to best in show prizes at major dog shows. They may appear later this year at two major televised events, the National Dog Show and the AKC National Championship.

The Danish-Swedish farmdog is the AKC's 202nd breed and "a wonderful addition to a family that is able to provide it with the exercise and mental stimulation that it needs," said the AKC’s Gina DiNardo.

Danish-Swedish farmdog lovers talked for several years about whether they should try to get AKC recognition and the attention that is likely to come with it, Segebart said. The number of people wanting to buy a young farmdog, or puppy, has grown quickly over the last ten years. The wait for a DSF puppy is usually a year or more, she said.

Fans of the breed worry that its appealing, relatively easy-care nature could make it quickly become too popular for its own good. They are not the first to worry. Similar concerns surround the French bulldog, which the AKC now says is the most popular breed in the country. Breeding for desired qualities has led to many health problems for the dogs.