Over her Swedish
Vallhund breeding career she imported many new bloodlines from Europe and Australia. It all began with their foundation breeding Swedish
Vallhunds Wynrik Christa and Steppenwolfe Zip. Rose bred some 15 NZ Champions, exported to Australia, Japan, and America. She also made available her imported stud dogs and was just a phone call away for anyone needing advice. We mourned the loss of Rose Madsen last year, but she will always be remembered for assisting, supporting and encouraging new breeders. Rose supplied foundation bitches to Kennel’s Vanaheim, Torvall, Tala, Vallarity, Murivall, Little Court, Svensk, and Barahwolfe. Rose and many of the people who took her puppies, and became her friends stayed in regular contact. Valkrista hosted an annual gathering where people would come with their Swedish Vallhunds to spend time in the company of others who owned and loved Swedish Vallhunds. Today the Valkrista Annual Gathering is an official event hosted in March and is held at different locations a round the country. It is now also a day to remember Rose and her foundation bitch Christa.
Mid 2009 Natalie Morgan and Peta Dowle proposed to all the breeders in New Zealand, with the support of Rose Madsen the start of a breed club. All the Swedish Vallhund breeders filled in a questionnaire and within a year an organisation that boasts over 100 members, and an enthusiastic committee of eight, applied for and gained recognition by the NZKC. With incorporation pending the Swedish Vallhund Club have tallied a reasonable list of completed projects to promote both the breed and club. Some of these projects included taking the Swedish Vallhund breed to Pet Expo in Hamilton, gaining television coverage in September being featured on Whitebait t-v’s ’Animal Academy’ and setting up a popular, website to report on monthly news and activities.
Next on the plan list is a serious undertaking to create an Australasian Västgötaspets Health Register planned for launch this year. The A.V.H.R is to be a stand-alone, independent registry that will collate and verify breeder claims regarding limited health screening (clear eye certification and hip scores). There will also be provision for future storing of individual dog DNA samples or data, creating a potentially valuable body of evidence for genetic investigations. Written into the club’s founding documentation is the underlying principle of education over legislation. The Swedish Vallhund Club wish to support and work with breeders, not control or penalise.
The Swedish Vallhund Club owe a debt of gratitude to the late Mrs Rose Madsen being the first club Patron, and signatory to the incorporation application. They are honoured that current Club Patron Mr Ian Grey accepted the role following on from Rose. The Committee also appreciate the support of Anita Whitmarsh and the Specialklubben för Västgötaspets of Sweden, Jacqui Bayliss President of the Swedish Vallhund Society (UK), Ulla Gamberg President of the Swedish Vallhund Club of Canada, Karen Gilliland President of the United Swedish Vallhund Association (UK), and Sharon Donaldson and Wes Field of Västgötaspets Australia . The advice, support, and encouragement for a new club has been fantastic.
The committee of the Swedish Vallhund Club wish to encourage others in New Zealand who do not have a breed club set up to consider giving it a go. Pay no heed to detractors and those who say it isn’t possible. Put aside the negativity you may encounter, roll up your sleeves and just start. You will be surprised at the talented people around you that will come together if you just step out with a little faith.
For the assessment and breeding of Västgötaspets The N.Z.K.C. recognises and observes the official Breed Standard of Sweden, as adopted and endorsed by the FCI. The Swedish Vallhund is described as a small, powerful and fearless all-purpose farm dog whose primary function was to herd cows by rounding and nipping at hocks. The little Swedish Vallhund needed to be able to dart and dash forward, then in an instant flatten to the ground to avoid kicking hooves. He needed to be agile enough to bound back up and keenly move forward again. Founding rescuer von Rosen described the breed as being “quite similar among themselves and different to all others in the dog world.” While the initial dogs were homogenous for type, from Topsy to Mopsen Västgötaspets have always had a variety of looks. A range of type does not compromise what is correct, fits neatly inside the standard and is the richness of the breed. It must not be lost.
Like all working dogs the Swedish Vallhund that has been built well will move well. Note the skeletal diagram here displaying the correct angulation for good balance and a level topline. The bones that create the front and rear assembly are highlighted in blue. Combined with well developed muscle this Swedish Vallhund will have efficiency of movement, therefore good functionality and be pleasing to the eye. Correct anatomical structure will also create less wear and strain for the ageing body.
Pat Hastings tells us in her excellent book ‘Tricks of the Trade - From Best Intentions To Best In Show’ to “...remember legs weren’t designed to hold up the head; they were designed to hold up the body”. The red vertical plumb line at the front of the dog in the diagram should be able to be visualised on any Swedish Vallhund. It drops from the base of the neck, runs down though the shoulder blade and straight down the front leg. The neck should be in front of this line, all of the head including lower jaw completely above the topline. When the angles of the bones in the hind leg are correct you should be able to visualise another plumb line at the rear which drops from the point of buttock and falls at the toes as shown.
The Swedish Vallhund Club encourages breeders to be familiar with the standard, to strive to breed dogs with a level topline, an arched neck and a dog that is not too light or heavy of bone. A dog that is over 14 kg and is not overweight may be too tall or too heavy of bone. A bitch that is under 9 kg and is not underweight may be either too short or be too light of bone. Above all a Swedish Vallhund’s character must be watchful, confident, keen, people orientated and at ease with himself. This is needed as much for the family dog as it is for the working farm dog. Breeders should avoid breeding on with any dog that carries a predisposition to timidity, anxiousness or fearful temperament.
The correct colours of a Swedish Vallhund are grey, grey-brown, grey-yellow, red-yellow and red-brown. Disqua l i f yi ng col ours occassionally seen in the breed are black, white, liver brown, and blue. Some white markings are permissible on the chest, also on the fore and hind legs, as socks. White socks may not extend above the upper half of leg. Additionally white colouring that exceeds more than 30% overall is a severe fault. Such dogs are referred to as being ‘over marked’. The standard makes accommodation for a ‘narrow blaze’, ‘neck spot’ or ‘slight necklace’. A broad white collar is not a necklace, and will usually extend into a full white shirt front and full white legs. The much loved Swedish Vallhunds over have severe or disqualifying faults. These dogs are still Swedish Vallhunds in every other respect and are valued members of the Västgötaspets community.
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