Vanaheim & Rahkantra Swedish Vallhunds

27/07/2026

What a super day out in hobbit country with Culzain SV's and the Lord of The Rings kids (Argus, Pippin and Merry). Super lovely walk with the mini' mob squad, followed by a stroll with Basil, Merlin and Nova before popping into work and brightened everyone's day with puppy cuddles.

Yay team.

19/07/2026

Sharing :

Questionable breeding operations are frequently signaled by specific red flags here is a handy chart.

19/07/2026

Sharing for those struggling with the demand bark phase.

Puppy owners often struggle with crate and confinement training. Even when breeders have done a great job with crate conditioning puppies before they go to their new homes, the puppies quickly learn to demand bark when transitioned to their new homes.

I'll cut to the chase and say, you should put any demand barking that is "I want" on extinction, and respond to any barking that's an "I need" communication. Knowing which is which is dependent on context, and that's pretty straightforward, we cover it in our puppy course (link in comments).

But, even when puppy owners know it's an "I want," it's still emotionally wrenching for them to put that demand barking on extinction. We trainers and breeders give puppy owners the information they need to be successful, but don't address the underlying emotional state of the puppy owner, so we don't get compliance. My podcast on demand barking talks about this and gives some food for thought about why "facts fail" when it comes to puppy owners and their demand barking puppies

16/07/2026

What an exceptional show weekend!

We had the privilege of attending the Kumeu Kennel Association shows over Matariki weekend. The event was impeccably run, and our SV,s, had a fantastic time, soaking up the atmosphere before strutting their stuff.

On Friday,

Vanaheim Arwen with Culzain (Pippin) achieved multiple awards:

Best Bitch,
Reserve of Breed,

*Best Baby of Group*

and the esteemed

*Best Baby In Show*

from an outstanding group of baby puppies.

Vanaheim Galadriel with Culzain (Merry) secured
Reserve Best Bitch.

On Saturday,

Vanaheim Love Potion NO Nine (Charm) won

Best Bitch,
Reserve of Breed, and
Best NZ Bred of Breed,

while

Vanaheim Galadriel with Culzain
took

Reserve Bitch,
Best Baby of Breed, and

*Best Baby of Group*

Special thanks to Claire and Lynnley for their invaluable assistance and to the Show Committee for their warm hospitality and kindness after my morning's crisis.

We are also grateful to the judges for providing our dogs with an unforgettable experience. Kudos to our fellow competitors on their impressive wins and placings.

Thanks Danielle for the wonderful photos. We are excited about our kids future and where it might take them.

23/06/2026

Attention all SV owners and Breeders.

✨ Upcoming research: Paroxysmal Dyskinesia in Swedish Vallhunds ✨

The Specialklubben för västgötaspets in Sweden is helping coordinate a global survey on paroxysmal dyskinesia in Swedish Vallhunds, alongside genetic research being carried out by the Hannes Lohi Lab at the University of Helsinki. This disease is not exclusive to Vallhunds - it can affect dogs, cats, and humans too.

The current research has found a possible connection between dyskinesia in Swedish Vallhunds and a specific brain gene risk variant; the same gene may also be linked to general personality and behavior. A dog may have increased genetic risk and still remain healthy, so the research team needs much more information before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Paroxysmal dyskinesia is a movement disorder that can appear in sudden episodes. These episodes may look like cramping, trembling, stiffness, abnormal movements, difficulty balancing, or unusual body postures. In some dogs, episodes are very brief and easy to miss. In others, they may be more obvious. Paroxysmal dyskinesia can look similar to epilepsy, but it is not the same thing. Dogs with dyskinesia are often conscious during the episode and may return to normal afterward. Because symptoms can overlap with seizure disorders, videos of episodes and assessment by a veterinarian, ideally a neurologist, can be very helpful.

Would you like to help with the research?

1. Complete the breed club survey if you have, or have had, a Swedish Vallhund with diagnosed or suspected paroxysmal dyskinesia. There are separate forms for dogs currently living or dogs who died in 2020 or later, and dogs who died between 2005 and 2019.

2. Participate in the genetic research. The researchers are asking for blood samples from Swedish Vallhunds with dyskinesia-type episodes, Vallhunds with epilepsy, plus healthy close relatives of affected dogs. The lab is also looking for other healthy Swedish Vallhunds, especially from countries outside Finland, who seem unaffected by this disease.

3. Fill out the questionnaires! There is a questionnaire for dogs with dyskinesia or epilepsy-like episodes, and a behavior/personality questionnaire for all Swedish Vallhunds. Healthy dogs are useful to the research too and help establish a baseline for comparison, as well as possible prevalence in the breed as a whole.

4. Share this information! The study needs participation from multiple countries so the breed as a whole is represented. More reports, more samples, and more open health information can help researchers better understand what is happening and support the long-term health of the Swedish Vallhund.

More information about the project can be found at the link below, and questions about the genetic research can be sent to the University of Helsinki research team via contact details found there too:
https://vastgotaspets.se/aktuellt/dyskinesi-eng

Not sure how to recognize what seizures can look like in different individuals? The research team has provided some videos of Vallhunds being affected:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18eNGkYrcuSN_AhwatGSUW-8YG1oxIvBO/view

Transparency about the health of dogs is the foundation for the future of the breed. It is therefore important that everyone, both breeders and dog owners, who has or have had a dog with seizures participates in reporting. Background In the spring of 2025, the Hannes Lohi Lab, University of Helsinki...

21/06/2026

Sharing:

Note **article written by another author, but sums up discussions and thoughts with regards to our own Swedish Vallhunds.

When Did Campaigning Become More Important Than the Dog?

I've stood ringside in the rain, the heat, and the cold. I've celebrated wins and swallowed losses. I've cheered for my friends' victories while quietly mourning my own defeats. I've applauded dogs that beat me and celebrated exhibitors who achieved goals I was still chasing.

That's dog shows.
So this isn't an anti-show article.
It's a pro dog article.

Somewhere along the way, our sport began confusing success in the ring with overall breeding value.
The two are not always the same.
A championship proves a dog won under judges. It proves that dog was competitive on specific days against specific competition. That accomplishment deserves respect.

What it does not prove is that the dog is healthy.
It does not prove longevity.
It does not prove reproductive soundness.
It does not prove working ability.
It does not prove genetic value.

Yet far too often, exhibitors and breeders use titles as the first and sometimes only measuring stick when discussing breeding programs.
The problem isn't titles.
The problem is when titles become more important than the complete dog.

Campaigning has also created an uncomfortable reality that many exhibitors are hesitant to discuss openly.
Money matters.
Advertising matters.
Visibility matters.
Professional handlers matter.
Relationships matter.

Anyone who has spent enough time around dog shows knows that not all wins are viewed equally. We may not like admitting it, but heavily campaigned dogs often arrive in the ring carrying momentum long before they ever step onto the mats.

The dog should always come first.
Not the advertisement.
Not the rankings.
Not the campaign budget.
Not the social media following.
The dog.

A preservation breeder's responsibility isn't to produce ribbons.
It's to preserve and improve a breed.
That means evaluating health, temperament, structure, working ability, longevity, trainability, and breed type. It means being honest about faults, even in successful dogs. It means recognizing that a title is one piece of a much larger puzzle.

And that's where many conversations go wrong.
The moment someone posts a breeding, an up-and-coming dog, or even a young prospect, the first question often becomes:
"What titles does it have?"
As if a dog's worth can be measured by the letters attached to its name.
As if titles automatically outweigh health clearances, temperament, working ability, genetic soundness, or what that dog consistently produces.

Some of the finest dogs I've ever known would never have topped a rankings list.
Some of the most influential producers in breed history weren't the most heavily campaigned dogs of their generation.
And some of the most heavily campaigned dogs standing in winners photos today have health concerns significant enough that they should never contribute to the next generation.

The longer I'm in this breed, the less impressed I am by the number of letters attached to a dog's name and the more impressed I am by breeders who consistently produce healthy, sound, functional dogs generation after generation.

The dogs don't know what rankings they hold.
They don't know how many advertisements they've appeared in.
They don't know whether they're ranked Number One or Number One Hundred.
They only know whether they can do the job they were bred to do.

So the next time you're tempted to sit behind a keyboard and ask, "What titles does the dog have?" take a moment and look in the mirror.
Look at your own dogs.
Look at your own breeding program.
Look at the strengths you've preserved and the faults you've tolerated.
Ask yourself whether every dog you've bred, owned, campaigned, or admired was truly the complete package or whether some simply collected more letters before and after their name.
Because titles have never made a dog worthy of breeding.
And a lack of titles has never automatically made a dog unworthy.

The best breeders I've known weren't obsessed with proving their dogs were better than everyone else's.
They were obsessed with producing dogs better than the ones they produced before.
That's the difference.

Twenty years from now, nobody will remember who was ranked #1 in a given year.
They will remember the dogs that improved the breed.
They will remember the pedigrees that produced soundness.
They will remember the dogs that lived long lives, worked hard, and left something worth preserving.

Ribbons fade.
Rankings change.
Advertising campaigns end.
But the decisions we make as breeders echo through generations.
The question was never:
"What titles does this dog have?"
The question is:
"What does this dog contribute to the breed?

20/06/2026

We appreciate the organizers' efforts in setting up the health testing clinic at Ardmore today. Our six Valls received comprehensive physical eye exams.

The results were outstanding, coming back Clear, matching with their DNA test for SVPRA. Although genetics can be unpredictable, one of our main goal's is to produce healthy, genetically diverse puppies for the betterment of the breed and the joy of our pet owners for future generations to come.

16/06/2026

Warmest congratulations to Team Asterias. We are extremely proud of the achievements you have all accomplished together. Special congratulations are extended to Whittaker and Dana, who form an exceptional team. We eagerly anticipate witnessing your future and what you might achieve next.

*Asterias Swedish Vallhunds*

Big dog weekend!

Minna (Purple Collar Quill x Wilma) made Baby Puppy Debut at the herding specialty show and took a group 1 and BIS puppy!

Aster - 8.5 weeks s/p TPLO - earned some scent work q's and got her Excellent Interior Title.

Whittaker - Regular Group 2 and 2 x OH group 1 at the herding specialty, FastCat BCAT title - start to finish, Scent work Q's including finishing his Advanced Interiors (Thanks Ryan!). Thank you to Judges Shawn Nichols, Cassie Frank, and Kimberly Moshlak for finding my boy.

They also had a great time at the Pacific Ocean for the first time!

Congrats to all the connections!

14/06/2026

Vanaheim, Rahkantra and Culzain SV's have been thriving amidst a busy schedule. The baby puppies activities have included extensive socialization, veterinary check-ups for vaccinations, and dog show preparation.

Tia, Leia, and Charm have been working on achieving their championships with some lovely results at the shows.

Asterix (AM and NZ CH Asterias Northern Stargazer import USA) is getting Rally-O ready for the coming competion season and we are thrilled to hear Mousie and Elle are excelling in scent work. We can't wait for them to meet up with Robin and River as well as Teddy and who has been excelling in agility.

Lots of exciting things to look forward to and hopes that lure coursing might make it to the North Island.

30/05/2026

Morning Snuggles ❤️