Description of a Swedish Vallhund.

The Swedish Vallhund is a breed of dog. It is believed that the Swedish Vallhund distinguished itself during the age of Vikings, more than 1,000 years ago. Known as the "Viking dog", the Vallhund were bred to herd cattle, catch vermin (such as rats), and guard the home. The Vallhund were also referred to as "the little cattle dog of the Vikings".

The Skye Terrier and both variants of the Welsh Corgi are believed to be descended from the Vallhund. By 1942 the Vallhund were almost extinct, until Mr. Björn von Rosen and Mr. Karl-Gustaf Zettersten, both from Sweden, began looking for dogs to keep the breed alive. As a result of their work, the Swedish Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1948 and the Vallhund was given its name, which in Swedish means "herding dog". In terms of ownership, the breed remains quite rare.