How long does a Swedish Vallhund live?

The listed lifespan for a Swedish Vallhund is 12–15 years.

How tall is a Swedish Vallhund?

The listed height for a Swedish Vallhund is 12.5–13.8 in (male), 11.5–12.8 in (female).

Is a Swedish Vallhund good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Swedish Vallhund is 5 out of 5.

What is the energy level of a Swedish Vallhund?

The AKC energy score for a Swedish Vallhund is 4 out of 5.

Herding Group

Swedish Vallhund

Swedish Vallhund is a medium dog in the Herding Group. Adult weight is 20–35 lb, height is 12.5–13.8 in (male), 11.5–12.8 in (female), and the listed lifespan is 12–15 years. AKC describes the temperament as Friendly, Energetic, Watchful.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Swedish Vallhund dog — Photo: Flickr user SheltieBoy . Photo cropped by commons user ltshears · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan12–15 years

Weight20–35 lb

SizeMedium GroupHerding Group

Height

12.5–13.8 in (male), 11.5–12.8 in (female)

Energy

4 / 5

Shedding

4 / 5

Grooming

2 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

5 / 5

The breed record

Across 59 single-size medium breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 13.5 years is about the same as the 13.3-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 27.5 lb is about 6.6 lb lighter than the 34.1 lb average for those medium breeds.

The listed origin is Sweden. The coat is described as double, short. The AKC energy score is 4 out of 5, close to the group average of 4.1 for the Herding Group. Shedding scores 4 out of 5, so coat cleanup is a regular job. Grooming scores 2 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 152 in 2025.

AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Hip Evaluation, Ophthalmologist Evaluation, and SV Retinopathy - DNA Test. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

Frequently asked

Questions from the breed record

The verified adult weight for a Swedish Vallhund is 20–35 lb.

Sources

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