A Little History...


Until a few decades ago, the small Farmer's Dog was a natural part of Danish rural life.  It's everyday functions were many.  This little working dog had many jobs around the farm including: mouser/ratter, livestock herder, hunting dog, watch dog and family companion.  The breed was so lively and trainable, it was often utilized in circuses, appearing as the clown's playmate.


 









Picture: Historical borrowed with permission from DSGK

In more recent times, farms were closed down and families moved to the cities.  The faithful little farmer's dog was suddenly not "grand" enough, and the breed became hard to find.  A part of Danish-Swedish dog culture was in danger of disappearing totally.                                                    

                                                                                                                                                            Picture: Historical with permission Kennel Little Denmark
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
According to the Swedish Kennel Club description, prior to 1987, in Sweden the Danish-Swedish Farmdog was known as the Skaansk Terrier because it originated in the southern part of Sweden in an area called Skaane.  The breed is likely a result of pinscher-fox terrier crosses.


Effort was put forth in the 1960s to recognize the breed.  Finally, in 1986, The Danish Kennel Club and the Swedish Kennel Club worked together in cooperation to seek out typical breed specimens and save the little farmer's dog from extinction.  During the search, it turned out, fortunately, that excellent healthy specimens of this tough old breed still existed in adequate numbers to allow breed recognition.  In 1987, the breed was named the Dansk-Svensk Gaardhund (Danish-Swedish Farmdog).
With its new name, Danish-Swedish Farm Dog, this funny little dog is one of the newest of the national breeds in Denmark and Sweden, although it has been proven that its ancestors go far back in history.  Its origins go back to the 1700's where it could be found in Great Britain, Germany and France as well as Denmark and Sweden.  Though often mistaken as a terrier, this breed is more closely related to the pinscher family.


 
In the United States, this breed is recognized by the American Rare Breed Association (ARBA) and the United Kennel Club (UKC).