Finnish Lapponian Dog: How should an owner handle adolescent behaviour changes?
When a young Finnish Lapponian Dog becomes less reliable, return to the last version of the behaviour that was working and rebuild from there. Watch Finnish Lapponian Dog's response closely and change one variable at a time. Return to easier cues, shorten sessions, increase reinforcement, and manage the environment while skills are rebuilt. Keep the easier version in the routine while reliability returns; do not test the hardest version every day.
What can change during adolescence
Finnish Lapponian Dog's official fci name is recorded as SUOMENLAPINKOIRA. Here, that matters because it is useful context, but the individual dog's response still decides the next step.
Rebuild the behaviour you want
- Return to easier cues, shorten sessions, increase reinforcement, and manage the environment while skills are rebuilt.
- Keep the official fci name in view (SUOMENLAPINKOIRA) and make the next step reversible, observable, and easy to stop.
- Keep the easier version in the routine while reliability returns; do not test the hardest version every day.
Arrange an assessment if
Escalate for sudden personality change, pain, disorientation, or aggression that cannot be safely managed.
References
Official FCI name: SUOMENLAPINKOIRA
FCI nomenclature page > breed name
FCI group: n°5 - Spitz and primitive types
FCI nomenclature page > Group
Country of origin: FINLAND
FCI nomenclature page > Country of origin of the breed
FCI standard date: 10/12/2016
FCI nomenclature page > English standard date
FCI standard PDF: https://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/189g05-en.pdf
FCI nomenclature page > English standard PDF link
Utilization: Originally a herder and watch dog used in work of keeping reindeer. Today also popular as a companion dog. FCI CLASSIFICATION: Group 5 Spitz and Primitive types. Section 3.4 Nordic Watchdogs and Herders. Without working trial
FCI standard PDF page text > utilization
General appearance: Powerful with strong bones. Viewed from the front straight and parallel. Shoulders: Slightly oblique. Upper arms : As long as the shoulder blades. The angle between shoulder and upper arm is rather open. Elbows: Approximately at the level of the lower edge of the ribcage, pointing straight backwards. Forearms: Rather strong, vertical. Carpus: Flexible.…
FCI standard PDF page text > general_appearance
Height: males 49 cm and females 44 cm with a tolerance of 3 cm. The type is more important than the size
FCI standard PDF page text > height
Historical summary: For hundreds of years the Sami people have used dogs of the same type as Finnish Lapponian Dog as reindeer herders and watchdogs in the northern parts of Fennoscandia and Russia. The first standard of the Lapponian Herder was establishe d by the Finnish Kennel Club in 1945. The breed´s name was changed into Lapponian Dog in 1967. In the 1970:s the type and…
FCI standard PDF page text > historical_summary
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