Swedish Vallhund vs Mal-Shi - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Small and pretty, the Mal-shi is a new crossbreed dog which originated in the United States and only recently - in the 1990s.

There hasn’t been much interest shown in developing this small dog into an independent breed, so most of these dogs are regarded as crosses from the two parent breeds – the Maltese Poodle and the ShihTzu.

Known as a designer dog he was also bred to be a low shedder. No breed clubs for this dog have been established and there are no breed standards either.

Known also as the Västgötaspets or Swedish cow dog, the Valhund hails from Sweden. It’s a herding dog, and was always a farm dog in that country.

It was in 1943 that the dog was first recognized as a breed by the Swedish Kennel Club. Only later, in 1996, did the American Kennel Club start registering the breed.

The Mal-Shi is a small dog standing at around 25–30 cm in height and weighing between 3 and 7kg. As a designer dog he has a low-shedding coat of many colors – white, black and white, white and apricot and brown.

The coat is usually soft and silky and slightly wavy and it can grow long if left untrimmed. Most people take their pets to a professional groomer to be cut.

The skull of the dog is domed, he has small ears which can be half-erect and half-floppy.The tail is long and fairly feathery. Sometimes the dog inherits the underdeveloped tear duct of the Maltese and then there is that usual tear-staining around the eyes.

Temperament:

THE Mal-Si is such a cute little dog, making him a splendid pet for children and he is more than happy to be cuddled and petted. Small and active, he is adaptable and will live easily in the city or the countryside, as his exercise needs aren’t that demanding. He basically requires a walk each day and will love some ball games both inside and outdoors.

He is an extrovert and also an entertainer, and his amicable nature allows him to get along with other pets in the home. However, contrary to what he looks like, he is a bold dog, social and also intelligent, making him easy to train.

It is to any owner’s advantage to have a little dog like this trained and socialized, even though he is so good natured. He makes a great therapy dog too. When the Mal-Shi is at home he’s an affectionate, loving dog who just wants to spend time in the company of his human family.

As a companion dog, he won’t do well when left for hours on end on his own. Dogs are social creatures, and they can battle with separation anxiety when left alone for too long. Every dog owner needs to think of this before investing in a dog.

Looking much like a cross between a Corgi and the German Shepherd, the Swedish Valhund is a medium sized dog that stands between 30 and 34cm in height and weighs between 9 and 14kg.

His medium length weather-resistant coat is available in wolf like shades – cream, grey, brown etc. The tail can be long or bobbed and the medium sized ears are held erect.

Temperament:

Intelligent, confident, independent, alert, playful and active, your Swedish Valhund promises to make a good family pet.

You'll need to be an active, outdoor type of family though, as he isn’t a couch potato type of dog, snoozing in front of the TV.

He wants to be up and about going on long walks or playing ball games that give him a good run. If he gets his fair share of exercise he can adapt to life in the city or the countryside.

He is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

He just loves his human family and wants to be constantly with them. He won’t do well if you just keep him locked outside away from everyone. He is social, alert innovative and entertaining as well as being a good guard dog.

The Maltese Shih Tzu is an attractive little dog who is guaranteed to make you a splendid pet. Those who have owned both Maltese and Maltese Shih Tzu will tell you that the temperament of this dog is more amicable than that of the Maltese.

With his amicable nature, he is willing to be everyone’s friend, and he makes a particularly good choice for elderly people.

Being such a people-dog, the Maltese Shih Tzu's greatest joy comes from being petted and taken notice of by his human family. He can’t bear to be left for long periods of time. Like any other dog, he will require training and socialization, requiring a firm, balanced, consistent, fair owner.

Cheerful and good-natured, when he is loved to the moon and back, this little dog promises to make you and exceptional best friend.

Your Swedish Valhund is such a confident, independent dog and he promises to be a loving, faithful pet. He's also alert and will let you know if strangers are approaching his property.

He is a calm, easy going pet and is capable of adapting to quiet or noisy homes. He may be quite a strange looking dog, but he's got a whole lot of loving to give.

The Maltese Shih Tzu is a robust little dog, and with good care he can live to be anything between 10 to 15 years of age.

There are some health issues you want to be aware of with this particular dog breed.

Respiratory Problems:

Your little canine friend can have respiratory problems because of him being a flat-faced breed. Known as brachycephalic dogs, these dogs can have breathing difficulties. They are usually fine when resting, but during exercise or if they become too hot, they battle with breathing. It makes them more prone to heatstroke, so it is important to keep dogs like this cool and calm.

Patellar Luxation:

This is actually a common problem in small dogs - dislocation of a bone at a joint. Patellar luxation is when the knee joint slides in and out of place, causing pain.

White Dog Shaker Syndrome:

This is a disease which is seen in the Shih Tzu and Maltese. Symptoms include uncontrollable shaking and tremors. These can continue all day. The illness is worse during times of stress and there may even be difficulty with walking. The cause is unknown but he will certainly need to get to the vet.

Capable of living a long, healthy life, the Swedish Valhund isn’t likely to fall victim to some of the many dog illnesses there are, and yet it is wise to be alert to some of them that he could get.

One of these is an hereditary eye disease known as retinopathy. Its where there is degeneration of the retinal photoreceptor cells. This eye disease can lead to blindness.  

You need to be careful with this pet of yours, because with his long back and short legs he can so easily hurt his back if he leaps off a bed or high chair.

Whenever you pick this dog up, always support his legs and back. Don’t pick them up without supporting both the front legs and the rear end.

Diet:

The Mal-Shi is a small dog and will require eating two small meals a day. An adult Mal-Shi will eat according to his age, size and activity levels.The quality of the dog food you buy will make a huge difference to his wellbeing. The better quality foods – those without preservatives, colorants and fillers will ensure good health and longevity for your pet.

Don’t just give him dry kibble every time – mix in some chopped up cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables. Remember that some vegetables like onion can be bad for your pet.

Dogs love simplicity, and feeding your dog these simple foods will ensure you don’t battle with upset stomachs. Make sure you always have a bowl of fresh, cool water available for your pet.

General:

Trim his nails when they get long and don’t wear down naturally.

Check his ears for redness, itchiness and discharge which could indicate an ear infection.

If you have him professionally groomed, you will still need to brush him twice a week. It’s also your time to check him over for ticks and fleas and any unusual lumps.

Try and feed your Swedish Valhund two meals a day instead of just one, so that he doesn’t gobble down his food too quickly.

Your dog can be prone to obesity, so you have to be careful with the way you feed him. Overfeeding a dog packs on extra weight and this puts strain on the joints.

Apart from the dry kibble that you feed him, try to include some tasty, nutritious homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.

This can all be chopped up and added to his dry kibble. Some raw meat added to the diet can only be to his benefit. Remember to always ensure a bowl of fresh, cool water is available.

General Care:

Give his thick coat a brush twice a week to remove dead hair. Brushing also stimulates the sebaceous glands that produces oil which gives the coat is sheen.

Open his mouth and check for rotting teeth which can be painful for him.

Trim his nails because left long, they can hook onto things and rip the skin open.

Check inside the ears too for redness which could mean an ear infection.You get dog wipes that you can wipe the ear out with. There are always professional dog groomers who can do these chores for you if you don't want to.

See that his vaccines are up to date and that if he shows signs of illness, you get him to the vet.