It’s an interesting diet this breed needs. Basically small frozen scraps, but very rich in content. Their digestive systems evolved as nomads north of the Arctic Circle and know nothing else, so a bit of care needs to be taken. His body will do a lot with the vital scraps of tundra animals, and doesn’t know how to handle big foreign diets which make him unenergetic and unwell after a few meals.
Tonight’s menu is sheep and beef tripe—their organs go well, but their meat and fat doesn’t.
Frozen salmon cuts—these dogs know fish as well as reindeer and love frozen meet. They extract all the goods from them.
And a rabbit foot—Fur and bone is common in their diet and helps clean. They can start to poop bad without fur fibre.
One of the more tame dishes considering the other weird off cuts of bits and pieces he gets. Thought some may find it interesting for a bit of an unusual breed outside of Finland.
Edit: And yeah, the photo makes the meal look big and him small. But he’s 20kg and that dish is about 3/4 a banana in diameter.
You’re insane if you think the breed needs this. You can feed a Finnish Lapphund any type of dog food. It’s not a magical being from another dimension.
Good grade dogfood is nothing like burgers and ice cream though. There’s not enough information of the diet OP uses so no comment on that, but it is easier to make dogs sick by feeding them only pure meat than with just kibble. Obviously don’t buy the cheapest processed shitty dog food, but please also do consult a vet and do some research before trying to feed a raw diet as well. Wetfoods and kibble tend to have the vitamins and fibers and all that added, but feeding a raw those need to be considered more.
And lapphunds 100% don’t need fancy meats any more than other breeds - nekin on tosiaan vaan koiria eikä mitään ihmeen taikaolentoja.
Can confirm. Had a Finnish lapphund that lived over 12 years on kibble and frozen raw food. She was the best girl.
I think the owners probably know this, but If they have the means to spoil the ever living shit out of their dog, more power to them. I’d feed my dog snack steaks if I could.
I wonder if the frozen-ness is actually good for them or not. I can’t imagine a dog turning its nose up at unfrozen meat.
I wonder if the frozen-ness is actually good for them or not
The frozen stuff can be better for their teeth at least. If they have to chew and work more to eat it, that cleans the teeth better than just wet floppy meats.
A rabbit foot—Fur and bone is common in their diet and helps clean. They can start to poop bad without fur fibre.
TIL
Don’t L too much cause it’s wrong. You can feed them dog food just as well as any other dog.
When I have done this in the past, he has become unwell and unenergetic. Because I am responsible for his well-being, it is cruel to conscientiously neglect it. Fur is not a extensive thing, but is given in a meal once or twice a week. Bone is in every meal.
It may not be necessary for all breeds, however this topic has been covered extensively—especially for Lapphunds and similar breeds—and therefore there is a wealth of information available to you if you would like to have a quick look into it. As a dog owner, a primary responsibility is ensuring they’re healthy, just as much as you hopefully look after your own health. A Finnish Lapphund has a noticeable uptick in health and behaviour when their diet is looked after. I have had many dogs and this breed is more unique in diet than others. It is one of the noteable points raised and discussed when deciding to care for one; again, you can easily find information on this yourself. If you have a lappie and have somehow missed this, I strongly encourage you to look it up, especially for their longevity. Their teeth structure alone highlight the reliability of bone in their diets as well.
Edit: And a benefit here is that rabbits are invasive and endanger native wildlife. So it is more ethical, healthier, and available option than fur and feather supplements.
In Lapland you can casually pull a salmon from the river that’s worth 100€ in a supermarket in the south. So much food that the dog is feasting too.
This reminds me I need to smoke a side soon.
We have similar where I live, but trout. It is incredibly cheap here but becomes expensive as you travel away. He loves trout and tries to hunt for it, but has never been successful because he is too excited and loud as he approaches. I hear they are excellent at fishing, but so far he is not 🤣
Immediately thought of Pierces dad screaming at Britta about being a Laplander…
Haha, Finnish Lapphund sounds fancy to English-speakers, but it is Findland > Lapland > Dog.in translation
Yeah.
There’s an American show Community, and it’s probably the only reason any American knows Lapland = Finland
This is not helping convince me that Finland is actually a real place
