Finnish Lapphund vs Finnish Spitz: Two Finnish Dogs, Two Very Different Jobs

I lost count years ago of how many times someone has met our Lappies, Timber and Tundra, and said something like "oh, a Finnish Spitz!" It is an easy mix-up. Both breeds come from Finland, both are spitz-type dogs with pricked ears and a fluffy tail curled over the back, and both have names that sound almost interchangeable to anyone outside the breed world. But here is the thing: a Finnish Lapphund and a Finnish Spitz were bred for two completely different jobs, and once you know what those jobs were, you can never unsee the difference. Let me walk you through it, owner to owner.

Are the Finnish Lapphund and Finnish Spitz the same breed?

No. They are two separate breeds with separate histories, and only Finland in common. The Finnish Lapphund (Suomenlapinkoira) is a herding dog developed by the Sami people of Lapland to move and guard reindeer. The Finnish Spitz (Suomenpystykorva) is a hunting dog, used to track game and birds and then bark to show the hunter where the quarry is. That is why the Finnish Spitz earned the nickname "the barking bird dog."

It is true that both belong to the same broad family. Under the international FCI system, both sit in Group 5, the spitz and primitive types, so they share that classic Nordic look: a wedge-shaped head, erect triangular ears, a weatherproof double coat and a plumed tail that curls up over the back. But within that family they branched off in opposite directions. One breed spent centuries on the open fells with reindeer, the other in the forest with a hunter. If you want the full picture of the herding side, our Finnish Lapphund breed guide goes deep on it.

Finnish Lapphund vs Finnish Spitz: how do they compare at a glance?

Here is the quick version, side by side. The Finnish Lapphund is a touch heavier and comes in any colour, while the Finnish Spitz is a square, fox-coloured dog known for its remarkable voice.

Finnish Lapphund vs Finnish Spitz: how do their appearance and colour differ?

The single biggest tell is colour. The Finnish Spitz comes in one colour family only: red, red-gold or gold, which gives it that glowing, fox-like look the breed is famous for. Puppies are often born darker and brighten into that golden-red as they grow. There is no such thing as a black Finnish Spitz or a cream one. If you see those colours, you are not looking at a Finnish Spitz.

The Finnish Lapphund is the opposite. Its breed standard allows every colour, as long as one main colour dominates the body. You will see black and tan, wolf sable grey, brown, cream, blond, and combinations with white markings. Our own Timber and Tundra look nothing alike, and both are textbook Lappies. If colour is your thing, we wrote a whole post on the Finnish Lapphund colours.

Beyond colour, the build differs too. The Finnish Spitz is a squarely built, lighter dog with a sharp, foxy muzzle and a fine, alert look. The Finnish Lapphund is a bit lower to the ground, slightly longer than tall, and carries a fuller, more profuse coat with an impressive mane on the males. Both have the curled, plumed tail, but the Lappy's is especially fluffy. The Lapphund also tends to look softer and rounder in the face, where the Spitz looks keen and fox-like.

Finnish Lapphund vs Finnish Spitz: what were they bred to do?

This is the heart of the whole comparison, because the job each breed was built for explains almost everything about how they behave today. The Finnish Lapphund was a herder. The Finnish Spitz was a hunter. Here is how that plays out.

A herding dog has to take cues from a person all day and adjust on the fly, so the Finnish Lapphund grew up biddable, sensitive and very tuned in to its humans. A hunting dog that works out ahead of the gun has to think for itself, so the Finnish Spitz grew up independent and self-directed. Neither is "smarter," they are just wired for different kinds of work. You can read more on the herding side in our Finnish Lapphund temperament post.

Finnish Lapphund vs Finnish Spitz: temperament and noise compared

Both breeds are vocal, but they are vocal in different ways, and both are loving family dogs. The Finnish Lapphund is the more openly affectionate and people-pleasing of the two. The Finnish Spitz is friendly with its own family but more independent and famously, more talkative.

Let me be honest about the noise, because it is the thing new owners underestimate most. The Finnish Spitz was literally bred to bark, and it is good at it. The breed can fire off a rapid string of barks that runs together into a sound people describe as a yodel, and in Scandinavia there are even contests to crown a "King of the Barkers." That is a lot of voice for a suburban street. The Finnish Lapphund is also a barker, no question, but its barking comes from the herding and watchdog instinct rather than a built-in hunting alarm. Lappies can be taught to dial it down, and they have a real off switch at home. We cover that fully in our post on Finnish Lapphund barking.

On the family front, both can be lovely. The Finnish Lapphund is calm, gentle and patient with children and naturally submissive with people, which is part of why it makes such a warm family companion. The Finnish Spitz is loyal and playful with its family and good with children it has grown up with, but it stays cooler with strangers and likes to be in the thick of family life. Neither is a guard dog. They alert, they do not attack.

Finnish Lapphund vs Finnish Spitz: which is right for you?

If you want an affectionate, biddable, multi-coloured dog that loves to be near you and takes well to gentle training, the Finnish Lapphund is likely the better fit. If you want a striking red-gold dog, are drawn to an independent hunting breed and can live with serious barking, the Finnish Spitz may be your match.

Think about a few honest questions. How much barking can your home and neighbours handle? Do you want a dog that hangs on your every cue, or one that thinks for itself? Are you set on a particular colour? Both breeds need daily exercise, both carry a weatherproof double coat that sheds and needs regular brushing, and both thrive on being part of the family rather than left alone in a yard. For the Lapphund side of that decision, our honest guide to whether the breed is right for you walks through the day-to-day reality.

For us, the Lappy was the right call. Timber and Tundra are gentle, funny, deeply attached to our family, and they wear their Castlegar winters like it is what they were made for, because it is. But the Finnish Spitz is a wonderful breed in the right hands, and Finland clearly agrees, since they made it the national dog.

Related Finnish Lapphund guides

• Finnish Lapphund colours
• Do Finnish Lapphunds bark a lot?
• Finnish Lapphund temperament and personality
• Finnish Lapphund breed guide

Finnish Lapphund vs Finnish Spitz: quick answers

Is the Finnish Spitz the same as the Finnish Lapphund?

No. They are two separate Finnish breeds. The Lapphund is a reindeer-herding dog in many colours, and the Spitz is a red-gold bark-pointing hunting dog. They share only the country and the broad spitz family.

Which breed barks more, the Finnish Lapphund or the Finnish Spitz?

The Finnish Spitz barks more. It was bred to bark while hunting and can produce a rapid, yodel-like string of barks. The Finnish Lapphund is also vocal but barks from a herding and watchdog instinct, and it can be trained to settle.

What colours does the Finnish Spitz come in?

Only red, red-gold or gold. That foxy colouring is part of the breed standard. The Finnish Lapphund, by contrast, comes in nearly every colour, including black and tan, wolf sable grey, brown and cream.

Which is more affectionate and easier to train?

The Finnish Lapphund is generally the more affectionate and biddable of the two, thanks to its herding background. The Finnish Spitz is loving with family but more independent and strong-willed, so it needs patient, positive training.

Are either of them good family dogs?

Yes, both can be good family dogs. The Finnish Lapphund is calm and gentle with children, and the Finnish Spitz is playful and loyal with its family, though more aloof with strangers. Neither is a guard dog.

How long do these breeds live?

Both typically live around 12 to 15 years. As with any breed, talk to your vet about health screening and day-to-day care, and choose a breeder who tests their dogs.

Sources

• American Kennel Club, Finnish Spitz breed page
• Finnish Spitz, Wikipedia (history, vocalization, size and colour)
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Finnish Spitz
• Finnish Spitz Club of America, breed background and AKC recognition
• FCI Standard N 189, Finnish Lapphund (Suomenlapinkoira)
• American Kennel Club, Finnish Lapphund breed page
• The Kennel Club (UK), Finnish Lapphund

Written by Jill, co-founder of Lapphund Designs and a Finnish Lapphund owner in Castlegar, British Columbia, sharing life with her Lappies, Timber and Tundra.