NEW YORK — Say hello to the latest dog in the American Kennel Club's lineup of recognized breeds. Or you might say “hej.”
This image provided by the American Kennel Club shows a Danish-Swedish Farmdog, the latest dog in the American Kennel Club's lineup of recognized breeds.
The Danish-Swedish farmdog — yep, that's the official name — joined the pack Thursday. The designation makes the breed eligible to compete for many best in show trophies, and it likely augurs more widespread interest in the small, sprightly dogs. The prospect both gladdens and concerns their biggest fans.
“We’re excited about it. We’re looking forward to it,” said Carey Segebart, one of the people who worked to get Danish-Swedish farmdogs recognized by the AKC. She proudly plans to debut one of her own at a dog show this month near her Iowa home.
Still, she thinks increased exposure is “a double-edged sword” for the fleet, versatile pups.
"We don’t want the breed to just explode too quickly," she said.
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Called the farmdog or DSF for short, the breed goes back centuries in parts of what are now Denmark, southern Sweden and some other European countries, according to the Danish-Swedish Farmdog Club of America.
“They’re interesting, fun little dogs,” said Segebart, who has owned them since 2011 and is the club's incoming president. “They’re essentially up for anything. They succeed at most everything.”
In their original homelands, the dogs’ main job was rodent patrol, but they also would herd a bit, act as watchdogs and play with farmers’ children. Some even performed in circuses, according to the club.
After Denmark and Sweden became more urban and suburban in the 20th century, farmdog fanciers set out to secure the breed's place in both nations (where “hej” translates to the English “hello”). Kennel clubs there began registering farmdogs in 1987.
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In the U.S., many of the just about 350 farmdogs nationwide compete in agility, obedience or other canine sports that are open to all dogs, including mixed breeds.
But until now, farmdogs couldn't enter the traditional breed-by-breed judging that leads to best in show prizes at events including the prominent Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York. The entry deadline has passed for February's Westminster show, so farmdogs will have to wait for 2026 there, but they may well appear later this year at two other major, televised shows, the National Dog Show and AKC National Championship.
The Danish-Swedish farmdog is the AKC's 202nd breed and “a wonderful addition to a family that is able to provide it with the exercise and mental stimulation that it needs,” said the club's Gina DiNardo.
The AKC is the United States' oldest purebred dog registry and essentially a league for many dog competitions. Registration is voluntary, and requirements for breed recognition include at least 300 pedigreed dogs spread through at least 20 states. Some breeds are in other kennel clubs or none at all.
Danish-Swedish farmdog fanciers deliberated for several years before pursuing AKC recognition and the attention that's likely to come with it, Segebart said. The number of farmdog puppy-seekers has grown substantially over the last decade; each of the few breeders receives multiple inquiries a week, and the typical wait for a puppy is a year or more, she said.
Farmdog folk fear that their appealing, relatively easy-care breed could quickly become too popular for its own good. They're not the first to worry: Much fur has flown in dogdom over the rise of the French bulldog, which the AKC now ranks as the most popular breed in the country.
Some animal rights activists echo those concerns to argue against dog breeding in general. They say purebred popularity trends divert people from adopting shelter animals, fuel puppy mills and prize dogs' appearance over their health.
The AKC says it promotes responsibly “breeding for type and function” to produce dogs with at least somewhat predictable traits, whether as basic as size or as specialized as bomb-sniffing skills. The club says it has given over $35 million since 1995 to its canine health research charity.
More dogs, fewer babies: What's guiding the shifts in pet ownership and parenting in American households?
Since 2021, more adults have been taking care of pets than children
For those who may have avoided pet ownership due to scheduling or cost hesitations, the COVID-19-induced shift to remote work allowed them to reconsider their capacity for pet care. In fact, 2021 was the first year in at least the last two decades that more adults looked after pets than children—the same year that 1 in 5 American households adopted a pet. As of 2024, there are now 82 million households with at least one pet, according to the APPA national pet owners survey.
Now, there are more multipet owners than single-pet owners in America. Pew found that 35% of American households have multiple pets, and 27% have one pet, totaling 62% of Americans who share their home with another species.
Adding to the disparity in households without children is the increasing number of baby boomer-led households. Their children are most likely living independently from their parents. While pets have shorter life spans than humans, they remain consistently dependent on caretakers throughout their lives—unlike children, who generally develop independence and require fewer hours of direct caretaking as they age.
Younger adults shifting care from kids to pets
The fastest-growing generation of pet parents are those aged 25 to 34, which include millennials and Gen Zers. This age group, though, still has more households caring for kids (30.8%) than households watching over pets (22.9%), though the gap has narrowed in the last two decades. For those aged 45 to 54, the ratio evens out: They are as likely to take care of children as they are to care for pets. At 55, the odds shift the other way: By then, this age group is more likely to care for pets, coinciding with the transition into retirement.
In the U.S., 4 in 5 (82%) millennials are also most likely to view their pets as children, according to May 2024 data from the Statista Research Department. Still, they spend the least on their pets based on BLS data. (The dataset did not compare Gen Z figures due to a reporting error.)
This counterintuitive relationship may reveal some insights about the decline in households with children. Because wage growth has not kept pace with increasing housing costs, based on BLS and Federal Housing Finance Agency data, many adults must now prioritize developing their careers for years before they can afford to establish and care for families. According to a study by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, the home price-to-income ratio reached an all-time high in many metros in 2022, the latest year measured. Additionally, the percentage of young workers with employers who provide health insurance has plummeted since 1989, further challenging those in need of maternal care or health insurance for their children.
While it is true that birth rates for millennials and Gen Zers taken together have declined, this is still subject to change. As of 2024, about 1 in 5 Americans are choosing to have their first child after age 35, and the average age of first-time mothers is at a record high of 27.5 and climbing, according to 2021 data from the CDC, the latest available. But no matter how family structures and dynamics continue to evolve, pets appear to be along for the ride for the foreseeable future. As animal shelter populations continue to increase, hopefully the households welcoming multiple species will too.
Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
This story originally appeared on Ollie and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
