I love these dogs! I show in the UKC and we see a lot of them. They are a lot like Corgis, but slightly different colors. They can have different kinds of tails (none, short, long, basically) and they are known as "the little viking dog" for their tenacity.

Basically, they are from the same origin as Corgis but evolved seperately. Here is what the UKC standard says about their history...

"The history of the Swedish Vallhund dates back to eighth century Sweden where the breed worked as farm dogs, primarily herding cattle. The breed was nearly extinct in 1942 when Count Bjorn Von Rosen and K. G. Zettersten made a concerted effort to revive the breed. They tracked down the best remaining specimens in the country and carefully bred them to a standard written by Count Von Rosen. The breed was recognized by the Swedish Kennel Club in 1943. In 1964, the name in Sweden was changed to "Vasgotaspets," after the province of Vastergotland where the breed continues to flourish. In Sweden, it is believed that the Vallhund traveled to Wales with Viking raiders and became the ancestor of the Corgi breeds. "

Here's the Swedish Vallhund Club of America

http://swedishvallhund.tripod.com/