In more recent times, farms were closed down and families moved to the cities.  The faithful little Farmer's dog was suddenly not "grand" enough, and the breed became hard to find.  A part of Scandinavian dog culture was in danger of disappearing.

According to the Swedish Kennel Club description, prior to 1987 the breed was known as the Skaansk Terrier because it originated in the southern part of Sweden in an area called Skaane. The breed is likely the result of pinscher-fox terrier crosses.

The origins of the breed can be traced back to the 1700's where it could be found in Great Britain, Germany and France as well as Scandinavia.  Though often mistaken for a terrier, the breed is more closely related to the pinscher family.

Until a few decades ago, the small Farmer's Dog was a natural part of Danish rural life.  It's everyday functions were many.  This little working dog had many jobs around the farm including: mouser/ratter, livestock herder, hunting dog, watch dog and family companion.  The breed was so lively and endearing, it was often utilized in circuses, appearing as the clown's playmate.

Effort was put forth in the 1960s to recognize the breed.  Finally, in 1986, the breed clubs of Denmark and Sweden worked together to find typical breed specimens for foundation stock in order to save the little Farmer's dog from extinction.  Fortunately, excellent healthy specimens of this tough old breed still existed in adequate numbers to allow breed recognition.  In 1987, the breed was given its official name, the Dansk-Svensk Gaardhund (Danish-Swedish Farmdog).  In 2008, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog was recognized by the FCI as an official world-recognized FCI breed.