This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, May 2013 issue.
Getting to Know Icelandic Sheepdogs
Friendly, curious, fearless, alert, loyal, athletic, intelligent, sweet, and talkative—these are all qualities that describe the wonderful Icelandic Sheepdog. Recognized by the AKC in 2010, the Icelandic Sheepdog population continues to grow in the US and abroad but remains vulnerable to genetic extinction. It is the only breed of dog native to Iceland and is believed to be a direct descendant of dogs brought to Iceland by the Vikings in the 9th century.
Icelandic Sheepdogs are a Nordic Spitz breed. They have triangular prick ears, a typical single-curled Spitz tail, and a weatherproof double coat. They come in a wide range of colors, from black tricolors to fawn, red, tan, and beyond—although predominantly white dogs are not correct. There are two coat lengths: short and long, though many fall in between. Considered a “small medium-sized” dog, there is a distinct difference in size between the sexes. Males are generally around 18 inches at the withers, while females are typically 16½ inches at the withers.
First and foremost, Icelandic Sheepdogs must be treated as members of the family. They are very attached to their humans—frequently following family members from room to room.
They are excellent with children, even when children are not part of their normal household. Sociable and outgoing, they will enthusiastically greet everyone who arrives at the door, often with significant voice. While this can be overwhelming for visitors, the dogs respond well to training, and their exuberance can be channeled or redirected.
The doorbell is not the only thing that will prompt their bark. They will let you know when the UPS truck is in the neighborhood or when the kids next door have made it safely home from school. As such, they are excellent watchdogs, but this breed cannot be considered a guard dog. They lack natural aggression and are not suited for that type of work.
In general, the breed can be considered “soft,” responding better to positive reinforcement than to firm corrections. Too loud a voice or too sharp a correction can cause the dog to withdraw and set training back.
Developed as excellent all-around farm dogs, they have retained those characteristics. Traditionally, they worked flocks of sheep in Iceland, where there are no native large predators. Due to the rough terrain, however, the dogs were often called upon to locate stray sheep and reunite them with the flock.
As a result, these dogs are used to making their own assessments—and their own decisions. They are highly intelligent and extremely successful in a variety of companion pursuits such as Agility, Rally, Therapy Work, Herding, treibball, nose work, and many other activities with the right training.
That said, left on their own, they will make their own fun or become quite depressed—and may bark out of loneliness and frustration. For these reasons, they are not practical pets for households that are empty most of the day.
Icelandic Sheepdogs tend to have a complicated relationship with wild birds. In Iceland, birds were a menace to flocks and could threaten stores of fish drying in the sun. As such, Icelandic Sheepdogs will watch the skies for raptors and other birds—whether threatening or not.
For example, my two are highly vocal whenever we come across birds as innocuous as quail on our walks. They tolerate birds in the air or water, but they do not like birds on the ground and will do their level best to get the birds out of their territory.
Icelandic Sheepdogs are incredibly easy to live with—if you can tolerate barking and shedding. As previously mentioned, they are excellent with children. Upon seeing children after several months, my 18-month-old Icelandic Sheepdog happily spent an hour being pulled around by a six-year-old who was role-playing as a professional dog walker.
Meanwhile, my older male played “keep-away” with a ten-year-old for the same hour, despite not having prolonged exposure to children for several years.
They also respect familiar domestic cats in the home or yard. Although a herding breed, Icelandic Sheepdogs seem to understand that cats are part of the household rather than livestock to be managed.
That said, my two will engage and play with my cat, with varying results from the cat’s point of view. The cat has resigned herself to getting a morning greeting from each of the dogs, which includes a hearty lick from the younger female.
Proper care and grooming for an Icelandic Sheepdog is an important consideration. Whether short or long, a proper Icelandic coat is a double coat.
Therefore, they will blow their undercoats and require a certain amount of daily brushing at those times. At other times of the year, a weekly brushing will be sufficient.
Keep in mind that the coats are meant to be weatherproof, and excessive washing can alter the natural oils and lay of the coat.
Another breed trait is the presence of double dewclaws, which aid the dogs on Iceland’s uneven and often frozen terrain. As with all dogs, proper nail maintenance is important and cannot be deferred to ensure the health of the dogs’ feet.
Overall, the Icelandic Sheepdog is considered a very healthy breed, and the clubs are careful to monitor hip and eye health.
An extremely playful breed, the dogs will play happily with their humans and other dogs. Some Icelandic Sheepdogs are natural clowns and enjoy silly games; others are more serious, but still outgoing and social.
They will require a regular walk or jog, once old enough, to expend their natural energy. I have also found that regular exercise helps lessen reactive barking.
As active as they are outside, Icelandic Sheepdogs are very adept at settling down indoors. While they may play or wrestle for a few minutes a couple of times a day, right now my dogs are happily asleep under my desk as I type, and they have been for quite a while—despite construction going on outside the window.
(It should be said that they were much more amenable to settling down after they were allowed to meet and greet the workers.)
Despite having survived nearly a millennium in Iceland, by the mid-20th century, this wonderful breed was near extinction. Thanks to the efforts of a few enthusiasts in Iceland and overseas, a concerted effort was made to save this unique and special breed in the 1950s.
This work continues today under the auspices of ISIC, the Icelandic Sheepdog International Cooperation (www.icelanddog.org), a consortium of parent breed clubs and their representatives from several countries devoted to cross-border cooperation for the preservation of the Icelandic Sheepdog.
The population is still so small that it is vital that prospective puppy buyers and breeders remain faithful to the international standard for the breed in order to ensure the future of the Icelandic Sheepdog.
As the AKC parent club for the breed in the US, the Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America has a breeder approval program and promotes the recognized international standard for the dog. Their website at www.icelanddogs.com contains a wealth of information on everything from history to temperament to puppy listings.
