In the “olden days,” the native population of Iceland needed a dog to be a companion and close helper in their efforts to survive and prosper in a very rugged and weather-changing environment. Iceland was, and is, created by volcanic activity along with glacier runoff, and so the “Land of Fire and Ice” required a people with a good sense of community and mutual development of the land’s resources.
To succeed with the management of livestock, horses, and sheep, the native dog was bred with body substance and coat to not only withstand but to flourish in these environments, and also for being a friendly watchdog, willing and able to announce the arrival of neighbors from the nearby fjord. Friendly enough to be a house pet too, entertaining the family and tending to the delight of children. The Icelandic Sheepdog’s body is strong and well-muscled, and it is medium-sized (approximately 18 inches to 16-1/2 inches).
Photo courtesy of ISAA Board of Directors
This dog, not long in back nor short of back, is agile enough to balance on steep, rocky, volcanic trails, with extra dewclaws to aid in footing on mostly rocky and uneven ground while driving recalcitrant sheep from the mountainsides. A double coat with sufficiently coarse texture and moderate length (both short and medium length) is so weatherproof as to shake off icy water from swimming through rivers of glacier melt; thick to withstand the chill, with a soft undercoat to maintain body warmth. The tail curls over the back, the pricked ears are mobile, and a strong Nordic expression conveys intelligence and willing humor.
Photo courtesy of ISAA Board of Directors
This, the Iceland Dog, became a life’s work for a man of English nobility, the Honorable Sir Mark Watson, who visited Iceland often as a young man and, as an accomplished dog and horseman, devoted his life and resources to securing the cultural future for this beloved dog and its land. His work in Iceland and in America, establishing the breed with the American Kennel Club, gained fruition in 2010 when the Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America (ISAA) was organized to maintain this precious treasure from Iceland. In 2010, the AKC Breed Standard was established in cooperation with Icelandic Sheepdog International Cooperation (ISIC). The ties with Iceland (ISIC) are maintained constantly by sharing in the health and diversity of the gene pool for the future.
Pat Putman
Pat Putnam began training and handling dogs professionally while in high school and college. Studies in the Fine Arts and Cultural Anthropology have influenced her involvement and love of dogs, and led to success in the fields of art exhibition; dog breeding (several breeds to their championships and working titles); author and lecturer; work in canine legislation; establishment of two new breeds to AKC (American Eskimo Dog and Icelandic Sheepdog); and a dog judging career, in both America and Europe, since 2003, including the ISD National Specialty. She has operated her dog obedience school at her home for over 40 years, training competition, versatility, and good manners. Her interests in the details and development of historical functions of canine anatomy allow for a perspective that illuminates the Breed Standard of each breed she judges. Pat is Judges Education Chair and AKC Delegate of the Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America (ISAA).
