Icelandic Sheepdog

The Icelandic Sheepdog originated with the Vikings who settled in Iceland from the 9th century onwards. The only breed native to Iceland, this breed is a small but powerful dog of the ancient northern Spitz type. This breed dogs were used as a general all-around farm dog to herd livestock and to act as watchdog over the farm, purposes for which they are still used. This dog has an expression that is confidence, ready, and friendly. It possesses the characteristic "smile"� expression that is common to many of the Spitz-type dogs. As do all the breeds of the Spitz type, this breed has prick ears and a tail which is held high and curled over its back. It is sturdy and compact, and its back is slightly longer than its height. It has a wedge-shaped head with a black nose. This dog has double dewclaws. There is marked difference in the appearance of the sexes in this breed. Its double coat is thick and dense, with a woolly undercoat for warmth and an outer coat to repel wet weather. In its homeland, some people spin the shed fur into yarn. The coat comes in two variations, a long and a short: both are equally thick. It appears in a wide variety of solid colors, which displays varying degrees of hue and darkened points. These colors include red, sable, black and tan, wheaten, cream, and others. This is a smaller herding dog, standing an average 12 to 16 inches high; it has an average lifespan of 12 to14 years. The Icelandic Sheepdog was amongst the ancient herding dogs of the Vikings. It was ideally suited to the rough Icelandic terrain and climactic conditions; it was used primarily to herd cattle and sheep, although it could also work horses. Historians believe that it is closely related to the Norwegian Buhund and to the Karelian Beardog. Documentation shows that in 1869 there were around 24,000 herding dogs. Traditionally, they were considered so indispensable to the farming way of life that several were kept at each farm. But beginning in the early 1870's the government enacted taxation laws on herding dogs. It was believed that the dogs often carried tapeworms that infected humans and sheep. (In reality, human hygiene had more to do with the spread of the parasite.) Within fifteen years the dog population had dropped to under 10,000. In response to the shortage, farmers began to import various herding breeds to do the work. By the 20th century the Icelandic Sheepdog was near extinction. Fanciers of the breed worked to bring the problem to the government's attention, feeling that to lose this breed would be to lose a large element of the country's heritage. In 1901 Iceland passed a law banning the import of all dogs, and at the same time efforts were made to reintroduce the Icelandic Sheepdog as the primary working dog of Icelandic farms.The Icelandic Sheepdog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2008, and is listed as a member of the Herding Group. The Icelandic Sheepdog, like most herding dogs, is very intelligent and needs plenty of mental stimulation as well as an enormous amount of physical activity. It will do best in an active family. Life in a small house or apartment will be difficult without the owner's making a special effort to provide adequate daily exercise outdoors. The Icelandic Sheepdog does not have much hunting drive, and is generally not used in that capacity. It enjoys retrieving and can make a great Frisbee dog. Brisk daily walks are recommended for the Icelandic Sheepdog. This breed can make an excellent jogging partner. It is helpful and cheerfully obedient as a farm worker. As a stock dog it shows an upright and loose-eyed style, and can be given to frequent barking as it works. It will also show a desire to protect the herd from predators. The coat of the Icelandic Sheepdog is easy to care for and is not prone to tangling. It should be brushed a least once weekly to remove dead hairs and debris, keep skin healthy, and discourage matting. The male Icelandic Sheepdog generally has a longer coat than does the female. This breed sheds heavily in spring and fall; with diligent brushing shedding can be minimal at other times of the year. The Icelandic Sheepdog is often born with double dewclaws; the owner should take particular care to keep these trimmed so they do not grow long enough to dig into the dog's leg. This breed tends to be hardy and healthy; typical herding breed issues rarely plague it. The Icelandic Sheepdog may exhibit hip dysplasia and inherited eye disorders such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), where the breeder is not careful to work to eliminate such tendencies in the bloodline. This breed is friendly with people, loves children, and gets along well with other dogs and other household pets. However, it may occasionally try to herd children and smaller animals such as the household cats. The Icelandic Sheepdog is generally cheerful, active, fearless, and possesses self-assurance and some independence, while at the same time being extremely affectionate with its owners. The Icelandic Sheepdog bonds very closely with its human pack, and needs adequate playtime and attention or it can develop behavioral problems. This breed can also be predisposed to separation anxiety when its owner is away; in its extreme form this can result in destructive acts, or even self-destruction such as for example chewing on the crate until it bleeds, or self-grooming to developing painful "hot spots"�. Most often in an individual prone to separation anxiety, the issue can be solved with the addition of a canine companion. This dog is considered by many dog trainers to be the easiest of the Spitz breeds to train, given its high intelligence, cheerful disposition and innate eagerness to please. Besides being used as a herding dog and watchdog, the Icelandic Sheepdog is today successful in agility and obedience competitions, and is sometimes used as a therapy dog and for police work such as tracking.

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