Icelandic Sheepdog

The Icelandic Sheepdog is the only dog originating from Iceland. The ancestors of the breed arrived with the first Viking settlers (874-930 AD), they were probably Norwegian Buhunds. The breed adapted to Iceland's climatic conditions and was selected to herd livestock on farms. In the 19th century, the breed nearly disappeared due to an epidemic. The popularity of the Icelandic Sheepdog has grown over recent decades and is no longer considered to be in danger of extinction, although the breed's numbers remain low.

The Icelandic Sheepdog is described in the FCI standard as very alert, cheerful, friendly, playful, curious and fearless. The hunting instinct is not developed. It is a breed without aggression and welcoming to strangers. The Icelandic Sheepdog has a great need for space. Apartment living is possible only if large walks can be done daily to exercise it physically and mentally. It must be able to play freely on walks in dedicated places. A garden is not a place for walking.

The Icelandic Sheepdog is a Nordic spitz-type dog breed of size slightly below average. The body length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the rump is greater than the height at the withers. The tail is attached high and curled over the back. Of medium size and almond-shaped, its eyes are dark brown. In dogs with brown or cream coat, the eyes may be slightly lighter. The ears are erect, triangular in shape. There are two varieties of coat, a long and a short coat. In any case, the topcoat is fairly rough with a thick and soft undercoat. The coat is shorter on the face, top of the head, ears and front of the limbs. It is longer on the neck, chest and back of the thighs. The tail is very fluffy and the length of its coat is in proportion to that of the coat. The coat colors are fawn, with its various shades potentially ranging to reddish-brown or cream, chocolate, black and gray. All these colors are always accompanied by white without it becoming the dominant color. The most common white markings are the blaze, collar, medal, white socks and tail tip. A black mask is accepted.