5d • Breed of the Week
Icelandic Sheepdog
The Icelandic Sheepdog is the only native dog of Iceland via Norse settlers that originated in Scandinavia and is part of the spitz family. Their predecessors are documented through Nordic literature to have been introduced to Iceland approximately 1100 years ago. It is thought that they are part of the same foundational stock as the Buhund of Norway and the Vallhund of Sweden.
The Icelandic Sheepdog did not just stay on the island but also had fans in other countries and in various literature. This documentation ranged from Shakespeare in Henry V from 1599 to Natural History (English) by Georges-Louis Leclerc which was published in 1755.
It was not all fun and games for the Icelandic Sheepdog because in the late 19th century canine distemper, which effects the central nervous system and is highly contagious, and parvovirus, which effects the gastrointestinal tract and is highly contagious, plus Tapeworm Laws which enforced that each farm is only allowed one dog. The Tapeworm Law caused the population to drop drastically in only a couple of decades and the highly contagious diseases, which are still around today, caused the breed to be dangerously close to extinction.
Thanks to an Englishmen named Mark Watson and an Icelandic journalist Haukur Snorrason they located the last few pure bred Icelandic Sheepdogs and had them exported to Watson’s kennels abroad which helped secure bloodlines. An Icelandic veterinarian was also involved in preservation efforts of the breed and incorporated the exported bloodline to encourage genetic diversity.
As you can imagine the Icelandic Sheepdog has to be a tough and hardy dog to be able to endure the rough terrain and weather of Iceland. They come in two coat lengths: long-haired and short-haired with both having an undercoat. The accepted colors are tan/fawn, grey, tri colored, chocolate and reddish brown with each coat color including white markings and some having a black mask. They stand between 42-45cm (17-18”) and weigh 9-14kgs (20-30lbs) so I think it is safe to say they are mostly fur.
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Icelandic Sheepdog
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