Icelandic Sheepdog
Iceland's only native breed, brought by the Vikings and working ever since. It herds by voice, and it watches the sky, because it guarded lambs from birds.
Photo by Hawthorne Ave, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Icelandic Sheepdog is Iceland's only native breed, brought by Viking settlers over a thousand years ago and shaped by an island with no natural predators and a great deal of sky. Its distinctive job was watching upward: it warns of birds of prey taking lambs, which is why it barks at things overhead.
It nearly died out in the nineteenth century after a distemper epidemic and was rebuilt from a small number of dogs, partly through the efforts of a British breeder.
Temperament
Cheerful, friendly and notably unreserved. Icelandic Sheepdogs are good with children, sociable with strangers and other dogs, and they lack the wariness most herding breeds have.
They are vocal, which is the job, and that is the main practical consideration. They are intelligent and biddable and they enjoy training. They are also affectionate and do badly left alone for long days.
Care and grooming
A double coat, short or long, that needs weekly brushing and daily attention during the two heavy moults. It sheds a great deal.
Hip dysplasia, patellar luxation and cataracts occur, and the narrow founding population is worth asking about. Twelve to fourteen years is normal.
Living and exercise
An hour to ninety minutes a day plus mental work. They enjoy herding, agility and obedience.
They handle cold extremely well. The barking is a genuine consideration in close housing, and it is not something to expect training to remove entirely.
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