Icelandic Sheepdog Breed description: Character & Co

What is the origin of the Icelandic Sheepdog?

The Icelandic Sheepdog is a very old dog breed and the only dog breed in Iceland. From the 8th century onwards, more and more northern Europeans settled in Iceland. They brought their dogs with them: Nordic Spitz dogs. The dogs had the task to guard the farms and herds on the sparsely populated and rough island of the North Atlantic. So this is a herding dog. With time, they adapted to the rough climate. In Icelandic the dog is called "Islenskur Fjárhundur".

As the only dog breed on the island, the Icelandic dogs had to fulfill various tasks. With their barking and protective instinct they defended the farm and family. In the process, a particularly human-oriented nature and the great child-friendliness of this dog breed developed. The Icelandic dogs also herded the flocks of sheep and helped with the hunting, chased away seagulls and vermin. Originally, their ancestors were aggressive dogs, which was rather a hindrance to their work as shepherd dogs. The Icelandic dog breeders tried to drive this characteristic out of them through selective breeding.

Because of the import ban of other dog breeds, the Icelandic dog could develop purely for a long time. However, they faced extinction again and again. On the one hand by volcanic eruptions, on the other hand by epidemics. A distemper epidemic in the 19th century reduced the Icelandic dog population by an estimated 75 %. In addition, illegally imported dogs mixed with legally important ones. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were only a few purebred dogs left in the remote areas of the North Atlantic island. It was particularly thanks to the efforts of the Englishman Mark Watson that the Icelanders became aware of the concern about this dog breed. In 1969, the "Hundareiktarfélag Íslands", the Icelandic Dog Association, was founded. According to a comprehensive genetic analysis from 2017, the Icelandic dog was able to retain its original identity. Meanwhile, the Icelandic dog enjoys great popularity outside its homeland.

In 1898, the first standard was established, but it did not become generally accepted. In 1972, the standard (FCI Group 5, Section 3, Standard No. 289) was renewed.