Believed to be loyal companions of ancient Norsemen, who came to Iceland in the early 9 th century, Icelandic sheepdogs are the country’s native breed of dog. As the Icie sheds a lot, any tool that can help combat this is a godsend. Weight / Height. They require daily brushing during these times to ensure dead hair is removed before it gets all over your house. Additionally, they can get along with kids and other pets, provided that they are socialized from a young age. mentally at the age of 18 months. Our litters are raised in our home on our farm and are socialized appropriately. We have two litters of purebred Icelandic sheepdogs for sale, 10 puppies total. Icelandic sheepdogs are people orientated, so provide positive social interactions with others. The expected life span of the Icelandic Sheepdog is 12-14 years. Female Icelandic Sheepdog dogs can reach a size from 16 inches and weighs between 20 and 25 pounds. As with any new dog, begin training and socializing as soon as you bring him home. As a herding dog, the Icelandic Sheepdog is intelligent and able to think for himself. Icelandic Sheepdogs that exhibit basic herding … Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America. Has the tendency to be an excessive barker, Chases cars and animals, must keep leashed. Characteristics of the Icelandic Sheepdog, Where to Buy or Adopt an Icelandic Sheepdog, Czechoslovakian Vlcak (Czechoslovakian Wolfdog): Breed Profile, Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie): Dog Breed Profile, The Polish Lowland Sheepdog: Dog Breed Profile, Croatian Sheepdog (Hrvatski Ovcar): Breed Profile. Will this dog be a good fit for my family? This is a dog that would really benefit from a secure yard to play in or at least a nearby park. This will ensure that your dog is always on his toes and learning as much as possible. Such places are colloquially named “puppy farms” due to these immoral practices. If you decide to purchase an Icie puppy from a breeder, there are a few important things to keep in mind to help ensure that you have the best chance of receiving a healthy puppy. The Icelandic sheepdog would commonly protect flocks and herd sheep and cattle on the rough terrain of Iceland. However, a breed club was established with the aim of conserving the breed in 1969. Here are some resources that may help with training. Without proper physical and mental exercise, the Icelandic sheepdog may become destructive, stressed, or develop other behavioral problems. If you know of any rescue centers wholly devoted to the Icelandic Sheepdog, let us know and we’ll add it to the article. It was these dogs that were the beginning of the Icelandic Sheepdog genetic line. Breed Group: Herding Height: 16.5 to 18 inches Weight: 20 to 45 pounds Life Span: 12 to 15 years This hardy Nordic breed is said to have come to Iceland on the longboats of early Viking settlers. The white areas are commonly found on the face, chest, collar, legs and tail. Look for a breeder that has recognition from reputable breeding societies. Therefore, it’s imperative that you do your utmost to ensure you purchase your Icie from a reputable and trustworthy breeder. It’s a small to medium sized dog, weighing up to 30 pounds and growing up to 18 inches as an adult. Icies have a strong build and carry themselves with an agile gait. On the good side, adopting allows you to get a dog that is already an adult. Therefore, it’s imperative that you teach your Icie a faultless recall and an emergency recall for urgent situations. This breed might not be a good fit for busy families that leave the house empty for large portions of the day. As for weight, a healthy number for a male is 30 pounds. This breed is intelligent, and when trained with consistency and patience, this dog learns quickly. Raising an unruly puppy into a well-mannered adult can seem like an impossible task for even the most experienced dog owners. However, the Icelandic Sheepdog can certainly make for an amazing and loving companion in the right family. There are two distinct types of coat within this breed; a short-haired and a long-haired. Tabitha has 10+ years of experience working in veterinary medicine and animal rescue. However, if you are based somewhere else in the world, or cannot get an Icie from the NISRA, your best bet is to search rescue centers dedicated to covering a large number of breeds. Icelandic Sheepdog information including pictures, training, behavior, and care of Icelandic Sheepdogs and dog breed mixes. For the short-haired variation, the coat is of medium length with a coarse overcoat and a thick, soft undercoat. Positive, reward-based training is the best way to go. Make sure your dog isn’t overweight. Obedience and socialization training should be carried out from a young age to help ensure the Icie grows up to be a well-mannered, controllable adult. They help us on the farm with the sheep and horses. Icies do well on high-quality dog food. However, be aware that this breed is very active and excessive barking can be normal behavior, which would rule out an apartment as a suitable home. The Icelandic Sheepdog can also compete in dog sports like obedience, flyball, agility, and rally. They can be particularly prone to injury at this stage, so it is advised to keep the exercise to walks and light play at home. The head of the Icelandic Sheepdog is quite fox-like: medium-sized, erect ears, a muzzle that is slightly shorter than the skull, and an intelligent and alert expression. The Icelandic sheepdog's coat can be short or long, with both lengths having an outer coat and an undercoat. This breed is distinguished by its prick ears and curled tail. Brushing their teeth regularly can stop painful dental diseases from being a problem. A black face mask may or may not be present. This breed needs to be taken on a daily walk or jog. If you are looking for a pet, then the Icelandic Sheepdog is a perfectly suitable candidate. As with any dog breed, proper training is needed for the Icelandic sheepdog. Joint issues such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation have all been found to be at a possible high risk within this breed. If you intend to buy an Icelandic sheepdog from a breeder, ask about any health tests given to the parents. Knowing this, it can help you understand why these pups bark at anything and everything they see or hear—it is normal behavior for this breed. The Iceland Sheepdog is an alert and active dog. This gives you the best chance of avoiding the health issues outlined above from being an issue in your new puppy. Although they have thick double coats, they only require minimal grooming. In all other aspects, Icelandic Sheepdogs make excellent family companions – they are obedient, sociable, and only need moderate exercise. Despite this appearance and temperament, the Icelandic Sheepdog is rare and still rather obscure. Sadly, pet shops should also be avoided as many of them purchase their stock from such puppy farms. The Icelandic sheepdog is the only known breed that originated in Iceland. We would recommend taking a look into harnesses as opposed to leashes. This was due to a combination of disease and a lack of a need for herding dogs, causing the population to plummet to dangerously low numbers. He can also develop separation anxiety if left alone for too long. Icelandic Sheepdogs at Crossbreeze Farm These dogs are truly members of our family. From 1930 to 1970, he exported several of these dogs and worked to rebuild the decimated breed. The Piebald pattern may also appear within this breed. It helps keep them active and out of trouble. Unfortunately, this breed has faced a lot of hardship in the past; they have been near extinction multiple times from famine and disease. A Icelandic Sheepdog with healthy weight will not have any ribs visible. This popular… Trainability. Healthy today, the Icelandic Sheepdog is a small, furry sheepdog used for herding, guarding and as a working dog. Obedience classes and one-on-one help from dog behaviorists and trainers can help you. It can affect either one ear or both. A good breeder will speak honestly about the genetic health of their lines and will not evade questions. The Happy Puppy Site is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk, The Happy Puppy Site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Ocular problems such as cataracts, entropion, retinal dysplasia and distichiasis have also been reported within Icies. These traits can make dog training relatively easy. As farming needs declined in the 20th century, the Icelandic Sheepdog neared extinction. Today, the breed is primarily kept as a companion dog and can be found all over the world. and Kristjansson, T., 2008, “Correlated Pedigree and Molecular Estimates of Inbreeding and Their Ability to Detect Inbreeding Depression in the Icelandic Sheepdog, a Recently Bottlenecked Population of Domestic Dogs,” Conservation Genetics, Your email address will not be published. Icelandic Sheepdogs, as their name implies, originated from Iceland. Otherwise, they may catch sight of something and sprint headlong into trouble. We hope to begin training for their new families in areas such as walking on a lead, stairs, potty training and the obedience basics as soon as the youngsters are able. The Icelandic Sheepdog if not being kept as a working dog would be happy to join you for hikes, long walks, jogging, having a romp through some woods, going to a dog park to play doggy games, run free off leash safely and socialize. When they were not working in the field, they would serve as wonderful companions to their owners and loved ones. See below: If you decide to purchase or adopt an Icelandic Sheepdog, there are some products and accessories on the market that can help simplify things. Training Your Icelandic Sheepdog With such an extensive history as herders, the Icelandic Sheepdog has high intelligence and can easily pick up new commands. All variations have white markings and sometimes have a black mask. It stems from their origins when they would alert their owners of danger out in the mountains or open plains. Always make sure that they have clean and fresh water that is easily accessible and available. However, on the bad side, many dogs sadly end up in rescue due to health or behavioral problems. In 1969, the Icelandic Kennel Club was founded to watch over the breed and promote its place in Iceland’s history. The long-haired variation is the same but simply with a much longer coat and bushier tail. You should keep up training even after the basics have been mastered, as this dog wants to be challenged with a variety of different training, exercise and play tasks. Review how much Icelandic Sheepdog puppies for sale sell for below. Although time outdoors is a must for the Icelandic Sheepdog, his living space should be indoors with his family. FUN FACT: Icelandic Sheepdogs are great at learning things on their own. Learning more about the breed helps set both your family and the dog up for success. They are wonderful dogs who love to have a job to do. If you’re interested in similar breeds, check out: There are so many amazing dog breeds to choose from, so be sure to check out our other dog breed profiles to find the perfect companion for you and your family. If you can fulfill all their daily requirements and provide a great home for them to live, the Icie can quickly become a loving member of the family. The Icelandic Sheepdog is commonly nicknamed the “Icie.”. The Icelandic Sheepdog can potentially make for a great pet for the right family. Jan 20, 2017 - Explore Gloria Bling's board "Icelandic Sheepdogs" on Pinterest. Herding breeds are great, but their brains and active traits mean they need a mix of mental and physical exercise to keep them happy. However, there are still some concerns with the temperament of this breed that you need to be aware of. The cost to buy an Icelandic Sheepdog varies greatly and depends on many factors such as the breeders' location, reputation, litter size, lineage of the puppy, breed popularity (supply and demand), training, socialization efforts, breed lines and much more. The Icelandic sheepdog is a small-to-mid-sized working dog, also known as a spitz (with its characteristic fuzzy and dense coat, pointy ears and muzzle and bushy tail). Accounts from Iceland up to the twentieth century mention Icelandic Sheepdogs and their various jobs, including herding, finding lost sheep in the snow, rounding up ponies, and gathering puffins. You shouldn’t have too much trouble training this breed; As such affectionate dogs, Icies are very motivated to please. The Icelandic Sheepdog should be fed a diet appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior) and activity level. The Icelandic sheepdog is believed to have been brought to Iceland with the Vikings, who settled there toward the end of the ninth century. If you are struggling to train your Icelandic Sheepdog, never just give up. Along with their coat, remember grooming extends to the nails and teeth of the dog too. Grooming tools can also be a good idea. Always use positive reinforcement training to get the most out of your sessions. After the Iceland Sheepdog suffered a bout with distemper and tapeworms in the late 1800s, a ban on all mammals was issued for Iceland. They require at least moderate exercise each day to stay fit and happy. This is a habit to discourage when the dog is a puppy. This breed is intelligent, and when trained with consistency and patience, this dog learns quickly. Icies are Spitz-type dogs who are well-suited to the cold climate that they originate from with their thick and waterproof double coat. When he is outdoors, keep him on a leash or within a secure fence, because he does tend to chase cars. Your email address will not be published. If you decide you would like to adopt an Icelandic Sheepdog, you will quickly come to the realization that there aren’t many dedicated rescue centers out there for this breed. In fact, they were on the very brink of extinction just 60-70 years ago. So if you want to have a smart dog, you might have to reconsider your choice with this breed. It responds well to positive reinforcement with toy and food rewards, a stable routine, and lots of love. Here is a quick summary of the good and bad of this breed. Puppies that are raised in such places are commonly riddled with health issues and behavioral problems. As with any herding breed, they are more likely to chase cars and run after small animals, so you will need to keep the dog leashed or in a fenced yard in areas where cars pass often. This breed is known to be vocal, mostly barking at other animals. It responds well to positive reinforcement with toy and food rewards, a stable routine, and lots of love. Regardless, there are still some health conditions that have been found to be at a higher risk within this breed. It’s always worth taking a look at similar breeds before making any final decisions, just to see if any may be a better fit for you and your family. Training: Icelandic Sheepdogs should be trained firmly but kindly They should be socialized as well. Adopting an Icie over purchasing a puppy from a breeder comes with its pros and cons. This rare dog is also one of the world’s oldest breeds. How to find a puppy and raise a happy, healthy dog, May 7, 2019 By Ryan Jones Leave a Comment. Frequent walks and play are recommended, and they can be good jogging companions. Overall, the Icelandic sheepdog is very friendly, playful, affectionate, an enthusiastic learner, and makes a great companion. The Icelandic sheepdog is the American Kennel club’s 166th breed and became eligible for AKC registration in 2010. During non-shedding periods, a weekly brush is usually sufficient. This stems from their background as herders; they used barking to help move the herd and to also alert the farmer to any intruders. Thankfully, they succeeded. Check with your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about your dog's weight or diet. Training: The Icelandic Sheepdog is a very smart breed. Icies weren’t recognized by the American Kennel Club until June 2010. Training. Due to the undercoat of this breed, they do experience a loss of their coats twice a year. However, Icelandic sheepdogs are susceptible to certain conditions that affect all dogs, such as: Annual vet visits will help your pet maintain optimum health and prevent and recognize any problems sooner. During these times of extreme shedding, brushing is recommended more often to help manage the excessive hair. They are often quite easy to train, but it is important to approach training correctly to ensure fast and efficient learning. Positive rewards-based methods work best with this breed. They have almost gone extinct more than once. The Icelandic Sheepdog, or Iceland Dog, is the Iceland's only native breed, and almost Iceland's only breed. Obesity can further increase the risk of the health issues above. 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