Icelandic Sheepdog
The Icelandic Sheepdog, Iceland’s only native dog breed, is charmingly friendly and faithful.Affectionate, confident, playful, loving
Daily Care
Grooming Tips
The Icelandic’s coat of many colors can be short or long, with both lengths having an outer coat and an undercoat.
Brush the Icie’s coatonce or twice a week to remove loose fur and reduce the amount of hair you find floating around the house or attached to your clothes.
Be sure you have a good vacuum cleaner tokeep your home tidy. Icie lovers say he doesn’t shed as much as you might think, but don’t get this breed thinking that he is a low shedder.
The rest is basic care.Trim the nailsevery three to four weeks or as needed. You may also want to clip the tufts of hair between the toes, but other than that, the coat needs no trimming.Brush the teethoften — with a vet-approved pet toothpaste — for good overall health and fresh breath.
Exercise Tips
An athletic and energetic dog, you’ll need to make sure that your Icelandic Sheepdog gets plenty of exercises. This ensures that he stays healthy and happy.
If you’re the outdoorsy type, you’ve got an eager companion that will have no problems keeping up with you. He’ll join you on long walks, hikes and jogs. He loves to hang with his friends at the dog park or play endless games of fetch. You can even train him for competitive dog sports such as obedience, agility,flyballand herding competitions.
Feeding Tips
The Icelandic Sheepdog does well on a diet of high-quality dry kibble. Because this is an active breed, make sure your dog gets enough to eat and keep his energy level up.
The Icelandic Sheepdog should befed a dietappropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior) and activity level. Learn about whichhuman foods aresafe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet or the dog’s breeder if you have any questions or concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should always be available.
Health Tips
Icelandic Sheepdogs are generally very healthy dogs. They can be prone to a few health conditions, including hip and elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation.Responsible breederstest their stock for conditions that can occur in the breed.
An Icelandic’s ears should be checked regularly for signs ofinfection, and theteethshould be brushed often, using a toothpaste designed for dogs. Regular visits to the vet for checkups and parasite control help to ensure the dog a long, healthy life.
Trainability
A joy to train, you’ll find that the Icelandic Sheepdog is eager to please. Add intelligence and a willingness to learn, and you’ve got a very trainable breed on your hands.
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. It helps keep them active and out of trouble. Feel free to mix it up with your training activities. This will ensure that your dog is always on his toes and learning as much as possible.
History
Iceland was settled in the late 9th century A.D. by Nordic people. These early settlers brought sheep, horses, and the ancestors of the Icelandic Sheepdog, Iceland’s only native breed. Over the centuries, these dogs adapted to the harsh terrain and the needs of Icelandic farmers and shepherds.
By the early 20th century, however, farming in Iceland declined and the number of Icelandic Sheepdogs was so drastically reduced that the breed was in danger of extinction. In recent years, efforts by Icelandic and international breeders have increased the numbers, particularly in Iceland, where this working breed has become newly popular as a family companion. The Icelandic Sheepdog was recognized by the AKC in 2010.
