According to the 2007 Icelandic sheepdog
calendar from Iceland...
their Icelandic Sheepdog Description....
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The Icelandic Sheepdog is Iceland's only native dog. He was brought over
to Iceland by the original viking settlers who first arrived in the year 874 AD.
The Icelandic Sheepdog and his method of working have adapted to the local
terrain, farming methods and the hard struggle for survival of the Icelandic
people over the centuries, making him indispensable to the sheep farmer.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is a hardy dog, happy and friendly with a gentle disposition. His love of working, eagerness to learn and cheerful bark have eased the shepherd's load and earned him his master's trust and affection, and more often than not a share of his packed lunch. The Icelandic Sheepdog is also a very good guard dog, without being aggressive, although his hunting and retrieving instincts are not strong.
The first recorded mention of the Icelandic Sheepdog is found in the Icelandic Sagas and he is mentioned later, in English and French books from the Middle Ages. Eggert Olafsson and Bjarni Palsson, in their travel guide of Iceland, published in 1744, describe the Icelandic Sheepdog thus: "Sheepdogs, long-haired dogs with narrow feet, a great help to the shepherds."
The Icelandic Sheepdog is a medium-sized dog with pricked ears and a well curled tail, with double dewclaws on his hind legs.
His mood is expressed by his constantly moving ears and his intelligent and lively dark brown eyes. His coat can be varied in length, either long or short, but always thick and extremely weatherproof.
The most common colours are from reddish to yellowish brown, black, liver and wheaten, although completely self-coloured dogs are undesirable. The commonest colour combinations are: white markings on the chest, blaze, collar, socks and tip of tail, a black mask, or lighter shading on breast, abdomen, back of thighs and underside of tail. Black dogs must be tricolour.
In 1969 a group of converned Icelanders founded the Icelandic Kennel Club, originally for the express purpose of saving the Icelandic Sheepdog when it became apparent that he was in great danger of extinction. Since 1979 the Icelandic Sheepdog Breed Club (Deild Islenska Fjarhunsins, or DIF) has been responsible for upholding and developing the breed. In 1996 a committee of the Icelandic Sheepdog Breed Clubs of seven nations was formed with the express purpose of standardizing and improving the breed. There are approximately 600 living Icelandic Sheepdogs registered with the Icelandic Kennel Club.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is a valuable part of Iceland's national heritage, a treasure which must be safeguarded for the future.