What to Know Before Buying an Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy
Quick answer: Before you buy an Icelandic Sheepdog puppy, meet Iceland’s only native breed as it truly is: a cheerful, spitz-tailed herder that adores everyone it meets, announces everything it notices, and worked for a thousand years by barking sheep down from mountain ledges. Icelandics live 12 to 14 years, need an hour of daily activity, shed their double coats generously, and make sunny family companions with zero guard-dog pretensions. Buy from breeders with OFA hips, patellas, and annual eye exams.
At a Glance
| Group | Herding (AKC, recognized 2010) |
| Origin | Iceland (Viking settlement stock) |
| Height | Males about 18 in; females about 16.5 in |
| Weight | 25–30 lbs |
| Lifespan | 12–14 years |
| Coat | Thick, weatherproof double coat; short-hair and long-hair varieties |
| Color | Tan, chocolate, gray, or black, always with white markings |
| Temperament | Cheerful, friendly, alert, playful, vocal |
| Good for | Sociable active families untroubled by barking and shedding |
1. A Thousand Years of Barking on Purpose
Vikings brought these spitzes to Iceland in the ninth century, and the island’s herding style shaped them: with no predators to fight, the dogs specialized in voice, barking to drive sheep and to flush strays off ledges where a dog could not climb. The modern consequence is a breed that comments enthusiastically on doorbells, squirrels, and interesting clouds. A quiet cue taught early keeps it civilized; buyers needing silence should keep browsing.
2. Everybody’s Best Friend
Icelandics may be the friendliest herding breed in the AKC: openly delighted by strangers, superb with children, and typically excellent with other dogs and household cats. Guarding instinct is essentially absent, so you get an alarm system with no follow-through, which is exactly right for families. That sociability means they want in on everything and wilt when routinely excluded or isolated.
3. Exercise for a Working Cheerleader
An hour of daily activity, split between walks, play, and training games, keeps an Icelandic balanced, and the breed shines in agility, rally, herding trials, and trick titles. The herding software occasionally fires at children and bicycles as heel-nudging, which redirects easily with early training. Weatherproofing is total: snow days are the best days of an Icelandic’s year.
4. The Coat, the Shed, and the Dewclaws
Both coat varieties shed year-round and blow out spectacularly twice a year; brush thoroughly weekly, daily during drops, and never shave the insulating double coat. A breed signature: many Icelandics carry double dewclaws on the rear legs, correct per the standard and needing regular trims since they never touch ground. Otherwise grooming is routine ears, nails, and the occasional bath.
5. Health and the Buyer Checklist
The isolated island gene pool stayed remarkably clean: Icelandics are a healthy breed whose parent-club screens are OFA hips and patellas plus annual eye exams, with cruciate awareness worth a question. The breed nearly went extinct in the twentieth century and remains uncommon, so plan for a breeder search and a wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Icelandic Sheepdogs bark a lot?
Yes, it is literally what they were bred to do. Training moderates it and exercise reduces it, but a chatty dog is part of the package.
Are Icelandic Sheepdogs good with kids and other pets?
Among the best: playful, gentle, and sociable across the board. Mild herding nudges at running children redirect easily with early training.
Do Icelandic Sheepdogs make good guard dogs?
No; they alert loudly and then greet the intruder warmly. Buyers wanting protection should choose a different breed.
How much do Icelandic Sheepdogs shed?
Heavily: constant light shedding plus two dramatic seasonal blowouts. Weekly brushing at minimum, daily in season, keeps homes livable.
Read the official AKC breed standard
Sources
American Kennel Club – Icelandic Sheepdog
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
Canine Health Information Center (CHIC)
AKC Marketplace