The Icelandic Spitz

One might consider upon first seeing the Icelandic Spitz dog that it belongs to the northern families of dogs which are the sled dogs and hunting dogs of the north. However its history is well chronicled as being a herding dog. It is believed that the Icelandic Spitz is a direct descendant of the Norwegian Buhund. Another name for this breed is actually the Icelandic Sheepdog. As early as 800 AD the dogs were brought to the shores of Iceland by the Vikings. The breed flourished in Iceland and was valued highly for its sheep herding abilities. Unfortunately the breed was decimated nearly to the point of extinction in the late nineteenth century by an outbreak of distemper. To further complicate matters, a ban on the importation of all mammals into Iceland was established, in part to prevent further outbreaks of this dreaded disease and also Plaque. finally in 1969 the Icelandic Dog Breeders Association was established in an effort to increase and preserve the genetic pool of the breed. Due in part to the efforts of both British and Icelandic breeders the Icelandic Spitz dog is beginning to make a shaky comeback.

The standard for the breed was first established in 1898. Today it is registered with the F.C.I. in the northern group and is a member of the Foundation Stock service of the American Kennel Club. Furthermore it is also registered with both the Canadian Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club.

The Icelandic Sheepdog or Icelandic Spitz is a heavily furred dog which carries the typical curled tail and small prick ears of other Spitz types. It is not considered a hunting breed in any respect and carries within its genetic makeup a very strong herding instinct. It is believed that this breed was used in the development of the Corgi, the Border Collie and the Shetland Sheepdog. The herding instincts of the Icelandic Spitz are legendary. The coat colors are generally red with white although there can be dogs of black or gray with a mask appearance to the face. The coat can be of the short or long variety. When the coat is short it is called a “brush coat” and the long haired variety is termed the “rough coat”. A distinctive feature of this breed is that the hind legs often carry the double dew claws, similar to the dew claws found on the rear legs of the Great Pyrenees.

The Icelandic Spitz is a friendly and affectionate family dog but does need to be well socialized from the beginning. This is a dog which matures slowly and can be quite a lively and boisterous puppy even at the age of 18 months. Because this is a dog with highly developed herding instincts, if he considers his family as his “herd” he will not become a wanderer. Actually this dog will be a territorial dog by nature and makes a good watchdog, protective of the children within his “flock” and extremely loyal.

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* Article Source: Michael Russell
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spitz - Yahoo! News Search Results
spitz - Yahoo! News Search Results

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