Icelandic Sheepdog
About the Icelandic Sheepdog
Temperament
Physical Characteristics
| Size Category | Medium (25-50 lbs) |
|---|---|
| Height | 16-18" |
| Weight | 25-30 lbs |
| Coat Type | Double |
| Coat Length | Medium |
| Colors | |
| Hypoallergenic | No |
Care Requirements
Exercise Needs
High (60-90 min/day)
60 minutes per day recommended
Grooming
Regular - 2-3x/week
Mental Stimulation
★★★★★Needs plenty of mental challenges
Drooling
★★★★★Living Conditions
Cost of Ownership
| Purchase Price | $1,500-$2,500 |
|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $1,300/year |
Costs vary based on location, breeder, and individual needs. Annual costs include food, veterinary care, grooming, and supplies.
Health Considerations
Like all breeds, Icelandic Sheepdogs may be prone to certain health conditions:
Regular veterinary check-ups and proper care can help prevent or manage many health issues.
Best For
- Families with Children
- First-Time Owners
- Active Owners
May Not Be Ideal For
- Long Work Hours Away
- Sedentary Lifestyles
Guides for your Icelandic Sheepdog
The story behind the Icelandic Sheepdog
The Icelandic Sheepdog descends from spitz-type dogs brought to Iceland by Norse settlers, generally placed around the ninth and tenth centuries, and adapted over the following thousand years to farm work on an island with no forests and few predators. Its job was to gather and drive sheep and horses across open ground, find animals buried in snow, and warn of aerial threats to lambs, which encouraged a vocal, agile, herding-by-barking style rather than the silent eye of a collie. Disease outbreaks and imported crossbreeding in the nineteenth century nearly eliminated the type. Recovery efforts from the mid-twentieth century onward, aided by British and Icelandic enthusiasts collecting surviving farm dogs, rebuilt the population from a narrow base. The breed is recognised internationally today, remains numerically small, and is managed carefully for genetic diversity.
Originally bred for: Sheep herding, Farm dog, Livestock searching. You can trace how working roles shaped today’s breeds across our dog guides.
Feeding a Icelandic Sheepdog
A hardy, moderately active farm breed suits a balanced everyday ration divided between morning and evening, adjusted for a coat that conceals weight gain. Ribs should be findable through the ruff. Cold-weather activity raises needs, while a quiet winter indoors lowers them quickly.
Watch for: No breed-linked food allergy is recognised. As with several northern breeds rebuilt from small populations, individuals with itchy skin deserve proper assessment rather than being cycled through diets. Rich table food can loosen stools. A vet should oversee any exclusion trial.
Mealtime extras: training treats worth keeping in your pocket. Everything else lives in our dog nutrition and feeding hub.
Living with a Icelandic Sheepdog
Day to day, the basics matter most: how much exercise your dog needs, how often to get out for a walk, and how much sleep is normal.
For play and enrichment, browse our favorite dog toys and interactive toys for rainy days.
Gear that fits the breed makes life easier: a well-sized dog bed, a properly sized crate.
Raising a puppy? Work through crate training and the teething timeline — or see how old your dog is in human years with our dog age calculator.