Fun and Fancy Icelandic Sheepdogs
Judy Brown -Calf-USA
Available for Adoption right now- Male Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies
For more informaton contact Judy at jbrown41@charter.net
Monday, July 28, 2008
CKC Rally Obedience Trial -Kingston Show June 21st
Rally Obedience Information - June 21st
CKC UKC Ch Belglen Roskva CGN TT HIC earned a score of 98 for 2nd place in Trial at the CISC Booster.
A Huge! congrats to Scott and Soley on this wonderful win.
The club provided a lovely photo frame prize for being the highest scoring Icelandic Sheepdog in trial.
Icelandic Sheepdog in Canada CKC Show Report 2008 June 20th, 21st, and 22nd
Show: Kingston Kennel Club, Ontario
Date June 20th 2008
Judge : Chris Neilson- CKC Allbreed
Ch Greenstone Black Pearl Best of Breed- Group 4th
Greenstone Alexander the Great- Best of Opposite Sex
Greenstone Fire an Ice -Best Puppy in Breed
Date June 21st 2008
Judge : Donna Cole -B.C. CKC AllBreed Judge
CKC UKCCh Belglen Roskva CGN TT HIC -Best of Breed
Greenstone Alexander the Great -Best of Opposite Sex
Solhundur Leika Óskadis- Best Puppy in Breed
Best in Show Bred By - Ch Greenstone Black Pearl -Judge Donna Cole
Date: June 22nd, 2008
Judge: David Eadie -CKC All-Breed
Ch Greenstone Black Pearl -Best of Breed -Group 4th
Greenstone Alexander the Great- Best of Opposite Sex
Solhundur Tindra Oskastjarna- Best Puppy in Breed.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Icelandic Sheepdog in Canada CKC Show Report 2008 May 30th, 31st, and June 1st
Show: Aurora Kennel Club, Ontario
Date May 30th 2008
Judge : Marilyn Mincey of B.C.- CKC Allbreed
U-Ch Belglen Roskva CGN, TT, HIC- BOB and Group 4th
Solhundur Tindra Óskastjarna - Reserve Winners Bitch, and Best Puppy in Breed
Date May 31st 2008
Judge : Dr. Everett Mincey -B.C. CKC AllBreed Judge
U-Ch Belglen Roskva CGN TT HIC -BOB
Solhundur Tindra Óskastjarna- Reserve Winners Bitch and Best Puppy in Breed.
Show: Aurora Kennel Club, Ontario
Date June 1st, 2008
Judge: Soile Bister FCI
U-Ch Belglen Roskva CGN, TT, HIC -BOB
Solhunder Tindra Oskastjarna-Reserve Winners Bitch and Best Puppy in Breed
S0lhundur Leika Óskadis
A Huge Congrats to Laura and Scott as U-Ch Belglen Roska CGN TT HIC is now a new CKC Champion as well!! Way to go guys, Belglen Roskva aka Soley has been Handled by Scott to her Championship. What a way to start the year!!
Icelandic Sheepdog in Canada CKC Show Report 2008 March 02
Show: Calgary Alberta
Date March 02 2008
Judge : Janet Lobb -CKC Allbreed Judge
Heimskauts Skella- BOB, Best Puppy in Breed
Handler-Candise Berard
Ch Lavendels Vindur- BOS
Handler-Scott Berard
Monday, March 31, 2008
Icelandic Sheepdogs Puppies for Sale in Canada
Black Tricolor Med Coated Six Week Old Icelandic Sheepdog Female Puppy
Chincilla and White Med Coated Six Week old Icelandic Sheepdog Female Puppy
Red and White Med Coated Six Week Old Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy
Chincilla/White and Black Mask Med Coated Icelandic Sheepdog PuppyIcelandic Sheepdog Puppies for Sale in Eastern Canada - Breeder will Ship across Canada and United States - Perfer Homes in Canada- Ideally looking for Pet/Breeding or Show Homes in Ontario or Quebec or Maritimes.
Both Pet Qaulity Puppies and Possable Show Qaulity Puppies Available.
This litter meet the CISC Breeder Guidelines.
Mother: Ch Belglen Runa -OFA- Good, CERF Normal 1/08- Med Coat -16 inchs-24 Pds
Father: Pineridge Vaskur-Pennhip .39/.50 CERF Normal 1/08 - Long Coat- 18 inchs-29 Pds
Mother: Ch Belglen Runa -OFA- Good, CERF Normal 1/08- Med Coat -16 inchs-24 Pds
Father: Pineridge Vaskur-Pennhip .39/.50 CERF Normal 1/08 - Long Coat- 18 inchs-29 Pds
Friday, February 29, 2008
Icelandic Sheepdog in Canada CKC Show Report 2008 Feb 21, 22, and 23rd
Show: Markham Ontario
Date Feb 21st 2008
Judge : Dave Eadie - CKC Allbreed
Greenstone Fire an Ice- BOB BP
Handler-Linda Thompson
Greenstone Black Pearl- Reserve
Handler-Valerie Sharp
Date Feb 22nd 2008
Judge: Fred Gordon-CKC Allbreed
Greenstone Fire an Ice -BOB BP
Handler Linda Thompson
Greenstone Black Pearl-Reserve
Handler-Valerie Sharp
Date Feb 23rd 2008
Judge: Dave Paterson
Greenstone Fire an Ice-BOB BP
Handler- Linda Thompson
Greenstone Black Pearl-Reserve
Handler Valerie Sharp.
Remember if you are paid member of the CISC and you have show results, you need to send them to the club to be included.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Health Information -Rabies Challenge Fund Update on Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club Site.
As all concerned Icelandic Sheepdog owners, this new information is well worth the read and we will update with results as time goes by.
The Rabies Challenge Fund is pleased to announce that the canine rabies challenge studies have begun!!! Permission is granted to post and cross-post the text of our press release below.Regards, Kris L. ChristineFounder, Co-TrusteeThe Rabies Challenge
Fund_http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org_ (http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/)
CANINE RABIES CHALLENGE STUDIES BEGIN !One of the most important vaccine research studies in veterinary medicine is underway at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison. Dr. Ronald Schultz, a leading authority on veterinary vaccines and Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, has begun concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies to determine the long-term duration of immunity of the canine rabies vaccine, with the goal of extending the state-mandatedinterval for boosters. These will be the first long-term challenge studies on the canine rabies vaccine to be published in the United States.Dr. Schultz comments that: "We are all very excited to start this study that will hopefully demonstrate that rabies vaccines can provide a minimum of 7 years of immunity
."This research is being financed by The Rabies Challenge Fund, a charitable trust founded by pet vaccine disclosure advocate Kris L. Christine of Maine, who serves as Co-Trustee with world-renowned veterinary research scientist and practicing clinician, Dr. W. Jean Dodds of Hemopet in California. The Rabies Challenge Fund recently met its goal of $177,000 to fund the studies´first year budget with contributions from dog owners, canine groups,trainers, veterinarians, and small businesses. Annual budget goals of $150,000 for thestudies must be met in the future.Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM states:
"This is the first time in my 43 years ofinvolvement in veterinary issues that what started as a grass-roots effort to change an outmoded regulation affecting animals will be addressed scientifically by an acknowledged expert to benefit all canines in the future."Scientific data published in 1992 by Michel Aubert and his research team demonstrated that dogs were immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination, while Dr. Schultz´s serological studies documented antibody titer counts at levels known to confer immunity to rabies 7 years post-vaccination. This data strongly suggests that state laws requiring annual or triennial rabies boosters for dogs are redundant. Because the rabies vaccine is the most potent of the veterinary vaccines and associated with significant adverse reactions, it should not be given more often than is necessary to maintain immunity. Adverse reactions such autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid,joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites are linked to rabies vaccinations.Study co-trustee Kris Christine adds:
"Because the USDA does not require vaccine manufacturers to provide long-term duration of immunity studies documenting maximum effectiveness when licensing their products, concerned dog owners have contributed the money to fund this research themselves. We want to ensure that rabies immunization laws are based upon independent, long-term scientific data."More information and regular updates on The Rabies Challenge Fund and the concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies it is financing can be found at the fund´s website designed by volunteer Andrea Brin at:_www.RabiesChallengeFund.org_
(http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/) .
The Rabies Challenge Fund is pleased to announce that the canine rabies challenge studies have begun!!! Permission is granted to post and cross-post the text of our press release below.Regards, Kris L. ChristineFounder, Co-TrusteeThe Rabies Challenge
Fund_http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org_ (http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/)
CANINE RABIES CHALLENGE STUDIES BEGIN !One of the most important vaccine research studies in veterinary medicine is underway at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison. Dr. Ronald Schultz, a leading authority on veterinary vaccines and Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, has begun concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies to determine the long-term duration of immunity of the canine rabies vaccine, with the goal of extending the state-mandatedinterval for boosters. These will be the first long-term challenge studies on the canine rabies vaccine to be published in the United States.Dr. Schultz comments that: "We are all very excited to start this study that will hopefully demonstrate that rabies vaccines can provide a minimum of 7 years of immunity
."This research is being financed by The Rabies Challenge Fund, a charitable trust founded by pet vaccine disclosure advocate Kris L. Christine of Maine, who serves as Co-Trustee with world-renowned veterinary research scientist and practicing clinician, Dr. W. Jean Dodds of Hemopet in California. The Rabies Challenge Fund recently met its goal of $177,000 to fund the studies´first year budget with contributions from dog owners, canine groups,trainers, veterinarians, and small businesses. Annual budget goals of $150,000 for thestudies must be met in the future.Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM states:
"This is the first time in my 43 years ofinvolvement in veterinary issues that what started as a grass-roots effort to change an outmoded regulation affecting animals will be addressed scientifically by an acknowledged expert to benefit all canines in the future."Scientific data published in 1992 by Michel Aubert and his research team demonstrated that dogs were immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination, while Dr. Schultz´s serological studies documented antibody titer counts at levels known to confer immunity to rabies 7 years post-vaccination. This data strongly suggests that state laws requiring annual or triennial rabies boosters for dogs are redundant. Because the rabies vaccine is the most potent of the veterinary vaccines and associated with significant adverse reactions, it should not be given more often than is necessary to maintain immunity. Adverse reactions such autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid,joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites are linked to rabies vaccinations.Study co-trustee Kris Christine adds:
"Because the USDA does not require vaccine manufacturers to provide long-term duration of immunity studies documenting maximum effectiveness when licensing their products, concerned dog owners have contributed the money to fund this research themselves. We want to ensure that rabies immunization laws are based upon independent, long-term scientific data."More information and regular updates on The Rabies Challenge Fund and the concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies it is financing can be found at the fund´s website designed by volunteer Andrea Brin at:_www.RabiesChallengeFund.org_
(http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/) .
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
History of the Icelandic Sheepdog -ISIC Information
http://www.icelanddog.org/index.html
ISIC is an abbreviation for the Icelandic Sheepdog International Committee.
Member nations are: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
ISIC's main purpose is to help and encourage cross-border cooperation in all matters that will benefit and preserve the Icelandic Sheepdog.
Short history
In 1994 the Icelandic Kennel Club, HRFÍ, and the Icelandic breed-club, DÍF, after many years of work, succeeded in convincing the Icelandic Parliament, the Allthingi, that it was a national responsibility to preserve the Icelandic Sheepdog as an inheritance of Icelandic culture.
Allthingi decided to give the Minister of Agriculture the mission to form a committee in Iceland with the purpose to overlook the future of the Icelandic Sheepdog as a national breed to preserve.
The HRFÍ chairman of that time, Gudrun R. Gudjohnsen, became one of the committee-members. When the majority of the committee thought they were ready for a final proposal, HRFÍ did not agree. According to them, a lot of basic information necessary for the final proposal was missing.
HRFÍ and DÍF looked for support abroad, mainly in Sweden, and with the help of the swedish breedclub, Islandhunden-Sverige, the first international breed-club support was given through a common document to the Nordic Kennel Union in january 1996, signed by breedclubs and representatives from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland and Finland.
This was the real start of official international cooperation between responsible breedclubs/breedrepresentatives and resulted in international seminars in Sweden 1996, Iceland 1997, Holland 1998 and Denmark 1999.
At the seminar in 2007, ISIC elected a board consisting of: Gudrun R. Gudjohnsen (chairman), Hans-Åke Sperne (secretary) and Wilfred Olsen (cashier)
The present day situation
One of the main issues have been to find a common computer programme for the registration of dogs, so that all registered dogs in the member countries can be brought together in a database. This will facilitate the tracking of inherital diseases, as well as making it easier to expand the breeding material and avoid excessive inbreeding.
Much work has been done by Pieter Oliehoek in Holland to get the different databases put together, as well as to analyze the genetic variation in the dog population.
ISIC is an abbreviation for the Icelandic Sheepdog International Committee.
Member nations are: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
ISIC's main purpose is to help and encourage cross-border cooperation in all matters that will benefit and preserve the Icelandic Sheepdog.
Short history
In 1994 the Icelandic Kennel Club, HRFÍ, and the Icelandic breed-club, DÍF, after many years of work, succeeded in convincing the Icelandic Parliament, the Allthingi, that it was a national responsibility to preserve the Icelandic Sheepdog as an inheritance of Icelandic culture.
Allthingi decided to give the Minister of Agriculture the mission to form a committee in Iceland with the purpose to overlook the future of the Icelandic Sheepdog as a national breed to preserve.
The HRFÍ chairman of that time, Gudrun R. Gudjohnsen, became one of the committee-members. When the majority of the committee thought they were ready for a final proposal, HRFÍ did not agree. According to them, a lot of basic information necessary for the final proposal was missing.
HRFÍ and DÍF looked for support abroad, mainly in Sweden, and with the help of the swedish breedclub, Islandhunden-Sverige, the first international breed-club support was given through a common document to the Nordic Kennel Union in january 1996, signed by breedclubs and representatives from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland and Finland.
This was the real start of official international cooperation between responsible breedclubs/breedrepresentatives and resulted in international seminars in Sweden 1996, Iceland 1997, Holland 1998 and Denmark 1999.
At the seminar in 2007, ISIC elected a board consisting of: Gudrun R. Gudjohnsen (chairman), Hans-Åke Sperne (secretary) and Wilfred Olsen (cashier)
The present day situation
One of the main issues have been to find a common computer programme for the registration of dogs, so that all registered dogs in the member countries can be brought together in a database. This will facilitate the tracking of inherital diseases, as well as making it easier to expand the breeding material and avoid excessive inbreeding.
Much work has been done by Pieter Oliehoek in Holland to get the different databases put together, as well as to analyze the genetic variation in the dog population.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Kayla's Story -Icelandic Sheepdog Summer Newsletter Issue 2002
KOLTRYNA'S EARLY DAYS
Chase, British Columbia
The arrival of a new litter is always exciting, as it was for us on April 21st, 2001 when the litter from Lukka fra Keldnakoti and Kolur fra Arbakki was born. Four little girls and two little boys. Colour is always exciting too. Our pups that have been either predominantly cream or black, with white, tan and other shades, show very little change to the predominant colouring. However, this is not the case with the other colours, which lighten significantly from the birth colour.
We had a long list of people awaiting the arrival of this litter. Initially we had planned to exchange two of these puppies with two breeders in Holland, but the Raad van Beheer in Amsterdam would not recognize Miscellaneous CKC registration and wanted the papers issued with full breed recognition, so unexpectedly we then had two puppies to place that we already thought had a home.
We are very thorough in checking new owners and the home they will be able to provide for our puppies. Based on an earlier experience, we now send a notice with each pup leaving here requesting first refusal should a new owner find themselves in a position where they can't keep their puppy.
One family had expressed a very keen interest in a puppy for their daughter over quite a long period of time and we had had a considerable amount of contact with them. When they were selected to receive a puppy, they were delighted and decided to fly from Minnesota to pick up Koltryna, rather than have her take a long air cargo flight.
We thought Koltryna was a very lucky little puppy to have such care and planning going into her transportation. The family flew to Vancouver, rented a car and drove to our farm to pick up their puppy - spent some time here and left happily with Koltryna.
We ask people to keep in touch with us and I was surprised that I didn't hear how the journey home had gone. I e-mailed to enquire and didn't receive a reply. I e-mailed a second time and still didn't hear anything. This is unusual.
The next thing I received was an e-mail enquiry from someone who had chosen a puppy from the Humane Society nearest to them, and as Koltryna had also been left with the Canadian Sheepdog Puppy Book, the new owner had read it, seen a picture of who she thought was her puppy (and it was), seen our name and contacted us to see if we were the breeders.
Needless to say we were dumbfounded. Apparently the reason given for surrendering Koltryna to the Humane Society was that one of the owners was allergic to dogs. We couldn't believe that these owners, who were prepared to go to so much trouble to come and get her, couldn't go to the trouble of making a phone call to us, telling us what had happened and asking if we could take her back. We had many people who would have loved to have her.
Very luckily for Koltryna, she has found a new owner who has offered a loving home and has offered a home to many dogs who have found themselves at the Humane Society for one reason or another. We are very grateful to her for rescuing Koltryna and getting in touch with us.
We sincerely hope that all future owners of our puppies will contact us if something unforeseen arises that prevents them from keeping their new puppy.
We have asked Koltryna's new owner if she will write a short article telling the story from when she found her at the Humane Society.
MY RESCUE DOG
Minneapolis, Minnesota
On July, 23, 2001 I had to put my beloved Rusty to sleep. He had a stroke and no longer had a comfortable quality of life. He has been my friend for fifteen years. I was thoroughly devastated.
So, on Saturday, July 28, 2001, I found myself again at the Animal Humane Society of Golden Valley, Minnesota, "just looking". From past experience, I knew better than to go to the shelter "just looking", as I knew I would not return home alone. Of course, I did not.
I adopted an Icelandic Sheepdog, about eleven weeks old. She was not the first dog I looked at that day. What attracted me to her was her outstanding personality. She is extremely intelligent, outgoing, very friendly and exceptionally alert. After spending just a few minutes with her, I knew I had to have her. I named her Kayla even before I had signed the adoption papers.
I was told she is a purebred Icelandic recently purchased from a professional hobby breeder. She apparently was given up for adoption two weeks after purchase due to the new owner having allergies to dogs. After my veterinarian had found a tattoo in Kayla's right ear, I became curious as to her origins.
When adopting Kayla, I was provided with a copy of the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club's Puppy Package which featured dogs from Pineridge Icelandics along with other CISC members dogs. She looked so much like Pineridge Koltryna, I emailed this breeder requesting information. Jill Fike contacted me immediately, both by telephone and email. I was so excited to find out Kayla really is Pineridge Koltryna. Jill and I have been corresponding periodically since then regarding Kayla's care.
Kayla has made some very interesting choices for her favorite toys. I do not know if this is something particular to Icelandics, but Kayla's favorite treats are ice cubes. She has great fun when I give her a large non-spill bowl full of them. I even freeze her beef bones before giving them to her. She gets along very well with my other rescue dogs, Buster and Skye. Watching them all play together is most entertaining.
For me, adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment. I choose rescue dogs because they are most in need of loving homes. There is no greater return on my investment of the heart than the unconditional love of a new canine companion.
2008 Update, Kayla continues to be a much loved member of her new family and both her breeder and the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club continue to get yearly updates on this adored Icelandic Sheepdog.
Chase, British Columbia
The arrival of a new litter is always exciting, as it was for us on April 21st, 2001 when the litter from Lukka fra Keldnakoti and Kolur fra Arbakki was born. Four little girls and two little boys. Colour is always exciting too. Our pups that have been either predominantly cream or black, with white, tan and other shades, show very little change to the predominant colouring. However, this is not the case with the other colours, which lighten significantly from the birth colour.
We had a long list of people awaiting the arrival of this litter. Initially we had planned to exchange two of these puppies with two breeders in Holland, but the Raad van Beheer in Amsterdam would not recognize Miscellaneous CKC registration and wanted the papers issued with full breed recognition, so unexpectedly we then had two puppies to place that we already thought had a home.
We are very thorough in checking new owners and the home they will be able to provide for our puppies. Based on an earlier experience, we now send a notice with each pup leaving here requesting first refusal should a new owner find themselves in a position where they can't keep their puppy.
One family had expressed a very keen interest in a puppy for their daughter over quite a long period of time and we had had a considerable amount of contact with them. When they were selected to receive a puppy, they were delighted and decided to fly from Minnesota to pick up Koltryna, rather than have her take a long air cargo flight.
We thought Koltryna was a very lucky little puppy to have such care and planning going into her transportation. The family flew to Vancouver, rented a car and drove to our farm to pick up their puppy - spent some time here and left happily with Koltryna.
We ask people to keep in touch with us and I was surprised that I didn't hear how the journey home had gone. I e-mailed to enquire and didn't receive a reply. I e-mailed a second time and still didn't hear anything. This is unusual.
The next thing I received was an e-mail enquiry from someone who had chosen a puppy from the Humane Society nearest to them, and as Koltryna had also been left with the Canadian Sheepdog Puppy Book, the new owner had read it, seen a picture of who she thought was her puppy (and it was), seen our name and contacted us to see if we were the breeders.
Needless to say we were dumbfounded. Apparently the reason given for surrendering Koltryna to the Humane Society was that one of the owners was allergic to dogs. We couldn't believe that these owners, who were prepared to go to so much trouble to come and get her, couldn't go to the trouble of making a phone call to us, telling us what had happened and asking if we could take her back. We had many people who would have loved to have her.
Very luckily for Koltryna, she has found a new owner who has offered a loving home and has offered a home to many dogs who have found themselves at the Humane Society for one reason or another. We are very grateful to her for rescuing Koltryna and getting in touch with us.
We sincerely hope that all future owners of our puppies will contact us if something unforeseen arises that prevents them from keeping their new puppy.
We have asked Koltryna's new owner if she will write a short article telling the story from when she found her at the Humane Society.
MY RESCUE DOG
Minneapolis, Minnesota
On July, 23, 2001 I had to put my beloved Rusty to sleep. He had a stroke and no longer had a comfortable quality of life. He has been my friend for fifteen years. I was thoroughly devastated.
So, on Saturday, July 28, 2001, I found myself again at the Animal Humane Society of Golden Valley, Minnesota, "just looking". From past experience, I knew better than to go to the shelter "just looking", as I knew I would not return home alone. Of course, I did not.
I adopted an Icelandic Sheepdog, about eleven weeks old. She was not the first dog I looked at that day. What attracted me to her was her outstanding personality. She is extremely intelligent, outgoing, very friendly and exceptionally alert. After spending just a few minutes with her, I knew I had to have her. I named her Kayla even before I had signed the adoption papers.
I was told she is a purebred Icelandic recently purchased from a professional hobby breeder. She apparently was given up for adoption two weeks after purchase due to the new owner having allergies to dogs. After my veterinarian had found a tattoo in Kayla's right ear, I became curious as to her origins.
When adopting Kayla, I was provided with a copy of the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club's Puppy Package which featured dogs from Pineridge Icelandics along with other CISC members dogs. She looked so much like Pineridge Koltryna, I emailed this breeder requesting information. Jill Fike contacted me immediately, both by telephone and email. I was so excited to find out Kayla really is Pineridge Koltryna. Jill and I have been corresponding periodically since then regarding Kayla's care.
Kayla has made some very interesting choices for her favorite toys. I do not know if this is something particular to Icelandics, but Kayla's favorite treats are ice cubes. She has great fun when I give her a large non-spill bowl full of them. I even freeze her beef bones before giving them to her. She gets along very well with my other rescue dogs, Buster and Skye. Watching them all play together is most entertaining.
For me, adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment. I choose rescue dogs because they are most in need of loving homes. There is no greater return on my investment of the heart than the unconditional love of a new canine companion.
2008 Update, Kayla continues to be a much loved member of her new family and both her breeder and the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club continue to get yearly updates on this adored Icelandic Sheepdog.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Juding and Critiques by Monika Karsdottir Iceland -Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club Fall Issue 2007
CISC Eastern Fun Match – July 27, 2007
(Note: not a CKC event)
Judging and Critiques by Monika Karlsdottir, Iceland
Greenstone Blue Swude Shoes
Junior Male #1 Third place male. Best Eyes.
Excellent red and white junior. 41 cm, very small in size. Good proportions. Nice triangular head with good proportions. Beautiful almond shaped eyes of nice colouring. Good pigmentation. Good ear placement, nice small ears. Correct bite. Missing one P1 on top right side. Good shoulder. Correct front angulation, a little bit open in rear. Good tail. Good coat texture but in summer coat. Would like more bone. Good movement.
Excellent rating.
Ch Belglen Riddari
Open Male #2 Fourth place male.
Red and white, 2 years old. Excellent type. 45.5 cm. Good proportions. Nice triangular head with good proportions. Good ears. Full dentition, correct bite. I’d like slightly darker eyes but good eye shape. Good pigment. Slightly upright in shoulder. Good angulation in upper arm good. Lacking in chest. Needs more forechest, more depth and more spring of rib. Looks leggy because of missing chest but proportions are okay. Acceptable angulation in rear. Turns out slightly in rear. Good tail. Good coat texture but lacking in undercoat (summer coat). Double dewclaws in back. Good bone. Good movement from side. Moves close behind. Slightly out at elbow. Excellent temperament.
Very Good rating.
Greenstone Alaxander the Great
Open Male #3. First place male. Best Male, Best of Opposite Sex. Best Dewclaws.
Excellent Black tri. 46 cm ideal size. Excellent proportions. Correct proportions in head. Nice Triangular shape. Full dentition, correct bite. Good pigmentation. Ears correct with good placement and of good size. Beautiful almond-shaped eyes. Good dark colour. Nice Icelandic smile. Good layback of shoulder. Upper arm could be slightly longer. Could have slightly more depth of chest. Good back. Slightly slanted in croup. Croup is a bit long so tail is a little low set and drops when standing. Tail is fine in movement. Excellent curled tail with strong hook. Second thigh should be shorter. Feet turn out slightly in back. Excellent double dewclaws, strong attached bone with slightly smaller weaker second. Slightly close behind. Fine in movement. Happy demeanour, friendly temperament very expressive of mood with ears and tail. Excellent coat texture, in summer-coat. Wonderful Icelandic expression.
Excellent Rating.
Tofra Hroi Grettir
Open Male #4. Second place male. Best Smile. Best Medium Coat.
Excellent deep rich red masculine male on the smaller side 43.5 cm. Excellent proportions. Correct proportions in head. Nice strong skull, triangular shaped head. Wonderful short muzzle. Missing P1 bottom left and right. Correct bite. A little exaggerated smile. Good ear placement and size. Correct eye shape and color, good dark eye. Excellent front. Well laid back shoulder. Good chest, good body. Could use a little more substance but acceptable. Good deep chest, comes just below elbow. Slightly weak in pastern. Strong back. Good rear angulation. Slightly toed out in rear. Good double dewclaws. Flat croup. Good tail set. Nice curl to tail. Excellent bone. Excellent coat texture, quite good undercoat for this time of year. Good movement. When he’s moving he looks slightly higher in back because pasterns are weak. Excellent temperament, friendly demeanor but a little stressed.
Excellent rating.
Ch Greenstone Ajay.
Champion Male #5. Fifth Place male.
Red sable with black mask of excellent type. A bit big, 47 cm. Good proportions overall. Good proportions in head but slightly lacking in type and would like a fuller skull. Full dentition (missing tooth due to accident), good bite. Wonderful almond shaped eyes, dark pigmentation. Slightly snipey in muzzle. Smiling expression. Slightly high set ears. Slightly upright in shoulder, good upper arm. Good front feet. Elbows come out a little bit because of lacking chest. Good forechest. Would like more depth of chest. Strong back. Open angulation in rear. Would like shorter lower thigh. Excellent dewclaws with one bone attached. A bit long in loin. Good croup. Good angulation in hock. Slightly turned out in rear. Excellent coat structure. Good coat for time of year. Good tailset and good curl to tail. Good bone. Good movement but slightly close behind. Good friendly temperament.
Very good rating.
Greenstone Black Pearl
Junior Female #6 First place Junior female. Second place female. Best Junior
Excellent feminine black tri junior. Slightly under-sized, 40 cm. Good proportions and wonderful type. Beautiful triangular shaped head. Excellent ear placement and size. Excellent almond eyes and dark coloring. Good pigment. Full dentition and correct bite. Nice topline, nice neck. Slightly upright shoulder. Underarm nicely angulated. Nice angulation in front and back. Good forechest. Slightly long in loin. Back a little soft. Good croup. Good angulation in rear. Good hock. Double dewclaws. Excellent tail. Slightly toed out in rear. Good front. Toeing out right front (possible injury?). Coat soft in texture, missing undercoat (summer coat). Would like a coarser coat. Very happy expression. Refined overall – bone fits head and body. Good movement. Excellent temperament.
Excellent rating.
Greenstone Black Magic Woman
Junior Female #7 Second Place junior female. Fourth place female.
Feminine. Correct size 42 cm. Excellent type and proportions. Good proportions in head. Full dentition, correct bite. Good ear placement and size, excellent mobility, a little too prominent stop. Eyes a bit too rounded and too light in color. Nice smile. Good pigment. Well laid back shoulder, good upper arm. Good chest and body. Her correct depth of chest contributes to the impression of substance during movement. Good back. Good croup. Correct angulation, good hock. Excellent tail with nice curl. Excellent harsh structure of coat. Missing undercoat (summer coat). Double dewclaws. Excellent movement. Slightly soft in temperament. Good bone, fits her size.
Excellent Rating.
Folda CGN, HI, TPOC
Open Female #8 First place female. Best of Breed.
Red og white female. Excellent type and proportions. Slightly under ideal size, 41.5 cm. Beautiful head. Correct ear placement and size. Beautiful dark almond eyes. Good pigmentation. Missing P3 and a P1 on right upper side. Good proportions in head, nice triangular shape. Good shoulder, good upperarm, good forechesst. Nice wide front. Would like a little deeper chest. Good strong back, good croup. Excellent angulation in back, good hock. Excellent tail with a good hook. Good coat structure. Good undercoat for time of year. Nice ruff. Double dewclaws. Excellent bone. Toes out slightly at back. Good movement from side. A little close behind. Turns front feet out slightly when moving. Stands a bit wide in back. Excellent skirt. Excellent temperament with smiling expression.
Excellent rating.
Ch Belglen Runa of Greenstone
Open Female #9. Third place female.
Light sable, excellent type and proportions, a bit refined and very feminine. 42 cm. Good proportions in head, good stop. Nice triangular shape. Good ear placement and size. A little bit round in eye. Would like more filling under cheeks. Would like slightly darker eye color. Excellent pigment. Missing a P1 on right upper side, correct bite. Slightly upright in shoulder. Good upper arm. Would like more depth of chest and more forechest. Good back. Slightly long in loin, good croup. Good angulation in back, good hock. Toes out slightly in back. Double dewclaws on right. Single with two nails on left. Good bone for size. Excellent tail with slight hook. Excellent coat structure but could be a little longer. Good undercoat for this time of year. Excellent temperament, friendly expression. Nice Icelandic smile. Excellent mover.
Excellent rating.
Pineridge Vaskur
Veteran Male #10. Best Tail.
Excellent type, black tri long hair. Slightly under ideal size 45 cm. Excellent head and eyes. Good proportions in head. Full dentition, correct bite. Good ear carriage and size. Excellent pigment. Slightly upright shoulder. Good upper arm. Would like more depth of chest. Slightly out in elbows because of lack of chest. Acceptable forechest. Good neck. Excellent angulation front and back. Double dewclaws. Excellent tail with hook. Excellent bone. Turns out slightly in back. Excellent front dewclaws. Good straight front. Excellent undercoat. Would like a little thicker overcoat. Excellent ruff and tail and pants. Could be slightly coarser. Moves a little close behind. Excellent mover with good drive. Good temperament but could be more settled around other males.
Excellent rating.
Tofra Tobba Traustadottir
Veteran Female #11 Best Long coat. Best Opposite Sex Veteran
Red sable with black mask. Slightly over ideal size 42.5 cm. Excellent type. Could be a little more feminine. Beautiful strong head, good proportions, excellent muzzle size and length. Beautiful almond shaped eyes and good color. Good ear placement but slightly tall. Missing P1 on top right and bottom right side. Excellent shoulders, good upper arm, excellent depth of chest. Good forechest. Slightly weak in pastern. Strong back. Good croup but a little flat making tail crush on back. Excellent angulation front and back. Good hock, excellent bone. Good tail, but lies a bit on the back (hairs could stand out more). Outstanding long coat. Nice smiling expression, excellent temperament. Single high set dewclaws.
Excellent Rating.
Greenstone Born in a Storm
Male #12 Best Ears
Excellent type, slightly under ideal size 45.5 cm. Good proportions. Excellent head, nice triangular shape but would like a little more fullness of cheeks. Good proportions of head, slightly round eye, good color. Full dentition, correct bite, Excellent ear placement and size. Well laid back shoulder. Slightly short upper arm. Would like a deeper chest. Forechest okay. Slightly long in loin. Good croup. Little bit too long in lower thigh. Good hock. Good bone. Single dewclaws. Good coat structure, out of coat. Excellent ruff and tail. Slight hook on tail. Beautiful back movement, crossing a bit in front. Pasterns are weak, turns out a little in front. Excellent movement from the side with good drive.
Excellent Rating.
Greenstone Ada
Female #13 (judged July 28, 2007)
Excellent Type, slightly big at 43 cm. Excellent proportions, Red and White, Long coat with lack of length to guard hairs. Good Proportions to head. Would like slightly wider skull. Correct dark almond shaped eye. Very expressive. Missing P2 on bottom left. Would like a slightly shorter muzzle. Ear set slightly low, good size of ears. Good pigment. Slightly upright shoulder, nice upper arm. Strong back. Good forechest, lacking in depth of chest. Excellent bone. Feet slightly too flat and long, slightly weak in pastern. Good straight front. Excellent angulation in rear. Good hock. Very nice parallel back legs but toes out slightly Excellent double dewclaws with attached bone. Excellent tail with loose hook. Friendly, good temperament. Excellent movement in rear. Good reach and drive.
Excellent Rating
Ch Belglen Roskva
Female # 14 (judged July 28, 2007)
Red sable and white female with black mask. Long hair. In summer coat, missing undercoat. Full dentition, good bite. Excellent type and excellent proportions. Good proportions in head, good stop. Nice expression and smile. Eyes could be slightly darker. Good ear placement and size. I would prefer a more triangular shape to the ears. Excellent angulation front and back. Nicely laid back shoulder, good upper arm. Good forechest. Would like slightly deeper chest and more substance. Could have a bit stronger back. Good croup. Good hocks. Her feet are slightly flat. Pasterns okay. Single dewclaws in rear, slightly stronger on right side. Good tail with moderate hook. Nice plumage on tail. Good bone. Very feminine. Coat could be a little bit coarser.
Excellent movement coming and going. Excellent rear. Good front. Excellent breed-typical movement. Friendly, open, typical Icelandic temperament with extremely happy demeanour, with mobile ears. Nice filled-in cheeks and a good smile.
Excellent rating.
(Note: not a CKC event)
Judging and Critiques by Monika Karlsdottir, Iceland
Greenstone Blue Swude Shoes
Junior Male #1 Third place male. Best Eyes.
Excellent red and white junior. 41 cm, very small in size. Good proportions. Nice triangular head with good proportions. Beautiful almond shaped eyes of nice colouring. Good pigmentation. Good ear placement, nice small ears. Correct bite. Missing one P1 on top right side. Good shoulder. Correct front angulation, a little bit open in rear. Good tail. Good coat texture but in summer coat. Would like more bone. Good movement.
Excellent rating.
Ch Belglen Riddari
Open Male #2 Fourth place male.
Red and white, 2 years old. Excellent type. 45.5 cm. Good proportions. Nice triangular head with good proportions. Good ears. Full dentition, correct bite. I’d like slightly darker eyes but good eye shape. Good pigment. Slightly upright in shoulder. Good angulation in upper arm good. Lacking in chest. Needs more forechest, more depth and more spring of rib. Looks leggy because of missing chest but proportions are okay. Acceptable angulation in rear. Turns out slightly in rear. Good tail. Good coat texture but lacking in undercoat (summer coat). Double dewclaws in back. Good bone. Good movement from side. Moves close behind. Slightly out at elbow. Excellent temperament.
Very Good rating.
Greenstone Alaxander the Great
Open Male #3. First place male. Best Male, Best of Opposite Sex. Best Dewclaws.
Excellent Black tri. 46 cm ideal size. Excellent proportions. Correct proportions in head. Nice Triangular shape. Full dentition, correct bite. Good pigmentation. Ears correct with good placement and of good size. Beautiful almond-shaped eyes. Good dark colour. Nice Icelandic smile. Good layback of shoulder. Upper arm could be slightly longer. Could have slightly more depth of chest. Good back. Slightly slanted in croup. Croup is a bit long so tail is a little low set and drops when standing. Tail is fine in movement. Excellent curled tail with strong hook. Second thigh should be shorter. Feet turn out slightly in back. Excellent double dewclaws, strong attached bone with slightly smaller weaker second. Slightly close behind. Fine in movement. Happy demeanour, friendly temperament very expressive of mood with ears and tail. Excellent coat texture, in summer-coat. Wonderful Icelandic expression.
Excellent Rating.
Tofra Hroi Grettir
Open Male #4. Second place male. Best Smile. Best Medium Coat.
Excellent deep rich red masculine male on the smaller side 43.5 cm. Excellent proportions. Correct proportions in head. Nice strong skull, triangular shaped head. Wonderful short muzzle. Missing P1 bottom left and right. Correct bite. A little exaggerated smile. Good ear placement and size. Correct eye shape and color, good dark eye. Excellent front. Well laid back shoulder. Good chest, good body. Could use a little more substance but acceptable. Good deep chest, comes just below elbow. Slightly weak in pastern. Strong back. Good rear angulation. Slightly toed out in rear. Good double dewclaws. Flat croup. Good tail set. Nice curl to tail. Excellent bone. Excellent coat texture, quite good undercoat for this time of year. Good movement. When he’s moving he looks slightly higher in back because pasterns are weak. Excellent temperament, friendly demeanor but a little stressed.
Excellent rating.
Ch Greenstone Ajay.
Champion Male #5. Fifth Place male.
Red sable with black mask of excellent type. A bit big, 47 cm. Good proportions overall. Good proportions in head but slightly lacking in type and would like a fuller skull. Full dentition (missing tooth due to accident), good bite. Wonderful almond shaped eyes, dark pigmentation. Slightly snipey in muzzle. Smiling expression. Slightly high set ears. Slightly upright in shoulder, good upper arm. Good front feet. Elbows come out a little bit because of lacking chest. Good forechest. Would like more depth of chest. Strong back. Open angulation in rear. Would like shorter lower thigh. Excellent dewclaws with one bone attached. A bit long in loin. Good croup. Good angulation in hock. Slightly turned out in rear. Excellent coat structure. Good coat for time of year. Good tailset and good curl to tail. Good bone. Good movement but slightly close behind. Good friendly temperament.
Very good rating.
Greenstone Black Pearl
Junior Female #6 First place Junior female. Second place female. Best Junior
Excellent feminine black tri junior. Slightly under-sized, 40 cm. Good proportions and wonderful type. Beautiful triangular shaped head. Excellent ear placement and size. Excellent almond eyes and dark coloring. Good pigment. Full dentition and correct bite. Nice topline, nice neck. Slightly upright shoulder. Underarm nicely angulated. Nice angulation in front and back. Good forechest. Slightly long in loin. Back a little soft. Good croup. Good angulation in rear. Good hock. Double dewclaws. Excellent tail. Slightly toed out in rear. Good front. Toeing out right front (possible injury?). Coat soft in texture, missing undercoat (summer coat). Would like a coarser coat. Very happy expression. Refined overall – bone fits head and body. Good movement. Excellent temperament.
Excellent rating.
Greenstone Black Magic Woman
Junior Female #7 Second Place junior female. Fourth place female.
Feminine. Correct size 42 cm. Excellent type and proportions. Good proportions in head. Full dentition, correct bite. Good ear placement and size, excellent mobility, a little too prominent stop. Eyes a bit too rounded and too light in color. Nice smile. Good pigment. Well laid back shoulder, good upper arm. Good chest and body. Her correct depth of chest contributes to the impression of substance during movement. Good back. Good croup. Correct angulation, good hock. Excellent tail with nice curl. Excellent harsh structure of coat. Missing undercoat (summer coat). Double dewclaws. Excellent movement. Slightly soft in temperament. Good bone, fits her size.
Excellent Rating.
Folda CGN, HI, TPOC
Open Female #8 First place female. Best of Breed.
Red og white female. Excellent type and proportions. Slightly under ideal size, 41.5 cm. Beautiful head. Correct ear placement and size. Beautiful dark almond eyes. Good pigmentation. Missing P3 and a P1 on right upper side. Good proportions in head, nice triangular shape. Good shoulder, good upperarm, good forechesst. Nice wide front. Would like a little deeper chest. Good strong back, good croup. Excellent angulation in back, good hock. Excellent tail with a good hook. Good coat structure. Good undercoat for time of year. Nice ruff. Double dewclaws. Excellent bone. Toes out slightly at back. Good movement from side. A little close behind. Turns front feet out slightly when moving. Stands a bit wide in back. Excellent skirt. Excellent temperament with smiling expression.
Excellent rating.
Ch Belglen Runa of Greenstone
Open Female #9. Third place female.
Light sable, excellent type and proportions, a bit refined and very feminine. 42 cm. Good proportions in head, good stop. Nice triangular shape. Good ear placement and size. A little bit round in eye. Would like more filling under cheeks. Would like slightly darker eye color. Excellent pigment. Missing a P1 on right upper side, correct bite. Slightly upright in shoulder. Good upper arm. Would like more depth of chest and more forechest. Good back. Slightly long in loin, good croup. Good angulation in back, good hock. Toes out slightly in back. Double dewclaws on right. Single with two nails on left. Good bone for size. Excellent tail with slight hook. Excellent coat structure but could be a little longer. Good undercoat for this time of year. Excellent temperament, friendly expression. Nice Icelandic smile. Excellent mover.
Excellent rating.
Pineridge Vaskur
Veteran Male #10. Best Tail.
Excellent type, black tri long hair. Slightly under ideal size 45 cm. Excellent head and eyes. Good proportions in head. Full dentition, correct bite. Good ear carriage and size. Excellent pigment. Slightly upright shoulder. Good upper arm. Would like more depth of chest. Slightly out in elbows because of lack of chest. Acceptable forechest. Good neck. Excellent angulation front and back. Double dewclaws. Excellent tail with hook. Excellent bone. Turns out slightly in back. Excellent front dewclaws. Good straight front. Excellent undercoat. Would like a little thicker overcoat. Excellent ruff and tail and pants. Could be slightly coarser. Moves a little close behind. Excellent mover with good drive. Good temperament but could be more settled around other males.
Excellent rating.
Tofra Tobba Traustadottir
Veteran Female #11 Best Long coat. Best Opposite Sex Veteran
Red sable with black mask. Slightly over ideal size 42.5 cm. Excellent type. Could be a little more feminine. Beautiful strong head, good proportions, excellent muzzle size and length. Beautiful almond shaped eyes and good color. Good ear placement but slightly tall. Missing P1 on top right and bottom right side. Excellent shoulders, good upper arm, excellent depth of chest. Good forechest. Slightly weak in pastern. Strong back. Good croup but a little flat making tail crush on back. Excellent angulation front and back. Good hock, excellent bone. Good tail, but lies a bit on the back (hairs could stand out more). Outstanding long coat. Nice smiling expression, excellent temperament. Single high set dewclaws.
Excellent Rating.
Greenstone Born in a Storm
Male #12 Best Ears
Excellent type, slightly under ideal size 45.5 cm. Good proportions. Excellent head, nice triangular shape but would like a little more fullness of cheeks. Good proportions of head, slightly round eye, good color. Full dentition, correct bite, Excellent ear placement and size. Well laid back shoulder. Slightly short upper arm. Would like a deeper chest. Forechest okay. Slightly long in loin. Good croup. Little bit too long in lower thigh. Good hock. Good bone. Single dewclaws. Good coat structure, out of coat. Excellent ruff and tail. Slight hook on tail. Beautiful back movement, crossing a bit in front. Pasterns are weak, turns out a little in front. Excellent movement from the side with good drive.
Excellent Rating.
Greenstone Ada
Female #13 (judged July 28, 2007)
Excellent Type, slightly big at 43 cm. Excellent proportions, Red and White, Long coat with lack of length to guard hairs. Good Proportions to head. Would like slightly wider skull. Correct dark almond shaped eye. Very expressive. Missing P2 on bottom left. Would like a slightly shorter muzzle. Ear set slightly low, good size of ears. Good pigment. Slightly upright shoulder, nice upper arm. Strong back. Good forechest, lacking in depth of chest. Excellent bone. Feet slightly too flat and long, slightly weak in pastern. Good straight front. Excellent angulation in rear. Good hock. Very nice parallel back legs but toes out slightly Excellent double dewclaws with attached bone. Excellent tail with loose hook. Friendly, good temperament. Excellent movement in rear. Good reach and drive.
Excellent Rating
Ch Belglen Roskva
Female # 14 (judged July 28, 2007)
Red sable and white female with black mask. Long hair. In summer coat, missing undercoat. Full dentition, good bite. Excellent type and excellent proportions. Good proportions in head, good stop. Nice expression and smile. Eyes could be slightly darker. Good ear placement and size. I would prefer a more triangular shape to the ears. Excellent angulation front and back. Nicely laid back shoulder, good upper arm. Good forechest. Would like slightly deeper chest and more substance. Could have a bit stronger back. Good croup. Good hocks. Her feet are slightly flat. Pasterns okay. Single dewclaws in rear, slightly stronger on right side. Good tail with moderate hook. Nice plumage on tail. Good bone. Very feminine. Coat could be a little bit coarser.
Excellent movement coming and going. Excellent rear. Good front. Excellent breed-typical movement. Friendly, open, typical Icelandic temperament with extremely happy demeanour, with mobile ears. Nice filled-in cheeks and a good smile.
Excellent rating.
Cooking for Dogs -Fall 2007 -Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club
Cooking for Dogs -Fall 2007
by Valerie Sharp
Homemade Kibble
Canine Kibble by Back Home Staff, Issue July/Aug 2007
3 cups Hot Water
2 cups uncooked Oatmeal (not Instant)
1 Stick Butter
2 low Sodium Bouillon cubes
1 and half cups powered milk or buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
5 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye Flour
1/2 cup wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
In a Large Mixing bowl pour hot water over oatmeal, butter and bouillon. Let stand five min. Stir in Powdered milk, cornmeal and eggs. Add remaining ingredients a little a time until well blended. Knead Dough with dough hook or by hand until its smooth and Shiny. Divide in two and spread each on oil-sprayed cookie Sheet, pushing with fingers to the edges , score Deeping into tiny 1 inch or less squares. Bake one and half hours, Cool , when cold and hard, break apart, makes about 4 pounds, place in zippered bag..
So here is the New version.
Fish Kibble
3 cups Hot Water
2 cups uncooked Oatmeal (not Instant)
1 cup olive oil
1 and half cups powered milk or buttermilk
6 eggs beaten
6- 8 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye Flour
1/2 cup wheat Germ
3 grated whole apples
One large can of Herring (mashed well)
Follow the directions above, depending on the size of your eggs and the size of the fish can, you might need more flour..
Chicken or Rabbit Stew
6 pds of white meat
2 tablespoons Food-Grade Bone Meal Powder
8 cups Cooked Brown Rice
4 cups oatmeal
6 eggs beaten
1/2 cup of Olive oil
2 Sweet Potatoes or Turnip or one large can plain Pumpkin
2 or 3 broccoli stems cut up or one can of green beans1 large bag of Spinach or the tops of any greens available in your garden, including Dandelions or Pigweed.
Add your meat to large pot and cover with water to simmer, if at all possible, please make sure your meats still have bone in, you want all the goodness in the bones to leach into the broth. I like to simmer that for at least 2 to 4 hours.
Then take the meat and bones out, and take out the bones and the meat.
At the rest of the stew into the left over broth with any added water required, and then cook all together until its soft and mushy.
Cool and Bag into 1 or 2 cup containers (yogurt is a great size, and that way you can recycle to boot).
The dogs and cats LOVE IT, its a lot of work to me, but I had a total of 100% happy JOY-JOY rubs from this dish so that is a 4 paws up dish.
I made mine with Rabbit but Chicken legs could be used instead and often go on sale.
by Valerie Sharp
Homemade Kibble
Canine Kibble by Back Home Staff, Issue July/Aug 2007
3 cups Hot Water
2 cups uncooked Oatmeal (not Instant)
1 Stick Butter
2 low Sodium Bouillon cubes
1 and half cups powered milk or buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
5 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye Flour
1/2 cup wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
In a Large Mixing bowl pour hot water over oatmeal, butter and bouillon. Let stand five min. Stir in Powdered milk, cornmeal and eggs. Add remaining ingredients a little a time until well blended. Knead Dough with dough hook or by hand until its smooth and Shiny. Divide in two and spread each on oil-sprayed cookie Sheet, pushing with fingers to the edges , score Deeping into tiny 1 inch or less squares. Bake one and half hours, Cool , when cold and hard, break apart, makes about 4 pounds, place in zippered bag..
So here is the New version.
Fish Kibble
3 cups Hot Water
2 cups uncooked Oatmeal (not Instant)
1 cup olive oil
1 and half cups powered milk or buttermilk
6 eggs beaten
6- 8 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye Flour
1/2 cup wheat Germ
3 grated whole apples
One large can of Herring (mashed well)
Follow the directions above, depending on the size of your eggs and the size of the fish can, you might need more flour..
Chicken or Rabbit Stew
6 pds of white meat
2 tablespoons Food-Grade Bone Meal Powder
8 cups Cooked Brown Rice
4 cups oatmeal
6 eggs beaten
1/2 cup of Olive oil
2 Sweet Potatoes or Turnip or one large can plain Pumpkin
2 or 3 broccoli stems cut up or one can of green beans1 large bag of Spinach or the tops of any greens available in your garden, including Dandelions or Pigweed.
Add your meat to large pot and cover with water to simmer, if at all possible, please make sure your meats still have bone in, you want all the goodness in the bones to leach into the broth. I like to simmer that for at least 2 to 4 hours.
Then take the meat and bones out, and take out the bones and the meat.
At the rest of the stew into the left over broth with any added water required, and then cook all together until its soft and mushy.
Cool and Bag into 1 or 2 cup containers (yogurt is a great size, and that way you can recycle to boot).
The dogs and cats LOVE IT, its a lot of work to me, but I had a total of 100% happy JOY-JOY rubs from this dish so that is a 4 paws up dish.
I made mine with Rabbit but Chicken legs could be used instead and often go on sale.
Health/Genetics Report Fall Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club 2007
Health/Genetics Report
by Sharon Schaefer
During the past few weeks an interesting email arrived which changed the focus of my article this issue from Persistent Pupillary Membrane (eye issues have already been covered in a general way) to the "possible S" gene series for white. Dr. Sheila Schmutz researcher and author/co-author of many of the recently published discoveries in gene codes for dog colours (Department of Animal & Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan) contacted me for more DNA swabs from certain of my dogs. The kit just arrived and will be mailed back this week in mid-November.
Her page on Spotting was updated November 12, 2007 with two very recent breakthroughs by two separate research groups so we are right in the middle of exciting times. Quoting directly from her website: "The first gene that causes at least some spotting patterns in dogs has now been identified and published in 2007. Furthermore potential mutations causing some forms of spotting have been identified in this gene. This gene is MITF, microphthalmia associated transcription factor. MITF is a critical gene in the pigmentation pathway."
Note that she says ‘causes at least SOME spotting patterns’. Almost a year ago, I attended a seminar on Genetics & Dog Breeding presented by Sheila and her husband, Dr. Joe Schmutz. At that time she cautioned breeders to not make assumptions based on other species or even other breeds as the exploding area of gene mapping is proving that many conditions which appear phenotypically the same can be unique to only one breed or a few related breeds.
The discoveries so far involving white patterns support this cautious approach. While the MITF gene is involved in more than one breed and in producing various white patterns, there are so far two separate mutations discovered in this gene and in some white patterned dogs they do not both occur. More breeds are being examined, including Iceland Sheepdogs so we should have some solid breed related feedback sometime in 2008.
For example, English Springer Spaniels might look like they have the same colour patterns as Collies but until several are checked at the DNA level we are jumping to conclusions which could be wrong. At this point in time, checking DNA in one breed when a colour pattern has not been proven to occur at that particular mutation site could be both a waste of money and a mistake. Once a selection of breeds have all been checked and confirmed as having the same mutations associated with particular colour patterns then assuming that the remaining breeds’ DNA will also follow the rules becomes much more likely! At the speed of research and communications today we might be at that point by the end of this year or the new information might raise new questions instead of supporting the current hypotheses.
Boxers were one of the studied breeds which identified the MITF gene and both mutations so far identified. However Boxer colours behave phenotypically as though ‘Solid’ and ‘White’ are co-dominant which is very different from some other breeds. Remembering our high school biology, roan cattle resulted from a co-dominant solid white cow and solid red bull or pink flowers from a white and a red parent flower so too ‘flashy or Irish pattern Boxers’ are heterozygous.
Researchers are still searching for other causative gene locations for the occurrence of white spotting in dogs. Many locations common in other species have been eliminated as not involved. It will be very interesting and rewarding if our dogs can contribute to this effort.
http://homepage.usask.ca/~schmutz/dogcolors.html
http://homepage.usask.ca/~schmutz/dogspots.html
by Sharon Schaefer
During the past few weeks an interesting email arrived which changed the focus of my article this issue from Persistent Pupillary Membrane (eye issues have already been covered in a general way) to the "possible S" gene series for white. Dr. Sheila Schmutz researcher and author/co-author of many of the recently published discoveries in gene codes for dog colours (Department of Animal & Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan) contacted me for more DNA swabs from certain of my dogs. The kit just arrived and will be mailed back this week in mid-November.
Her page on Spotting was updated November 12, 2007 with two very recent breakthroughs by two separate research groups so we are right in the middle of exciting times. Quoting directly from her website: "The first gene that causes at least some spotting patterns in dogs has now been identified and published in 2007. Furthermore potential mutations causing some forms of spotting have been identified in this gene. This gene is MITF, microphthalmia associated transcription factor. MITF is a critical gene in the pigmentation pathway."
Note that she says ‘causes at least SOME spotting patterns’. Almost a year ago, I attended a seminar on Genetics & Dog Breeding presented by Sheila and her husband, Dr. Joe Schmutz. At that time she cautioned breeders to not make assumptions based on other species or even other breeds as the exploding area of gene mapping is proving that many conditions which appear phenotypically the same can be unique to only one breed or a few related breeds.
The discoveries so far involving white patterns support this cautious approach. While the MITF gene is involved in more than one breed and in producing various white patterns, there are so far two separate mutations discovered in this gene and in some white patterned dogs they do not both occur. More breeds are being examined, including Iceland Sheepdogs so we should have some solid breed related feedback sometime in 2008.
For example, English Springer Spaniels might look like they have the same colour patterns as Collies but until several are checked at the DNA level we are jumping to conclusions which could be wrong. At this point in time, checking DNA in one breed when a colour pattern has not been proven to occur at that particular mutation site could be both a waste of money and a mistake. Once a selection of breeds have all been checked and confirmed as having the same mutations associated with particular colour patterns then assuming that the remaining breeds’ DNA will also follow the rules becomes much more likely! At the speed of research and communications today we might be at that point by the end of this year or the new information might raise new questions instead of supporting the current hypotheses.
Boxers were one of the studied breeds which identified the MITF gene and both mutations so far identified. However Boxer colours behave phenotypically as though ‘Solid’ and ‘White’ are co-dominant which is very different from some other breeds. Remembering our high school biology, roan cattle resulted from a co-dominant solid white cow and solid red bull or pink flowers from a white and a red parent flower so too ‘flashy or Irish pattern Boxers’ are heterozygous.
Researchers are still searching for other causative gene locations for the occurrence of white spotting in dogs. Many locations common in other species have been eliminated as not involved. It will be very interesting and rewarding if our dogs can contribute to this effort.
http://homepage.usask.ca/~schmutz/dogcolors.html
http://homepage.usask.ca/~schmutz/dogspots.html
Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Booster Fall Issue 2007
CISC 2007 Booster – Alberta Kennel Club Show
By Sharon
CISC’s first Booster was held in conjunction with the Alberta Kennel Club’s four days of shows from August 3rd-7th, 2007 . An entry of 8 males and 6 females plus some dogs entered for exhibition only gave show attendees a wonderful exposure to Icelandics. Eight different families brought dogs and breeders from Canada , USA , and Iceland were represented in the ring.
The weekend began on Friday with Lavandel’s Vindur going Best of Winners and Best of Breed to finish his CKC Championship under Swedish judge Annika Ullveit-Moe. Congratulations Scott and Candise Bedard of Foothills Kennel and Vindur’s breeder, Laurie Ball-Gisch, Lavandel Kennel. Woolfarm’s Sasha owned by Xania Moreno was selected for Winners Female and Best Opposite Sex with Greenstone’s Black Pearl, bred and owned by Valerie Sharp of Greenstone Kennel winning Best Puppy. Friday’s show was followed by a wine & cheese meet and greet where pictures and books were passed around and much doggie lore shared.
The booster day was Saturday, judged by esteemed AKC Judge Richard Beauchamp and Belglen Riddari went Best of Winners and Best of Breed, completing his Championship. Congratulations to breeder/owner Sharon Schaefer, Belglen Kennel. Winner’s Female and Best of Opposite Sex was again Woolfarm’s Sasha (way to go Xania) with Greenstone’s Black Pearl again winning Best Puppy. The prizes were spectacular – overflowing baskets of very nice dog-related items for BOS, BP, and Winners while BOB was a Candise Bedard oil painting of the lovely Iceland CH Hektor. Thank you Candise for so generously donating your time and talent. Prizes were also available Saturday for Obedience but the only Icelandic entered was not able to compete (unfortunately suffering some travel sickness).
Our Fun Match, judged by Daphne Bowering, was Saturday evening and included everything from Best Ears to Best Dewclaws, not leaving out Best Tail and Best Coat, Long and Medium. Daphne clearly explained all her selections and enjoyed playing with the puppies present (two 3-6 month olds were stealing hearts). Kersins Midas Touch took Best of Breed with Belglen Roskva picked as Best Opposite Sex. Greenstone Black Pearl was Best Puppy and Pineridge Laski Best Veteran.
Many special thanks to our president, Valerie Sharp and her mum Mavis who did a wonderful job shopping to balance off the baskets – all items donated by members - and make sure there were prizes for every category at the Match.
On Sunday, under CKC Judge Thomas Nesbitt, CH Belglen Riddari was Best of Breed, Belglen Risna owned by Judy Brown was Winner’s Female and Best Opposite Sex and Winner’s Male was Kersin’s Midas Touch owned by Margaret Gimblin. Greenstone’s Black Pearl was Best Puppy. On Monday, under CKC Judge Darle Heck, CH Lavandel’s Vindur was Best of Breed, Woolfarm’s Sasha was Best of Winner’s and Best Opposite Sex, and Kappi owned by Audur Valsdottir was Winner’s Male. Greenstone’s Black Pearl took Best Puppy for the fourth day in a row. It’s good to note that on Friday we had no Specials entered and by Sunday there were two!
Special mention needs to be made of the contribution that club member Judy Brown and her Doberman Pinscher Ruby made to the safety of a missing dog. Judy and Ruby are a Search & Rescue Team and when a lost dog call went out they responded and became part of the official search. Ruby successfully tracked the dog out of the showgrounds and located it safely. Ruby was also competing in obedience and Rally obedience so we made her an honorary Icelandic for the day!
By Sharon
CISC’s first Booster was held in conjunction with the Alberta Kennel Club’s four days of shows from August 3rd-7th, 2007 . An entry of 8 males and 6 females plus some dogs entered for exhibition only gave show attendees a wonderful exposure to Icelandics. Eight different families brought dogs and breeders from Canada , USA , and Iceland were represented in the ring.
The weekend began on Friday with Lavandel’s Vindur going Best of Winners and Best of Breed to finish his CKC Championship under Swedish judge Annika Ullveit-Moe. Congratulations Scott and Candise Bedard of Foothills Kennel and Vindur’s breeder, Laurie Ball-Gisch, Lavandel Kennel. Woolfarm’s Sasha owned by Xania Moreno was selected for Winners Female and Best Opposite Sex with Greenstone’s Black Pearl, bred and owned by Valerie Sharp of Greenstone Kennel winning Best Puppy. Friday’s show was followed by a wine & cheese meet and greet where pictures and books were passed around and much doggie lore shared.
The booster day was Saturday, judged by esteemed AKC Judge Richard Beauchamp and Belglen Riddari went Best of Winners and Best of Breed, completing his Championship. Congratulations to breeder/owner Sharon Schaefer, Belglen Kennel. Winner’s Female and Best of Opposite Sex was again Woolfarm’s Sasha (way to go Xania) with Greenstone’s Black Pearl again winning Best Puppy. The prizes were spectacular – overflowing baskets of very nice dog-related items for BOS, BP, and Winners while BOB was a Candise Bedard oil painting of the lovely Iceland CH Hektor. Thank you Candise for so generously donating your time and talent. Prizes were also available Saturday for Obedience but the only Icelandic entered was not able to compete (unfortunately suffering some travel sickness).
Our Fun Match, judged by Daphne Bowering, was Saturday evening and included everything from Best Ears to Best Dewclaws, not leaving out Best Tail and Best Coat, Long and Medium. Daphne clearly explained all her selections and enjoyed playing with the puppies present (two 3-6 month olds were stealing hearts). Kersins Midas Touch took Best of Breed with Belglen Roskva picked as Best Opposite Sex. Greenstone Black Pearl was Best Puppy and Pineridge Laski Best Veteran.
Many special thanks to our president, Valerie Sharp and her mum Mavis who did a wonderful job shopping to balance off the baskets – all items donated by members - and make sure there were prizes for every category at the Match.
On Sunday, under CKC Judge Thomas Nesbitt, CH Belglen Riddari was Best of Breed, Belglen Risna owned by Judy Brown was Winner’s Female and Best Opposite Sex and Winner’s Male was Kersin’s Midas Touch owned by Margaret Gimblin. Greenstone’s Black Pearl was Best Puppy. On Monday, under CKC Judge Darle Heck, CH Lavandel’s Vindur was Best of Breed, Woolfarm’s Sasha was Best of Winner’s and Best Opposite Sex, and Kappi owned by Audur Valsdottir was Winner’s Male. Greenstone’s Black Pearl took Best Puppy for the fourth day in a row. It’s good to note that on Friday we had no Specials entered and by Sunday there were two!
Special mention needs to be made of the contribution that club member Judy Brown and her Doberman Pinscher Ruby made to the safety of a missing dog. Judy and Ruby are a Search & Rescue Team and when a lost dog call went out they responded and became part of the official search. Ruby successfully tracked the dog out of the showgrounds and located it safely. Ruby was also competing in obedience and Rally obedience so we made her an honorary Icelandic for the day!
Old Fashioned Toys -Summer Issue for the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club 2007
Old Fashioned Toys
Reprinted with Permission from the Yeoman Farms and Icelandic Sheepdog Kennel
Every year, before Christmas the shelves in the local feed store fill with boxes of plastic animals for kids to Aplay farm@. I have bought a few of these as gifts for our grandchildren and other younger friends. Every time I do, I think of the times when I, myself, Aplayed farm@. My animals were not made in Taiwan, Hong Kong or China like the ones that now are used. Mine were the same as what my ancestors had played with for hundreds of years the same as all kids in Iceland in the past had played with. The bones of the sheep.
My Sheep
Certain bones had certain roles. Every Fall at slaughtering time the farmers brought home from the slaughterhouse boxfulls of horns, mostly ewe and weather horns. These were the children's treasured sheep. And it fitted beautifully that after being kept for a whole winter, the bone inside the horn came loose and the ewe was lambing. The occasional rams horn was brought home and these were naturally the rams. To put the sheep out to graze we stuck the harpe end of the horn into the ground and stood them up that way. There were two ways that I remember putting the sheep to graze, one was that the sheep were put into enclosed areas that represented the home fields. Then we always took the time to stick the Ahead@ into the ground. In the evening the sheep were herded home into either home corral, usually made from small stones, or into the sheep shed usually made from mud and stones with removable roof so we could put the sheep on the mangers to eat. The other way was when we Alet them go to the mountains@. Then we threw them as far as we could in every direction. Then we saddled up our horses and went out to round the sheep up. Then it was important to know exactly how many horns, oops! I mean sheep, one owned. Because if one was not found the farm dog was just as likely to find it and that usually was the end of that Asheep
My horses and dog
The horses we saddled up were the leg bone of the sheep. For some the front leg bones were mares and the hind leg bones were geldings. The knee end has a round bone that was the head. We tied a string around that end and were ready for our riding. If we were so lucky to ever get a leg bone from a horse or a cow we had a stallion!! But those bones were hard to come by so those were particularly well looked after. Most kids had a good stable of horses and these were usually kept at home. The horses were also used to go and visit our friends that had a farm on the other side of whatever (the house, barn or big rock etc.).
My Cows
The third of the most common animals was the cow. The lower jaw bone of the sheep was the cow. It was cut at the front teeth making two cows from each jawbone. When grazing the cows we stuck the front teeth into the ground as well as the other end. The molars were of course the teats and to milk we pulled on these. The cows were always kept on the home fields and the cow barn was the same as the sheep barn with a removable roof. The same applied here as with the horses, a bull was a jaw bone from either horse or a cow.
One more animal everybody had to have. That was the dog. There are two small bones in the pasterns and these were the dogs. Often we tied the dog to the horse so as to let the dog follow.
The Vala
When taking about the bones as playthings one must mention the AVala@. The meaning of the word AVala@ is Oracle, and that is just what the Vala is. The Vala bone is the knee bone (Tibial tarsal) and one can ask it a question and the answer depends on how the Vala drops. This bone has four possibilities as how it could land, it could give you Ayes@ A no@, Adon=t know@ and won=t tell@. The way I was taught to use it was to roll it on the top of my head and say this verse: @Vala, Vala, soothsayer; Answer my question; If you tell me the truth: I will gladden you with gold: I will feed you silver; But if you lie to me; I will burn you in the fire or throw you in the chamber pot.@ Then I asked my question and let the Vala drop on the floor. If the hollow side came up the answer was ANo@ but the other side meant AYes@ ( I might be wrong, I don=t think I was ever quite sure which side meant what). If it landed on its sides (which was not so often) then one side was Adon=t know@ and the other was Awon=t tell
I don't know if children in Iceland still play with these bones. I suspect that the Hong Kong made plastic animals have taken over. But I doubt that those new version of the farm animals give any more pleasure than the old version gave.
In my memory there is a certain warmth associated with the memories of playing with my Alegs and horns
Reprinted with Permission from the Yeoman Farms and Icelandic Sheepdog Kennel
Every year, before Christmas the shelves in the local feed store fill with boxes of plastic animals for kids to Aplay farm@. I have bought a few of these as gifts for our grandchildren and other younger friends. Every time I do, I think of the times when I, myself, Aplayed farm@. My animals were not made in Taiwan, Hong Kong or China like the ones that now are used. Mine were the same as what my ancestors had played with for hundreds of years the same as all kids in Iceland in the past had played with. The bones of the sheep.
My Sheep
Certain bones had certain roles. Every Fall at slaughtering time the farmers brought home from the slaughterhouse boxfulls of horns, mostly ewe and weather horns. These were the children's treasured sheep. And it fitted beautifully that after being kept for a whole winter, the bone inside the horn came loose and the ewe was lambing. The occasional rams horn was brought home and these were naturally the rams. To put the sheep out to graze we stuck the harpe end of the horn into the ground and stood them up that way. There were two ways that I remember putting the sheep to graze, one was that the sheep were put into enclosed areas that represented the home fields. Then we always took the time to stick the Ahead@ into the ground. In the evening the sheep were herded home into either home corral, usually made from small stones, or into the sheep shed usually made from mud and stones with removable roof so we could put the sheep on the mangers to eat. The other way was when we Alet them go to the mountains@. Then we threw them as far as we could in every direction. Then we saddled up our horses and went out to round the sheep up. Then it was important to know exactly how many horns, oops! I mean sheep, one owned. Because if one was not found the farm dog was just as likely to find it and that usually was the end of that Asheep
My horses and dog
The horses we saddled up were the leg bone of the sheep. For some the front leg bones were mares and the hind leg bones were geldings. The knee end has a round bone that was the head. We tied a string around that end and were ready for our riding. If we were so lucky to ever get a leg bone from a horse or a cow we had a stallion!! But those bones were hard to come by so those were particularly well looked after. Most kids had a good stable of horses and these were usually kept at home. The horses were also used to go and visit our friends that had a farm on the other side of whatever (the house, barn or big rock etc.).
My Cows
The third of the most common animals was the cow. The lower jaw bone of the sheep was the cow. It was cut at the front teeth making two cows from each jawbone. When grazing the cows we stuck the front teeth into the ground as well as the other end. The molars were of course the teats and to milk we pulled on these. The cows were always kept on the home fields and the cow barn was the same as the sheep barn with a removable roof. The same applied here as with the horses, a bull was a jaw bone from either horse or a cow.
One more animal everybody had to have. That was the dog. There are two small bones in the pasterns and these were the dogs. Often we tied the dog to the horse so as to let the dog follow.
The Vala
When taking about the bones as playthings one must mention the AVala@. The meaning of the word AVala@ is Oracle, and that is just what the Vala is. The Vala bone is the knee bone (Tibial tarsal) and one can ask it a question and the answer depends on how the Vala drops. This bone has four possibilities as how it could land, it could give you Ayes@ A no@, Adon=t know@ and won=t tell@. The way I was taught to use it was to roll it on the top of my head and say this verse: @Vala, Vala, soothsayer; Answer my question; If you tell me the truth: I will gladden you with gold: I will feed you silver; But if you lie to me; I will burn you in the fire or throw you in the chamber pot.@ Then I asked my question and let the Vala drop on the floor. If the hollow side came up the answer was ANo@ but the other side meant AYes@ ( I might be wrong, I don=t think I was ever quite sure which side meant what). If it landed on its sides (which was not so often) then one side was Adon=t know@ and the other was Awon=t tell
I don't know if children in Iceland still play with these bones. I suspect that the Hong Kong made plastic animals have taken over. But I doubt that those new version of the farm animals give any more pleasure than the old version gave.
In my memory there is a certain warmth associated with the memories of playing with my Alegs and horns
Herding with Icelandic Sheepdogs -Obervations and Training -Summer Issue for Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club 2007
HERDING with Icelandics: Observations and Training
By Sharon Schaefer
Observations
We’ve had sheep since 1991 and grazed or moved them using our home bred Belgian Shepherd Dogs (I had Belgians from 1976-2003). Our dogs made our sheep enterprise possible. We could graze ditches or other areas when the pastures were not yet ready in the spring or too dry in the summer. We could graze the sheep on alfalfa safely because with the dogs we could take them off it in 20-30 minutes when it was too lush and would cause them to bloat, which can be fatal. Over the years I had attended several herding clinics in different styles. When Ima, our first Iceland Sheepdog, arrived I’d already been researching the breed for over 3 years and was very interested in learning how their herding instincts worked. At that time we had about a hundred mature sheep (medium flocking instinct). Ima’s primary role was to be our herding dog and companion, secondly if she passed health checks to have some puppies.
The first winter we used Ima for yardwork, I spent a lot of time just trying to observe what she wanted to do with the sheep in order to understand ‘her Icelandic instinct’. Once we had introduced her on leash a couple of times to the routine, I was allowing her (within our need to have each pen of sheep move to the hydrant for water then back to their pen) to get the sheep any way she wanted. One thing became immediately clear, she was much more interested in going back into pens to look for more sheep than she was in being with the sheep she had moved out. They might be hiding behind the round bale, or the windbreak, or other places she imagined could hide a sheep. She was completely bored by standing waiting for them all to drink and we had to put her on leash for that part or she would start pressuring them (she was quite young still).
That spring when we started grazing sheep she was completely bored again – ‘tending’ a line by trotting along it was not in her repertoire (the Belgians did this). We could walk along the edge of the graze on leash and sit or lay down to wait for a sheep stupid enough to try to cross, when she would fly into action and put it back. Getting the sheep to MOVE and a good sense of where they were and were not allowed to be were both in her instinctive package. Ima and I still graze sheep in this manner – we walk along the edge once then sit back and relax until someone gets too hungry or curious and then she flies into action. Each of my Icelandics responds the same way to this grazing setup.
In the summer (from very late May until September) our sheep are in 10 acre paddocks between 1/4mile (1/2km) and ½ mile (1km) from home. We originally established these to be a longer rotational graze system for 150-200 ewes with their lambs. Unfortunately we expanded our flock right into 2 years of drought and had to get rid of 80 ewes with lambs at foot, find grazing elsewhere for another 20 ewes plus lambs, and have never got back to those numbers. Our smaller flock now grazes about 2-3 weeks in each 10 acres, we cut some for hay, and sometimes, as now, we move them in and out of other 10 acre spots on a daily basis. Each 10 acres is hilly, has willow and aspen poplar bush interspersed with the grass, and without our three livestock guardian dogs would be predator picnic sites (coyotes in this area). Because of the smaller sheep numbers, our grass is frequently taller than Ima and sometimes even taller than the sheep. Her herding bark is very useful in those situations as the sheep just need to hear her and start heading back whether or not we can see them.
Training
If you find a trainer willing to work with a ‘herding bark’ you will be very fortunate. Most Icelandics will bark as part of their herding behaviour. This is not a frantic out of control issue but their working style. If they are moving the sheep in a careful way and listening to you if you ask them to ‘Get back’ or ‘Down’ don’t try to stop any barking. Instead observe when your dog barks and learn what it means. Put it on cue so as you progress through herding you can use it to your team’s advantage (if the sheep recognize the meaning of a bark). If the sheep you are working with are not familiar with a barking dog they will probably just ignore it. Upright breed trainers (eg Australian Shepherds) will be more familiar with the needs of an Icelandic learning to herd but many border collie trainers also work successfully with other breeds.
The sheep are an important consideration. Well trained (so-called ‘dog-broke’) sheep make a beginning dog’s and handler’s experience much more positive. Groups of 3-5 sheep which will stick to the shepherd, without running wild give the dog an opportunity to make correct choices and be rewarded. They also give the novice handler time to learn to walk backwards while wielding a rake or crook without falling in the mud! Most Icelandics have enough gathering style to participate in and benefit from these typical training situations involving 3 sheep. The breed of sheep is not critical but it is very unlikely you will find any dog trainers using Icelandic sheep as this breed has a very low flocking instinct – they’d be in three different corners of the pen!
Icelandics have both driving and gathering instincts and each individual will have a slightly different balance between these. From my own experience and anecdotal information from other owners another strong component is a ‘need for speed’ – both their driving and their gathering was, and still is, done on quite wild sheep in mountains and they want their animals to MOVE (see photo of Dart). Building in early control in a wide variety of situations will help your dog respond better when they are expected to begin actually working stock.
Dogs should not be expected to really herd before about 18 months to 2 years of age. If they are city dogs, they will do best if they are introduced to some livestock by about 4 months of age in a controlled meeting – don’t let them either maul the ducks or be butted by a ewe but they could briefly ‘play’ with a lamb, touch noses with a horse, sniff some chicks. They can also practise their control skills of sits, stands, or downs near livestock.
If you have livestock do take your puppy for chores but be prepared to put them away during chore time at some point in their first year of development because they have ‘turned on’ to stock and are frantic idiots. Not all dogs go through this stage but most do.
Dogs growing up on farms need to practise their control skills too but during adolescence, which varies by individuals, they may need to practise them a long way away! Every couple of weeks, test how close you can work the young dog and bring them back into more normal routines when they have some self control. My dogs spend a fair bit of time waiting outside enclosures for me and I set up a waiting spot farther away (sometimes it’s in the house!) during this stage. In the photo, 11+ month old Boogie (Ima’s grandson) is participating in driving the sheep to a pasture. He’s been back in the field for only about 2 weeks after a few months away because he couldn’t control his barking or attempts to chase. This is a daily routine and these sheep know where they are going and will go steadily on their own (another version of trained sheep), allowing me to ask Boogie to down or to wait and letting him experience moving quietly with the flock. He is not ‘really herding’ yet (the 18 months threshold will give him much more power). Driving can be taught simply and directly through this process by cueing movements to the right and to the left if someone wants a driving dog. I recommend using a harness for all herding work to avoid injury to the dog.
Whether you own livestock or not, herding concepts are first introduced with no animals around. The first things puppies need to learn are taught using toys or other situations. In the last Newsletter, Part 2 of Sue Ailsby’s Clicker Seminar introduced shaping a dog to go around a cone or post. This behaviour put on cue for both directions – traditionally ‘Come by’ and ‘Away to me’ - is a basic herding requirement. By gradually adding distance, changing locations, and changing the item to go around, you will have a dog that has some skills already. Puppies or dogs need to have control in a variety of situations so any training helps. A ‘Get back’ game is popular as it mimics the focus and movements of herding. Using a favourite ball or toy and your crook (any cane or rake or stick will do), stand over the toy, crook in front of you and ask the dog to lie down in front of the crook. "Yes" or click and kick the toy to them as reward. Repeat but instead of asking them to lie down, push them a bit back with the crook (don’t touch them with it, bang it on the ground as firmly as needed and block them with it) and push them with your body, "Yes" and kick the toy to them. Repeat several times over a few days sometimes asking them to down before the push back. Slowly increase the distance and as the dog starts to come around you aiming for the toy "Yes" and kick them the toy. By the 100th time say ‘Get back’ as you are pushing them back with the crook. In this game both of you learn about the crook and about circling both directions and getting back.
If you are a novice team, signed up for your first herding clinic or class, be prepared for one of two extremes: your dog will ignore the sheep or your dog will turn into a barking idiot. If your dog is a little older, or been carefully trained not to chase cars, not to chase cats, or has a serious obedience type background with lots of eye contact to you they are more likely to ignore the stock at first. Sometimes letting someone else handle the dog gets them more involved in their environment and they will begin to notice the sheep. For the other behaviour, they might get over it by moving them far enough away that you can do some simple obedience or tricks cues. Then move briefly closer to the sheep, then move them far enough away again for some work and then asking for a down closer to the sheep. Move away again, then ask for the down right in the pen with the sheep before you start to work. This might take one hour or several. If they are particularly persistent, follow Sue Ailsby’s advice (article ‘Song and the Sheep’ on her website www.dragonflyllama.com) and spend your clinic time sitting reading a book until the dog is quiet when you can get up and enter the sheep pen (this will take several back and forths as they bark as soon as you take a step toward the pen so you return to your book). Requiring them to be in control of their behaviour before you enter the sheep pen will be time and money very well spent as they will be listening to you and learning when working the sheep.
Herding is one avenue of dog sport involving other creatures. Think carefully about asking your dog to chase other animals – this instinct might not go away once you awaken it. Choose your trainer carefully if you live where there are choices available. Then if you decide to proceed, observe and appreciate your dog as they enjoy their heredity.
By Sharon Schaefer
Observations
We’ve had sheep since 1991 and grazed or moved them using our home bred Belgian Shepherd Dogs (I had Belgians from 1976-2003). Our dogs made our sheep enterprise possible. We could graze ditches or other areas when the pastures were not yet ready in the spring or too dry in the summer. We could graze the sheep on alfalfa safely because with the dogs we could take them off it in 20-30 minutes when it was too lush and would cause them to bloat, which can be fatal. Over the years I had attended several herding clinics in different styles. When Ima, our first Iceland Sheepdog, arrived I’d already been researching the breed for over 3 years and was very interested in learning how their herding instincts worked. At that time we had about a hundred mature sheep (medium flocking instinct). Ima’s primary role was to be our herding dog and companion, secondly if she passed health checks to have some puppies.
The first winter we used Ima for yardwork, I spent a lot of time just trying to observe what she wanted to do with the sheep in order to understand ‘her Icelandic instinct’. Once we had introduced her on leash a couple of times to the routine, I was allowing her (within our need to have each pen of sheep move to the hydrant for water then back to their pen) to get the sheep any way she wanted. One thing became immediately clear, she was much more interested in going back into pens to look for more sheep than she was in being with the sheep she had moved out. They might be hiding behind the round bale, or the windbreak, or other places she imagined could hide a sheep. She was completely bored by standing waiting for them all to drink and we had to put her on leash for that part or she would start pressuring them (she was quite young still).
That spring when we started grazing sheep she was completely bored again – ‘tending’ a line by trotting along it was not in her repertoire (the Belgians did this). We could walk along the edge of the graze on leash and sit or lay down to wait for a sheep stupid enough to try to cross, when she would fly into action and put it back. Getting the sheep to MOVE and a good sense of where they were and were not allowed to be were both in her instinctive package. Ima and I still graze sheep in this manner – we walk along the edge once then sit back and relax until someone gets too hungry or curious and then she flies into action. Each of my Icelandics responds the same way to this grazing setup.
In the summer (from very late May until September) our sheep are in 10 acre paddocks between 1/4mile (1/2km) and ½ mile (1km) from home. We originally established these to be a longer rotational graze system for 150-200 ewes with their lambs. Unfortunately we expanded our flock right into 2 years of drought and had to get rid of 80 ewes with lambs at foot, find grazing elsewhere for another 20 ewes plus lambs, and have never got back to those numbers. Our smaller flock now grazes about 2-3 weeks in each 10 acres, we cut some for hay, and sometimes, as now, we move them in and out of other 10 acre spots on a daily basis. Each 10 acres is hilly, has willow and aspen poplar bush interspersed with the grass, and without our three livestock guardian dogs would be predator picnic sites (coyotes in this area). Because of the smaller sheep numbers, our grass is frequently taller than Ima and sometimes even taller than the sheep. Her herding bark is very useful in those situations as the sheep just need to hear her and start heading back whether or not we can see them.
Training
If you find a trainer willing to work with a ‘herding bark’ you will be very fortunate. Most Icelandics will bark as part of their herding behaviour. This is not a frantic out of control issue but their working style. If they are moving the sheep in a careful way and listening to you if you ask them to ‘Get back’ or ‘Down’ don’t try to stop any barking. Instead observe when your dog barks and learn what it means. Put it on cue so as you progress through herding you can use it to your team’s advantage (if the sheep recognize the meaning of a bark). If the sheep you are working with are not familiar with a barking dog they will probably just ignore it. Upright breed trainers (eg Australian Shepherds) will be more familiar with the needs of an Icelandic learning to herd but many border collie trainers also work successfully with other breeds.
The sheep are an important consideration. Well trained (so-called ‘dog-broke’) sheep make a beginning dog’s and handler’s experience much more positive. Groups of 3-5 sheep which will stick to the shepherd, without running wild give the dog an opportunity to make correct choices and be rewarded. They also give the novice handler time to learn to walk backwards while wielding a rake or crook without falling in the mud! Most Icelandics have enough gathering style to participate in and benefit from these typical training situations involving 3 sheep. The breed of sheep is not critical but it is very unlikely you will find any dog trainers using Icelandic sheep as this breed has a very low flocking instinct – they’d be in three different corners of the pen!
Icelandics have both driving and gathering instincts and each individual will have a slightly different balance between these. From my own experience and anecdotal information from other owners another strong component is a ‘need for speed’ – both their driving and their gathering was, and still is, done on quite wild sheep in mountains and they want their animals to MOVE (see photo of Dart). Building in early control in a wide variety of situations will help your dog respond better when they are expected to begin actually working stock.
Dogs should not be expected to really herd before about 18 months to 2 years of age. If they are city dogs, they will do best if they are introduced to some livestock by about 4 months of age in a controlled meeting – don’t let them either maul the ducks or be butted by a ewe but they could briefly ‘play’ with a lamb, touch noses with a horse, sniff some chicks. They can also practise their control skills of sits, stands, or downs near livestock.
If you have livestock do take your puppy for chores but be prepared to put them away during chore time at some point in their first year of development because they have ‘turned on’ to stock and are frantic idiots. Not all dogs go through this stage but most do.
Dogs growing up on farms need to practise their control skills too but during adolescence, which varies by individuals, they may need to practise them a long way away! Every couple of weeks, test how close you can work the young dog and bring them back into more normal routines when they have some self control. My dogs spend a fair bit of time waiting outside enclosures for me and I set up a waiting spot farther away (sometimes it’s in the house!) during this stage. In the photo, 11+ month old Boogie (Ima’s grandson) is participating in driving the sheep to a pasture. He’s been back in the field for only about 2 weeks after a few months away because he couldn’t control his barking or attempts to chase. This is a daily routine and these sheep know where they are going and will go steadily on their own (another version of trained sheep), allowing me to ask Boogie to down or to wait and letting him experience moving quietly with the flock. He is not ‘really herding’ yet (the 18 months threshold will give him much more power). Driving can be taught simply and directly through this process by cueing movements to the right and to the left if someone wants a driving dog. I recommend using a harness for all herding work to avoid injury to the dog.
Whether you own livestock or not, herding concepts are first introduced with no animals around. The first things puppies need to learn are taught using toys or other situations. In the last Newsletter, Part 2 of Sue Ailsby’s Clicker Seminar introduced shaping a dog to go around a cone or post. This behaviour put on cue for both directions – traditionally ‘Come by’ and ‘Away to me’ - is a basic herding requirement. By gradually adding distance, changing locations, and changing the item to go around, you will have a dog that has some skills already. Puppies or dogs need to have control in a variety of situations so any training helps. A ‘Get back’ game is popular as it mimics the focus and movements of herding. Using a favourite ball or toy and your crook (any cane or rake or stick will do), stand over the toy, crook in front of you and ask the dog to lie down in front of the crook. "Yes" or click and kick the toy to them as reward. Repeat but instead of asking them to lie down, push them a bit back with the crook (don’t touch them with it, bang it on the ground as firmly as needed and block them with it) and push them with your body, "Yes" and kick the toy to them. Repeat several times over a few days sometimes asking them to down before the push back. Slowly increase the distance and as the dog starts to come around you aiming for the toy "Yes" and kick them the toy. By the 100th time say ‘Get back’ as you are pushing them back with the crook. In this game both of you learn about the crook and about circling both directions and getting back.
If you are a novice team, signed up for your first herding clinic or class, be prepared for one of two extremes: your dog will ignore the sheep or your dog will turn into a barking idiot. If your dog is a little older, or been carefully trained not to chase cars, not to chase cats, or has a serious obedience type background with lots of eye contact to you they are more likely to ignore the stock at first. Sometimes letting someone else handle the dog gets them more involved in their environment and they will begin to notice the sheep. For the other behaviour, they might get over it by moving them far enough away that you can do some simple obedience or tricks cues. Then move briefly closer to the sheep, then move them far enough away again for some work and then asking for a down closer to the sheep. Move away again, then ask for the down right in the pen with the sheep before you start to work. This might take one hour or several. If they are particularly persistent, follow Sue Ailsby’s advice (article ‘Song and the Sheep’ on her website www.dragonflyllama.com) and spend your clinic time sitting reading a book until the dog is quiet when you can get up and enter the sheep pen (this will take several back and forths as they bark as soon as you take a step toward the pen so you return to your book). Requiring them to be in control of their behaviour before you enter the sheep pen will be time and money very well spent as they will be listening to you and learning when working the sheep.
Herding is one avenue of dog sport involving other creatures. Think carefully about asking your dog to chase other animals – this instinct might not go away once you awaken it. Choose your trainer carefully if you live where there are choices available. Then if you decide to proceed, observe and appreciate your dog as they enjoy their heredity.
Cooking for Dogs - Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club - Summer 2007 Issie
WELCOME to COOKING FOR DOGS: Summer 2007 Issue
By Valerie Sharp
In Keeping with our Herding Issue, here is a Recipe that is good for both the owner and if there is any left-over, it is very healthy for your Icelandic Sheepdog as well. If you are concerned about the onions, you can pick them out, but for that little bit, I personally don't worry about it, as they don't often get a treat like this.
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:1 pound ground Icelandic Lamb if Possible, Beef if not.
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion sliced into rings or chopped into small pieces if you prefer (if just for dogs, no onion)
1 clove garlic chopped
1/4 cup Gravy made from dippings of a roast (if possible)
4- 6 large potatoes boiled, mashed with salt, butter, savory and milk
.2 cups corn or 2 cups peas or 2 cups mixed veggies (to cover the meat)
Salt, pepper, thyme, savory and paprika to taste
Directions:
In a frying pan that can go in the oven, saute the onions and the garlic until wilted, remove. Add the beef to the pan and cook it until done. Remove the fat. Return the onions and the garlic, add salt, pepper and thyme, add the gravy and stir evenly. Cover the whole thing with corn. Spread the hot mashed potatoes on top of the corn, making grooves. Put little dashes of butter all over and sprinkle some paprika all over. Set in the oven about 1 hour at 300F or until the potatoes are all brown and crispy all around the rim. We use an iron frying pan and it's just great. The longer you leave it in the oven, the better because all the flavours marry and it is just nice. You can lower the heat in order to leave it in longer if you would like.
The other thing that all good Shepherds need is a cool drink when they come in from working..
Sparkling Rhubarb Juice (yes, I checked, Rhubarb does indeed grow in Iceland)
Take four to six cups of Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb (fresh is best)
add half a cup to a cup of sugar depending on the Rhubarb.
1/2 to a 1 cup of water and simmer for ten minutes or until the rhubarb is cooked and soft, then strain though a couple layers of cheese cloth, the less you swish it, the clearer the juice, and put in a glass jar and into the fridge..
When ready to serve, pour Ginger Ale over Ice and add 1/3rd of the glass with the rubarb juice, its a delightful fresh drink that on a hot summer day is perfect and its packed full of Vitamin C.
Have a great summer.
By Valerie Sharp
In Keeping with our Herding Issue, here is a Recipe that is good for both the owner and if there is any left-over, it is very healthy for your Icelandic Sheepdog as well. If you are concerned about the onions, you can pick them out, but for that little bit, I personally don't worry about it, as they don't often get a treat like this.
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:1 pound ground Icelandic Lamb if Possible, Beef if not.
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion sliced into rings or chopped into small pieces if you prefer (if just for dogs, no onion)
1 clove garlic chopped
1/4 cup Gravy made from dippings of a roast (if possible)
4- 6 large potatoes boiled, mashed with salt, butter, savory and milk
.2 cups corn or 2 cups peas or 2 cups mixed veggies (to cover the meat)
Salt, pepper, thyme, savory and paprika to taste
Directions:
In a frying pan that can go in the oven, saute the onions and the garlic until wilted, remove. Add the beef to the pan and cook it until done. Remove the fat. Return the onions and the garlic, add salt, pepper and thyme, add the gravy and stir evenly. Cover the whole thing with corn. Spread the hot mashed potatoes on top of the corn, making grooves. Put little dashes of butter all over and sprinkle some paprika all over. Set in the oven about 1 hour at 300F or until the potatoes are all brown and crispy all around the rim. We use an iron frying pan and it's just great. The longer you leave it in the oven, the better because all the flavours marry and it is just nice. You can lower the heat in order to leave it in longer if you would like.
The other thing that all good Shepherds need is a cool drink when they come in from working..
Sparkling Rhubarb Juice (yes, I checked, Rhubarb does indeed grow in Iceland)
Take four to six cups of Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb (fresh is best)
add half a cup to a cup of sugar depending on the Rhubarb.
1/2 to a 1 cup of water and simmer for ten minutes or until the rhubarb is cooked and soft, then strain though a couple layers of cheese cloth, the less you swish it, the clearer the juice, and put in a glass jar and into the fridge..
When ready to serve, pour Ginger Ale over Ice and add 1/3rd of the glass with the rubarb juice, its a delightful fresh drink that on a hot summer day is perfect and its packed full of Vitamin C.
Have a great summer.
Casual Herding - Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club Summer 2007 Issue
Casual Herding
by Laurie Ball-Gisch
We initially got our first Icelandic sheepdog because I needed help herding our sheep. We've been raising purebred Icelandic sheep since 1999 in mid-Michigan (USA). Our flock size is around 50 ewes and a dozen rams; during the summer months that doubles with each spring lamb crop. We graze our sheep "rotationally" moving them through paddocks that average 1-2 acres in size, for a total of about 17 acres being grazed. Coming from winter and hay feeding, the sheep are very reluctant to leave the lush new pasture (which they can "bloat" on) and we needed a dog to convince them to come in from the fields. Our family has so fallen in love with the dogs that we now have our own little "herd" of Icelandic sheepdogs.
Our first Icelandic sheepdog, "Belle," proved to be the most amazing dog we had ever had. I started taking Belle out into the field with me when she was just eight weeks of age. The first few times in the field she wanted to stay right with me, at first more interested in nipping at my heels, as I ran around flapping my arms and yelling, but pretty soon she realized the sheep might be more interesting than I was. Soon she would run up behind the sheep, nipping at their heels and barking, driving them forward. Amazingly, she was not intimidated by the llama (who must have appeared huge to this 10 lb. puppy). Surprisingly, the llama deferred to her, and moved along with the flock, as she urged them all forward.
Belle soon proved she was also smart enough to help around the farm in other ways. At one point during that first summer, I was working in some smaller paddock areas. I was feeding and watering the chickens and angora rabbits and going in and out of some gates. I turned around and discovered a ewe lamb had followed me out the gate into our unfenced backyard. It’s always tricky trying to move escaped animals back into fenced areas, because you have to open gates to guide them in, but at the same time, you risk other sheep coming out. In the moment that I saw the ewe, she bolted; I ran around some shrubs and all of a sudden, Belle darted out (I had forgotten she was outside playing). She ran right at the ewe lamb and stopped at her front legs and stared her down. I ran around, opened the gate and yelled "bring her in Belle" and to my amazement, that young dog charged and barked and the lamb turned and ran through the gate for me, Belle right at her heels. That puppy earned her keep that day.
Since Belle, we have added more Icelandic sheepdogs to our lives. (Warning: these dogs are addictive and you usually can't have "just one"). Some of the dogs we love now live with friends and family so that we can have a more diverse breeding program. Currently we live with Belle (who is now 5 years old) and her 9 month old daughter, "Kyssa" out of Stjornulosa Rodi. Reykjadals Stikla Run (she answers to "Rosie") joined our family in 2004 directly from Iceland; we have kept Rosie's daughter "Lilja" (10 weeks old) out of Hofshesta Gloi. In April of 2007 we imported a male from Sweden. Arperla Bjarki is now 5 months old.
Like Belle, Rosie loves to herd the sheep. I have a friend who is a herding instructor. She took Rosie home with her for two weeks to test her and work with her in the manner that she formally trains her border collies. She started with a round pen and a long lead. When I went to watch them work, I was amazed to see that Rosie had very quickly adapted to the training and was working the sheep silently, like the border collies do. Here, when our dogs work "naturally," their instinct is to bark and drive the sheep forward from behind, sometimes nipping at the heels. They are also very good at going into the far corners and rounding up the stragglers, bringing them into the main group. They then will follow the sheep from behind, barking as they go. But in the two weeks of working with the border collies, Rosie had stopped barking at the sheep and imitated the border collies, crouching as she ran. I had intended to follow through with training Rosie here at our farm, but I did not have a round pen and I realized I also did not have any sheep that I could let my dogs chase. We produce primarily breeding stock, so our sheep are foundation animals that we cannot afford to stress by working a dog on them. I was told that if I really wanted to train our dogs in the manner of formal herding, I would need to build a round pen and I would need to set aside a group of sheep to let them chase. So instead, I let our dogs work in their natural instinctive style, and only when we need to move the sheep, which suits us fine here. I call it "casual" herding.
We have found over the years that our male dogs - for the most part - are more shy around the sheep than the females are. For instance, while Bjarki likes to accompany me around the farm, when I take him into the field off-leash, as soon as he sees the sheep, he usually heads for home. Vinur (who lives with my father-in-law now) used to sit outside the fence and bark encouragement to Belle, while she did all the work! He had no interest in actually running to herd them himself. Now Vinur spends much of his day outside with the sheep, but when it's time for them to be herded, he pretty much lets Lavandels Kolur (his buddy and roommate) do the "round-up" work, while he walks alongside next to the sheep. When Hofshesta Gloi was here (he now lives with friends), he worked in an interesting way. He didn't necessarily have a "need" to "herd" the sheep home. But instead, he liked to accompany me into the fields as I was moving amongst the sheep. In the months when we don't have pasture and are feeding out hay bales, he would keep the rams away from me while I loaded hay into the feeders. He would go up to the rams, stare them down and "hold" them in place. He would not release them until I called to him and was near to a gate. I never taught him to do that! He just started doing it while I was working amongst breeding groups of sheep. I was so amazed that he was being protective of me.
This summer I am taking Lavandels Kyssa and Lavandels Lilja out with me as I walk the pastures or work around the barnyards. They are trained well off-leash (and come when called) and they follow fairly close to me. I have found it best to have my pups get used to working with me and the sheep during the quiet times, when we are not rounding them up. First and foremost, each dog must learn its name and to "come" when called. I use my own "code" which is "with me" as a voice command and they stay at my side off leash while we are out amongst the sheep in the field or barns. I really feel with this breed, that basic obedience and learning voice and hand signals is about all you need to do. The dogs are so smart and instinctive that they usually figure out the rest on their own. When it is time to bring the sheep in, I will put a pup on a leash and take her into the field with me. Then I release her from the lead and start clapping my hands and calling "home sheep." The sheep start moving then and I will start moving behind them, with the pup next to me. I then encourage her to run next to me and usually they will get excited and we follow the sheep in. If there are stragglers I will run back to them and have the pup follow me. This has worked fairly well for us here. I know it's totally informal and I'm sure goes against all rules of herd dog training. But what I love the most about the Icelandic sheepdog is that they are so flexible and so willing to please, that you can train them to do anything you want. Since I am not trained in formal herding myself, I am not able to train my dogs formally. But with their native instinct, and their willingness to please me and watch me for direction, they end up developing a way of working the sheep that suits our sheep and our farm set up.
The Icelandic sheepdogs are also the perfect family pet. They are a most devoted companion and are so trustworthy around children. About the only discipline "problems" we have to deal with are them jumping on people and barking. The jumping up isn't helped by the fact that most people who come here encourage the dogs to jump on them! So as we work with our pups, we try to make sure they sit quietly for "petting," rather than to receive attention for jumping. And yes, barking is a trait of the Icelandic sheepdog, which can be annoying. Our dogs love to bark at birds and planes that fly overhead. And they do like to bark at the sheep that come close to fences they are next to, when it's not "work" time. In spite of these two sometimes annoying habits, we wouldn't trade our little "herd" of Icelandic sheepdogs for any other breed of dog.
by Laurie Ball-Gisch
We initially got our first Icelandic sheepdog because I needed help herding our sheep. We've been raising purebred Icelandic sheep since 1999 in mid-Michigan (USA). Our flock size is around 50 ewes and a dozen rams; during the summer months that doubles with each spring lamb crop. We graze our sheep "rotationally" moving them through paddocks that average 1-2 acres in size, for a total of about 17 acres being grazed. Coming from winter and hay feeding, the sheep are very reluctant to leave the lush new pasture (which they can "bloat" on) and we needed a dog to convince them to come in from the fields. Our family has so fallen in love with the dogs that we now have our own little "herd" of Icelandic sheepdogs.
Our first Icelandic sheepdog, "Belle," proved to be the most amazing dog we had ever had. I started taking Belle out into the field with me when she was just eight weeks of age. The first few times in the field she wanted to stay right with me, at first more interested in nipping at my heels, as I ran around flapping my arms and yelling, but pretty soon she realized the sheep might be more interesting than I was. Soon she would run up behind the sheep, nipping at their heels and barking, driving them forward. Amazingly, she was not intimidated by the llama (who must have appeared huge to this 10 lb. puppy). Surprisingly, the llama deferred to her, and moved along with the flock, as she urged them all forward.
Belle soon proved she was also smart enough to help around the farm in other ways. At one point during that first summer, I was working in some smaller paddock areas. I was feeding and watering the chickens and angora rabbits and going in and out of some gates. I turned around and discovered a ewe lamb had followed me out the gate into our unfenced backyard. It’s always tricky trying to move escaped animals back into fenced areas, because you have to open gates to guide them in, but at the same time, you risk other sheep coming out. In the moment that I saw the ewe, she bolted; I ran around some shrubs and all of a sudden, Belle darted out (I had forgotten she was outside playing). She ran right at the ewe lamb and stopped at her front legs and stared her down. I ran around, opened the gate and yelled "bring her in Belle" and to my amazement, that young dog charged and barked and the lamb turned and ran through the gate for me, Belle right at her heels. That puppy earned her keep that day.
Since Belle, we have added more Icelandic sheepdogs to our lives. (Warning: these dogs are addictive and you usually can't have "just one"). Some of the dogs we love now live with friends and family so that we can have a more diverse breeding program. Currently we live with Belle (who is now 5 years old) and her 9 month old daughter, "Kyssa" out of Stjornulosa Rodi. Reykjadals Stikla Run (she answers to "Rosie") joined our family in 2004 directly from Iceland; we have kept Rosie's daughter "Lilja" (10 weeks old) out of Hofshesta Gloi. In April of 2007 we imported a male from Sweden. Arperla Bjarki is now 5 months old.
Like Belle, Rosie loves to herd the sheep. I have a friend who is a herding instructor. She took Rosie home with her for two weeks to test her and work with her in the manner that she formally trains her border collies. She started with a round pen and a long lead. When I went to watch them work, I was amazed to see that Rosie had very quickly adapted to the training and was working the sheep silently, like the border collies do. Here, when our dogs work "naturally," their instinct is to bark and drive the sheep forward from behind, sometimes nipping at the heels. They are also very good at going into the far corners and rounding up the stragglers, bringing them into the main group. They then will follow the sheep from behind, barking as they go. But in the two weeks of working with the border collies, Rosie had stopped barking at the sheep and imitated the border collies, crouching as she ran. I had intended to follow through with training Rosie here at our farm, but I did not have a round pen and I realized I also did not have any sheep that I could let my dogs chase. We produce primarily breeding stock, so our sheep are foundation animals that we cannot afford to stress by working a dog on them. I was told that if I really wanted to train our dogs in the manner of formal herding, I would need to build a round pen and I would need to set aside a group of sheep to let them chase. So instead, I let our dogs work in their natural instinctive style, and only when we need to move the sheep, which suits us fine here. I call it "casual" herding.
We have found over the years that our male dogs - for the most part - are more shy around the sheep than the females are. For instance, while Bjarki likes to accompany me around the farm, when I take him into the field off-leash, as soon as he sees the sheep, he usually heads for home. Vinur (who lives with my father-in-law now) used to sit outside the fence and bark encouragement to Belle, while she did all the work! He had no interest in actually running to herd them himself. Now Vinur spends much of his day outside with the sheep, but when it's time for them to be herded, he pretty much lets Lavandels Kolur (his buddy and roommate) do the "round-up" work, while he walks alongside next to the sheep. When Hofshesta Gloi was here (he now lives with friends), he worked in an interesting way. He didn't necessarily have a "need" to "herd" the sheep home. But instead, he liked to accompany me into the fields as I was moving amongst the sheep. In the months when we don't have pasture and are feeding out hay bales, he would keep the rams away from me while I loaded hay into the feeders. He would go up to the rams, stare them down and "hold" them in place. He would not release them until I called to him and was near to a gate. I never taught him to do that! He just started doing it while I was working amongst breeding groups of sheep. I was so amazed that he was being protective of me.
This summer I am taking Lavandels Kyssa and Lavandels Lilja out with me as I walk the pastures or work around the barnyards. They are trained well off-leash (and come when called) and they follow fairly close to me. I have found it best to have my pups get used to working with me and the sheep during the quiet times, when we are not rounding them up. First and foremost, each dog must learn its name and to "come" when called. I use my own "code" which is "with me" as a voice command and they stay at my side off leash while we are out amongst the sheep in the field or barns. I really feel with this breed, that basic obedience and learning voice and hand signals is about all you need to do. The dogs are so smart and instinctive that they usually figure out the rest on their own. When it is time to bring the sheep in, I will put a pup on a leash and take her into the field with me. Then I release her from the lead and start clapping my hands and calling "home sheep." The sheep start moving then and I will start moving behind them, with the pup next to me. I then encourage her to run next to me and usually they will get excited and we follow the sheep in. If there are stragglers I will run back to them and have the pup follow me. This has worked fairly well for us here. I know it's totally informal and I'm sure goes against all rules of herd dog training. But what I love the most about the Icelandic sheepdog is that they are so flexible and so willing to please, that you can train them to do anything you want. Since I am not trained in formal herding myself, I am not able to train my dogs formally. But with their native instinct, and their willingness to please me and watch me for direction, they end up developing a way of working the sheep that suits our sheep and our farm set up.
The Icelandic sheepdogs are also the perfect family pet. They are a most devoted companion and are so trustworthy around children. About the only discipline "problems" we have to deal with are them jumping on people and barking. The jumping up isn't helped by the fact that most people who come here encourage the dogs to jump on them! So as we work with our pups, we try to make sure they sit quietly for "petting," rather than to receive attention for jumping. And yes, barking is a trait of the Icelandic sheepdog, which can be annoying. Our dogs love to bark at birds and planes that fly overhead. And they do like to bark at the sheep that come close to fences they are next to, when it's not "work" time. In spite of these two sometimes annoying habits, we wouldn't trade our little "herd" of Icelandic sheepdogs for any other breed of dog.
The Icelandic Sheepdog - Summer Issue of Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club Newsletter 2007
THE ICELANDIC SHEEPDOG
by Linda Rorem (this article originally appeared inThe Shepherd's Dogge magazine)
Reprinted with permission from Linda Rorem
The Icelandic Sheepdog, or Iceland Dog, came to Iceland with Vikings settlers in the ninth century. There are references to the dogs in many of the Icelandic Sagas, dating from 900 to 1300, and further references in 1400's and 1500's.
This lively, inquisitive dog is a quick learner, sociable and willing, with a cheerful spirit. It thrives on close human companionship and also enjoys being with other animals, especially horses. The Iceland Sheepdog has a quick and easy way of moving and great endurance. It is an excellent watchdog but not aggressive. Sheep-working tendencies are strong and there is little inclination to hunt game. The Icelandic Sheepdog is adaptable to family life in the city or the country.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is 14 to 18 inches in height and weighs around 25 to 30 pounds, with the body slightly longer than the height. The tail is lightly curled over back, falling to one side or the other. The thick, double, coat, in longer and shorter varieties, is weather-resistant and easy to care for, The coat is longer on the neck, shoulders, thighs and tail, short and smooth on the head and legs. The Icelandic Sheepdog may be self-colored, in which case *there should be* a little white on the chest, or may have white markings on the head, neck, feet and tail. The most common colors are golden sable, red, light sandy yellow (all of which may have black shadings in the coat and/or black markings on the muzzle), black and white, and black/white/tan. Double dew- claws on the hind legs are common. Eyes usually are brown. Ears are triangular and erect. Nose and lips are black.
Some authorities indicate that originally there were several types of Icelandic dogs, ranging from a dog similar to the Norwegian Buhund to one resembling the Greenland Husky, but the most prevalent type of the earlier days is dominant in the modern Iceland Sheepdog and there has only been one type for a long time. The breed has undergone little change through the centuries.
It is likely that the Scandinavian herding spitzes of Icelandic Sheepdog type figured strongly in the ancestry of the herding dogs of Britain, many parts of Britain having been heavily settled by the Vikings. There appear to have been later importations as well.
The Icelandic Sheepdog was well known in England in Shakespeare's time, and in 1650 Sir Thomas Brown wrote: "To England there are sometimes exported from Iceland . . . a type of dog resembling a fox . . . . Shepherds in England are eager to acquire them!" (All About the Spitz Breeds, by David Cavill.) The Icelandic Sheepdog is featured in the Natural History of Count de Buffon published in France in 1755, where a drawing shows a black and white dog very similar in type to a Border Collie, with semi-erect ears and a curved but not curled tail; the height at the shoulder given as 14 inches. A photo of a black and white Icelandic Sheepdog which appears in a book of dog breeds printed in 1915 shows a dog of strikingly similar appearance. Most Icelandic Sheepdogs have had erect ears, but there have been several such references to semi-erect ears in the past.
In late 19th century, working collies from Scotland were imported to Iceland and interbred with the native dogs in an attempt to "improve" the breed and produce a dog with the more refined herding abilities of the British sheepdogs. This effort was largely unsuccessful, because farmers in Iceland did not use and train their dogs in the same way that the British hill dogs are used and trained.
In Iceland, gathering sheep was (and still is) accomplished by men on foot or on horseback going out to round up the sheep, with the Icelandic Sheepdog providing useful assistance by helping to find the sheep, gather and move them, and going after and bringing back any sheep which try to leave the flock. This is similar to the original practice in Shetland, and in some parts of Shetland the sheep are still rounded up this way. For their herding work, the dogs weren't given particular training, the farmers simply relying on the dogs' natural abilities. The dogs were also used to guard the sheep, keep watch over the farmstead at night, and drive off stray animals from the fenced area around the farm. Some were also used for hunting birds and foxes.
Life could be harsh. In the earlier days, dogs might be left to their own devices to find food and shelter. There was no systematic breeding. The dogs would multiply, and outbreaks of disease on occasion would decimate their numbers. A dog tax in 1890 also had the effect of diminishing the dog population. Towards the end of the 19th century, after an epidemic of distemper, it was said that one true Iceland Dog was worth one horse and two sheep. In The Faroes and Iceland, published in 1905, Nelson Annandale writes of the Icelandic Sheepdog: "Dogs are an absolute necessity in Iceland; without them it would be impossible to gather the sheep or herd the ponies." When working sheep, "Their duty is not so much to marshal a flock of sheep as to single out individuals which stray from the others and to bring them in by seizing hold of them. They are trained not to bark when the sheep are being collected; but at other times they have a wonderful nose for strangers and act as very efficient protectors of a house, so far as making a noise can go. They are also able to trace the sheep which have got covered up with snow and to dig them out. In Iceland they are employed in herding horses on a journey. When a man is traveling with a train of pack ponies he drives them on in front of them; but they take every opportunity of running away, unless there is a dog to bark at their heels and keep them in single file." Another account mentions that when fording a stream, the dog might be allowed to sit on a horse's back behind its owner.
Annandale's account mentions that the dogs of the Faroes were somewhat different from those of Iceland, there formerly having been three types, one of which was similar to the Icelandic Sheepdog. He provides an interesting story of herding on Suderoe in the Faroes, commenting that while in most of the Faroes the terrain made it impossible to gather sheep on horseback, according to an earlier writer, Debes, writing in 1670 of Suderoe: "When therefore they go about their sheep, they ride, and their dogs follow them, they knowing how to ride with their horses up hills and down dales in a full gallop, through moors, and over rocks and stones, so that the horses care for nothing when they hunt after sheep, and where the place is too difficult to ride over to pursue them, the man leaps from his horse in the midst of his course, and takes his best advantage against the sheep, the horse running after him till he leaps upon it again; in the mean time the dogs follow also, till they have driven the sheep into the retten (sheepfold). A part of the horses are also so taught, that the man over-reaching the sheep on horse back, the horse graspeth the same between his forelegs, till the man takes it up."
By the early 20th century the true Icelandic Sheepdog had greatly diminished in numbers. Many of the dogs left were crossbreds. An Englishman, Mark Watson, who traveled in Iceland in the '30's, 40's and '50's, noticed the decline of the breed and began a search for the pure Icelandic Sheepdog. He carefully selected dogs from areas where the original breed had remained in its purest form, *finding most of his dogs in eastern Iceland and some in the north.* His efforts were instrumental in the preservation of the true Icelandic Sheepdog. Mark Watson eventually took the dogs he had collected to California and established Wensum Kennels in Nicasio where he published "A Research on the Iceland Dog" in 1956. Unfortunately, his dogs were lost in a kennel fire. Two of the dogs he had collected, however, had remained behind in Iceland and made an influential contribution to the reestablishment of the breed there.
As early as 1898, a standard for the breed had been recognized in Denmark, and in 1905 the breed had been recognized in England, although only a few were imported to England at that time and numbers there remained very small. In 1970 Icelanders formed an association to protect and sponsor the breed, and in 1972 international recognition was achieved.
Today in Iceland there are between 300 to 400 Icelandic Sheepdogs. They are outnumbered there by other breeds such as Labradors, Irish Setters and English Setters. Many farmers use Border Collies or Border Collie mixes for herding, but some farmers are starting to use the Icelandic Sheepdog again because of its endurance and suitability for local conditions.
Iceland is very rural and sheep farming differs to some extent from other countries. The sheep are driven up to the hills and mountains, and in the fall the farmers take their horses and herding dogs to bring the sheep back to the lowlands. Many farmers have one or two dogs, which are used to seek out and gather the sheep from the hills. The Icelandic Sheepdog doesn't tend to group up the sheep at a distance and keep them in a flock like the Border Collie, but the farmer can walk in the bottom of the valley and send the dog up the hills on both sides, the dogs finding and bringing down any sheep that might be there. The Icelandic Sheepdog will run longer distances than other breeds as it seeks sheep in the harsh, bare terrain. *After the sheep are gathered, the dogs push them along in front of the farmers, barking.* As in earlier times, most farmers don't train their dogs to any great extent. Icelandic Sheepdogs can also herd horses, although they are not used for that as much. The breed is very hardy and able to handle bad weather, sleeping contentedly in the snow with its nose under its tail while imported dogs are freezing.
A few Icelandic Sheepdogs have been brought to North America from Iceland, Denmark, England, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. *A Montana rancher who has started her Icelandic Sheepdogs on stock comments that the dogs have shown good instinct and, although at first inclined to chase, will bunch and hold cattle. They are upright workers, preferring to remain on their feet, and tend to move stock by body movement, barking and, if necessary, gripping. They may move fast and dive in on the outrun, but they balance naturally and will fetch and hold stock to the handler, and at times have given evidence of some eye.*
Agnes Yr, a breeder in Iceland, notes that Icelanders have for many centuries looked at the dog as one of the farm animals and not cared so much about breeding, but thankfully this has changed. The Icelandic Sheepdog is now becoming popular with urban horse-lovers in Iceland, who keep horses for their leisure time and have fallen in love, again, with this wonderful dog. Here is a top working breed that adjusts well to urban life -- a happy, proud, intelligent dog that takes joy in pleasing its people.
Thank you to Bill Cordingly, Bolstad Kennels; Agnes Yr, Kennel Yrar; Stefania Siguradardottir; and Anne Milkovich for their assistance with this article.
by Linda Rorem (this article originally appeared inThe Shepherd's Dogge magazine)
Reprinted with permission from Linda Rorem
The Icelandic Sheepdog, or Iceland Dog, came to Iceland with Vikings settlers in the ninth century. There are references to the dogs in many of the Icelandic Sagas, dating from 900 to 1300, and further references in 1400's and 1500's.
This lively, inquisitive dog is a quick learner, sociable and willing, with a cheerful spirit. It thrives on close human companionship and also enjoys being with other animals, especially horses. The Iceland Sheepdog has a quick and easy way of moving and great endurance. It is an excellent watchdog but not aggressive. Sheep-working tendencies are strong and there is little inclination to hunt game. The Icelandic Sheepdog is adaptable to family life in the city or the country.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is 14 to 18 inches in height and weighs around 25 to 30 pounds, with the body slightly longer than the height. The tail is lightly curled over back, falling to one side or the other. The thick, double, coat, in longer and shorter varieties, is weather-resistant and easy to care for, The coat is longer on the neck, shoulders, thighs and tail, short and smooth on the head and legs. The Icelandic Sheepdog may be self-colored, in which case *there should be* a little white on the chest, or may have white markings on the head, neck, feet and tail. The most common colors are golden sable, red, light sandy yellow (all of which may have black shadings in the coat and/or black markings on the muzzle), black and white, and black/white/tan. Double dew- claws on the hind legs are common. Eyes usually are brown. Ears are triangular and erect. Nose and lips are black.
Some authorities indicate that originally there were several types of Icelandic dogs, ranging from a dog similar to the Norwegian Buhund to one resembling the Greenland Husky, but the most prevalent type of the earlier days is dominant in the modern Iceland Sheepdog and there has only been one type for a long time. The breed has undergone little change through the centuries.
It is likely that the Scandinavian herding spitzes of Icelandic Sheepdog type figured strongly in the ancestry of the herding dogs of Britain, many parts of Britain having been heavily settled by the Vikings. There appear to have been later importations as well.
The Icelandic Sheepdog was well known in England in Shakespeare's time, and in 1650 Sir Thomas Brown wrote: "To England there are sometimes exported from Iceland . . . a type of dog resembling a fox . . . . Shepherds in England are eager to acquire them!" (All About the Spitz Breeds, by David Cavill.) The Icelandic Sheepdog is featured in the Natural History of Count de Buffon published in France in 1755, where a drawing shows a black and white dog very similar in type to a Border Collie, with semi-erect ears and a curved but not curled tail; the height at the shoulder given as 14 inches. A photo of a black and white Icelandic Sheepdog which appears in a book of dog breeds printed in 1915 shows a dog of strikingly similar appearance. Most Icelandic Sheepdogs have had erect ears, but there have been several such references to semi-erect ears in the past.
In late 19th century, working collies from Scotland were imported to Iceland and interbred with the native dogs in an attempt to "improve" the breed and produce a dog with the more refined herding abilities of the British sheepdogs. This effort was largely unsuccessful, because farmers in Iceland did not use and train their dogs in the same way that the British hill dogs are used and trained.
In Iceland, gathering sheep was (and still is) accomplished by men on foot or on horseback going out to round up the sheep, with the Icelandic Sheepdog providing useful assistance by helping to find the sheep, gather and move them, and going after and bringing back any sheep which try to leave the flock. This is similar to the original practice in Shetland, and in some parts of Shetland the sheep are still rounded up this way. For their herding work, the dogs weren't given particular training, the farmers simply relying on the dogs' natural abilities. The dogs were also used to guard the sheep, keep watch over the farmstead at night, and drive off stray animals from the fenced area around the farm. Some were also used for hunting birds and foxes.
Life could be harsh. In the earlier days, dogs might be left to their own devices to find food and shelter. There was no systematic breeding. The dogs would multiply, and outbreaks of disease on occasion would decimate their numbers. A dog tax in 1890 also had the effect of diminishing the dog population. Towards the end of the 19th century, after an epidemic of distemper, it was said that one true Iceland Dog was worth one horse and two sheep. In The Faroes and Iceland, published in 1905, Nelson Annandale writes of the Icelandic Sheepdog: "Dogs are an absolute necessity in Iceland; without them it would be impossible to gather the sheep or herd the ponies." When working sheep, "Their duty is not so much to marshal a flock of sheep as to single out individuals which stray from the others and to bring them in by seizing hold of them. They are trained not to bark when the sheep are being collected; but at other times they have a wonderful nose for strangers and act as very efficient protectors of a house, so far as making a noise can go. They are also able to trace the sheep which have got covered up with snow and to dig them out. In Iceland they are employed in herding horses on a journey. When a man is traveling with a train of pack ponies he drives them on in front of them; but they take every opportunity of running away, unless there is a dog to bark at their heels and keep them in single file." Another account mentions that when fording a stream, the dog might be allowed to sit on a horse's back behind its owner.
Annandale's account mentions that the dogs of the Faroes were somewhat different from those of Iceland, there formerly having been three types, one of which was similar to the Icelandic Sheepdog. He provides an interesting story of herding on Suderoe in the Faroes, commenting that while in most of the Faroes the terrain made it impossible to gather sheep on horseback, according to an earlier writer, Debes, writing in 1670 of Suderoe: "When therefore they go about their sheep, they ride, and their dogs follow them, they knowing how to ride with their horses up hills and down dales in a full gallop, through moors, and over rocks and stones, so that the horses care for nothing when they hunt after sheep, and where the place is too difficult to ride over to pursue them, the man leaps from his horse in the midst of his course, and takes his best advantage against the sheep, the horse running after him till he leaps upon it again; in the mean time the dogs follow also, till they have driven the sheep into the retten (sheepfold). A part of the horses are also so taught, that the man over-reaching the sheep on horse back, the horse graspeth the same between his forelegs, till the man takes it up."
By the early 20th century the true Icelandic Sheepdog had greatly diminished in numbers. Many of the dogs left were crossbreds. An Englishman, Mark Watson, who traveled in Iceland in the '30's, 40's and '50's, noticed the decline of the breed and began a search for the pure Icelandic Sheepdog. He carefully selected dogs from areas where the original breed had remained in its purest form, *finding most of his dogs in eastern Iceland and some in the north.* His efforts were instrumental in the preservation of the true Icelandic Sheepdog. Mark Watson eventually took the dogs he had collected to California and established Wensum Kennels in Nicasio where he published "A Research on the Iceland Dog" in 1956. Unfortunately, his dogs were lost in a kennel fire. Two of the dogs he had collected, however, had remained behind in Iceland and made an influential contribution to the reestablishment of the breed there.
As early as 1898, a standard for the breed had been recognized in Denmark, and in 1905 the breed had been recognized in England, although only a few were imported to England at that time and numbers there remained very small. In 1970 Icelanders formed an association to protect and sponsor the breed, and in 1972 international recognition was achieved.
Today in Iceland there are between 300 to 400 Icelandic Sheepdogs. They are outnumbered there by other breeds such as Labradors, Irish Setters and English Setters. Many farmers use Border Collies or Border Collie mixes for herding, but some farmers are starting to use the Icelandic Sheepdog again because of its endurance and suitability for local conditions.
Iceland is very rural and sheep farming differs to some extent from other countries. The sheep are driven up to the hills and mountains, and in the fall the farmers take their horses and herding dogs to bring the sheep back to the lowlands. Many farmers have one or two dogs, which are used to seek out and gather the sheep from the hills. The Icelandic Sheepdog doesn't tend to group up the sheep at a distance and keep them in a flock like the Border Collie, but the farmer can walk in the bottom of the valley and send the dog up the hills on both sides, the dogs finding and bringing down any sheep that might be there. The Icelandic Sheepdog will run longer distances than other breeds as it seeks sheep in the harsh, bare terrain. *After the sheep are gathered, the dogs push them along in front of the farmers, barking.* As in earlier times, most farmers don't train their dogs to any great extent. Icelandic Sheepdogs can also herd horses, although they are not used for that as much. The breed is very hardy and able to handle bad weather, sleeping contentedly in the snow with its nose under its tail while imported dogs are freezing.
A few Icelandic Sheepdogs have been brought to North America from Iceland, Denmark, England, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. *A Montana rancher who has started her Icelandic Sheepdogs on stock comments that the dogs have shown good instinct and, although at first inclined to chase, will bunch and hold cattle. They are upright workers, preferring to remain on their feet, and tend to move stock by body movement, barking and, if necessary, gripping. They may move fast and dive in on the outrun, but they balance naturally and will fetch and hold stock to the handler, and at times have given evidence of some eye.*
Agnes Yr, a breeder in Iceland, notes that Icelanders have for many centuries looked at the dog as one of the farm animals and not cared so much about breeding, but thankfully this has changed. The Icelandic Sheepdog is now becoming popular with urban horse-lovers in Iceland, who keep horses for their leisure time and have fallen in love, again, with this wonderful dog. Here is a top working breed that adjusts well to urban life -- a happy, proud, intelligent dog that takes joy in pleasing its people.
Thank you to Bill Cordingly, Bolstad Kennels; Agnes Yr, Kennel Yrar; Stefania Siguradardottir; and Anne Milkovich for their assistance with this article.
The Icelandic Sheepdog - Summer Issue of Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club Newsletter 2007
THE ICELANDIC SHEEPDOG
by Linda Rorem (this article originally appeared inThe Shepherd's Dogge magazine)
Reprinted with permission from Linda Rorem
The Icelandic Sheepdog, or Iceland Dog, came to Iceland with Vikings settlers in the ninth century. There are references to the dogs in many of the Icelandic Sagas, dating from 900 to 1300, and further references in 1400's and 1500's.
This lively, inquisitive dog is a quick learner, sociable and willing, with a cheerful spirit. It thrives on close human companionship and also enjoys being with other animals, especially horses. The Iceland Sheepdog has a quick and easy way of moving and great endurance. It is an excellent watchdog but not aggressive.
Sheep-working tendencies are strong and there is little inclination to hunt game. The Icelandic Sheepdog is adaptable to family life in the city or the country.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is 14 to 18 inches in height and weighs around 25 to 30 pounds, with the body slightly longer than the height. The tail is lightly curled over back, falling to one side or the other. The thick, double, coat, in longer and shorter varieties, is weather-resistant and easy to care for, The coat is longer on the neck, shoulders, thighs and tail, short and smooth on the head and legs.
The Icelandic Sheepdog may be self-colored, in which case *there should be* a little white on the chest, or may have white markings on the head, neck, feet and tail. The most common colors are golden sable, red, light sandy yellow (all of which may have black shadings in the coat and/or black markings on the muzzle), black and white, and black/white/tan. Double dew- claws on the hind legs are common. Eyes usually are brown. Ears are triangular and erect. Nose and lips are black.
Some authorities indicate that originally there were several types of Icelandic dogs, ranging from a dog similar to the Norwegian Buhund to one resembling the Greenland Husky, but the most prevalent type of the earlier days is dominant in the modern Iceland Sheepdog and there has only been one type for a long time. The breed has undergone little change through the centuries.
It is likely that the Scandinavian herding spitzes of Icelandic Sheepdog type figured strongly in the ancestry of the herding dogs of Britain, many parts of Britain having been heavily settled by the Vikings. There appear to have been later importations as well.
The Icelandic Sheepdog was well known in England in Shakespeare's time, and in 1650 Sir Thomas Brown wrote: "To England there are sometimes exported from Iceland . . . a type of dog resembling a fox . . . . Shepherds in England are eager to acquire them!" (All About the Spitz Breeds, by David Cavill.) The Icelandic Sheepdog is featured in the Natural History of Count de Buffon published in France in 1755, where a drawing shows a black and white dog very similar in type to a Border Collie, with semi-erect ears and a curved but not curled tail; the height at the shoulder given as 14 inches. A photo of a black and white Icelandic Sheepdog which appears in a book of dog breeds printed in 1915 shows a dog of strikingly similar appearance. Most Icelandic Sheepdogs have had erect ears, but there have been several such references to semi-erect ears in the past.
In late 19th century, working collies from Scotland were imported to Iceland and interbred with the native dogs in an attempt to "improve" the breed and produce a dog with the more refined herding abilities of the British sheepdogs. This effort was largely unsuccessful, because farmers in Iceland did not use and train their dogs in the same way that the British hill dogs are used and trained.
In Iceland, gathering sheep was (and still is) accomplished by men on foot or on horseback going out to round up the sheep, with the Icelandic Sheepdog providing useful assistance by helping to find the sheep, gather and move them, and going after and bringing back any sheep which try to leave the flock. This is similar to the original practice in Shetland, and in some parts of Shetland the sheep are still rounded up this way.
For their herding work, the dogs weren't given particular training, the farmers simply relying on the dogs' natural abilities. The dogs were also used to guard the sheep, keep watch over the farmstead at night, and drive off stray animals from the fenced area around the farm. Some were also used for hunting birds and foxes.
Life could be harsh. In the earlier days, dogs might be left to their own devices to find food and shelter. There was no systematic breeding. The dogs would multiply, and outbreaks of disease on occasion would decimate their numbers. A dog tax in 1890 also had the effect of diminishing the dog population. Towards the end of the 19th century, after an epidemic of distemper, it was said that one true Iceland Dog was worth one horse and two sheep.
In The Faroes and Iceland, published in 1905, Nelson Annandale writes of the Icelandic Sheepdog: "Dogs are an absolute necessity in Iceland; without them it would be impossible to gather the sheep or herd the ponies." When working sheep, "Their duty is not so much to marshal a flock of sheep as to single out individuals which stray from the others and to bring them in by seizing hold of them. They are trained not to bark when the sheep are being collected; but at other times they have a wonderful nose for strangers and act as very efficient protectors of a house, so far as making a noise can go. They are also able to trace the sheep which have got covered up with snow and to dig them out. In Iceland they are employed in herding horses on a journey. When a man is traveling with a train of pack ponies he drives them on in front of them; but they take every opportunity of running away, unless there is a dog to bark at their heels and keep them in single file." Another account mentions that when fording a stream, the dog might be allowed to sit on a horse's back behind its owner.
Annandale's account mentions that the dogs of the Faroes were somewhat different from those of Iceland, there formerly having been three types, one of which was similar to the Icelandic Sheepdog. He provides an interesting story of herding on Suderoe in the Faroes, commenting that while in most of the Faroes the terrain made it impossible to gather sheep on horseback, according to an earlier writer, Debes, writing in 1670 of Suderoe: "When therefore they go about their sheep, they ride, and their dogs follow them, they knowing how to ride with their horses up hills and down dales in a full gallop, through moors, and over rocks and stones, so that the horses care for nothing when they hunt after sheep, and where the place is too difficult to ride over to pursue them, the man leaps from his horse in the midst of his course, and takes his best advantage against the sheep, the horse running after him till he leaps upon it again; in the mean time the dogs follow also, till they have driven the sheep into the retten (sheepfold). A part of the horses are also so taught, that the man over-reaching the sheep on horse back, the horse graspeth the same between his forelegs, till the man takes it up."
By the early 20th century the true Icelandic Sheepdog had greatly diminished in numbers. Many of the dogs left were crossbreds. An Englishman, Mark Watson, who traveled in Iceland in the '30's, 40's and '50's, noticed the decline of the breed and began a search for the pure Icelandic Sheepdog. He carefully selected dogs from areas where the original breed had remained in its purest form, *finding most of his dogs in eastern Iceland and some in the north.* His efforts were instrumental in the preservation of the true Icelandic Sheepdog. Mark Watson eventually took the dogs he had collected to California and established Wensum Kennels in Nicasio where he published "A Research on the Iceland Dog" in 1956.
Unfortunately, his dogs were lost in a kennel fire. Two of the dogs he had collected, however, had remained behind in Iceland and made an influential contribution to the reestablishment of the breed there.
As early as 1898, a standard for the breed had been recognized in Denmark, and in 1905 the breed had been recognized in England, although only a few were imported to England at that time and numbers there remained very small. In 1970 Icelanders formed an association to protect and sponsor the breed, and in 1972 international recognition was achieved.
Today in Iceland there are between 300 to 400 Icelandic Sheepdogs. They are outnumbered there by other breeds such as Labradors, Irish Setters and English Setters. Many farmers use Border Collies or Border Collie mixes for herding, but some farmers are starting to use the Icelandic Sheepdog again because of its endurance and suitability for local conditions.
Iceland is very rural and sheep farming differs to some extent from other countries. The sheep are driven up to the hills and mountains, and in the fall the farmers take their horses and herding dogs to bring the sheep back to the lowlands. Many farmers have one or two dogs, which are used to seek out and gather the sheep from the hills. The Icelandic Sheepdog doesn't tend to group up the sheep at a distance and keep them in a flock like the Border Collie, but the farmer can walk in the bottom of the valley and send the dog up the hills on both sides, the dogs finding and bringing down any sheep that might be there.
The Icelandic Sheepdog will run longer distances than other breeds as it seeks sheep in the harsh, bare terrain. *After the sheep are gathered, the dogs push them along in front of the farmers, barking.* As in earlier times, most farmers don't train their dogs to any great extent. Icelandic Sheepdogs can also herd horses, although they are not used for that as much. The breed is very hardy and able to handle bad weather, sleeping contentedly in the snow with its nose under its tail while imported dogs are freezing.
A few Icelandic Sheepdogs have been brought to North America from Iceland, Denmark, England, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. *A Montana rancher who has started her Icelandic Sheepdogs on stock comments that the dogs have shown good instinct and, although at first inclined to chase, will bunch and hold cattle. They are upright workers, preferring to remain on their feet, and tend to move stock by body movement, barking and, if necessary, gripping. They may move fast and dive in on the outrun, but they balance naturally and will fetch and hold stock to the handler, and at times have given evidence of some eye.*
Agnes Yr, a breeder in Iceland, notes that Icelanders have for many centuries looked at the dog as one of the farm animals and not cared so much about breeding, but thankfully this has changed. The Icelandic Sheepdog is now becoming popular with urban horse-lovers in Iceland, who keep horses for their leisure time and have fallen in love, again, with this wonderful dog. Here is a top working breed that adjusts well to urban life -- a happy, proud, intelligent dog that takes joy in pleasing its people.
Thank you to Bill Cordingly, Bolstad Kennels; Agnes Yr, Kennel Yrar; Stefania Siguradardottir; and Anne Milkovich for their assistance with this article.
by Linda Rorem (this article originally appeared inThe Shepherd's Dogge magazine)
Reprinted with permission from Linda Rorem
The Icelandic Sheepdog, or Iceland Dog, came to Iceland with Vikings settlers in the ninth century. There are references to the dogs in many of the Icelandic Sagas, dating from 900 to 1300, and further references in 1400's and 1500's.
This lively, inquisitive dog is a quick learner, sociable and willing, with a cheerful spirit. It thrives on close human companionship and also enjoys being with other animals, especially horses. The Iceland Sheepdog has a quick and easy way of moving and great endurance. It is an excellent watchdog but not aggressive.
Sheep-working tendencies are strong and there is little inclination to hunt game. The Icelandic Sheepdog is adaptable to family life in the city or the country.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is 14 to 18 inches in height and weighs around 25 to 30 pounds, with the body slightly longer than the height. The tail is lightly curled over back, falling to one side or the other. The thick, double, coat, in longer and shorter varieties, is weather-resistant and easy to care for, The coat is longer on the neck, shoulders, thighs and tail, short and smooth on the head and legs.
The Icelandic Sheepdog may be self-colored, in which case *there should be* a little white on the chest, or may have white markings on the head, neck, feet and tail. The most common colors are golden sable, red, light sandy yellow (all of which may have black shadings in the coat and/or black markings on the muzzle), black and white, and black/white/tan. Double dew- claws on the hind legs are common. Eyes usually are brown. Ears are triangular and erect. Nose and lips are black.
Some authorities indicate that originally there were several types of Icelandic dogs, ranging from a dog similar to the Norwegian Buhund to one resembling the Greenland Husky, but the most prevalent type of the earlier days is dominant in the modern Iceland Sheepdog and there has only been one type for a long time. The breed has undergone little change through the centuries.
It is likely that the Scandinavian herding spitzes of Icelandic Sheepdog type figured strongly in the ancestry of the herding dogs of Britain, many parts of Britain having been heavily settled by the Vikings. There appear to have been later importations as well.
The Icelandic Sheepdog was well known in England in Shakespeare's time, and in 1650 Sir Thomas Brown wrote: "To England there are sometimes exported from Iceland . . . a type of dog resembling a fox . . . . Shepherds in England are eager to acquire them!" (All About the Spitz Breeds, by David Cavill.) The Icelandic Sheepdog is featured in the Natural History of Count de Buffon published in France in 1755, where a drawing shows a black and white dog very similar in type to a Border Collie, with semi-erect ears and a curved but not curled tail; the height at the shoulder given as 14 inches. A photo of a black and white Icelandic Sheepdog which appears in a book of dog breeds printed in 1915 shows a dog of strikingly similar appearance. Most Icelandic Sheepdogs have had erect ears, but there have been several such references to semi-erect ears in the past.
In late 19th century, working collies from Scotland were imported to Iceland and interbred with the native dogs in an attempt to "improve" the breed and produce a dog with the more refined herding abilities of the British sheepdogs. This effort was largely unsuccessful, because farmers in Iceland did not use and train their dogs in the same way that the British hill dogs are used and trained.
In Iceland, gathering sheep was (and still is) accomplished by men on foot or on horseback going out to round up the sheep, with the Icelandic Sheepdog providing useful assistance by helping to find the sheep, gather and move them, and going after and bringing back any sheep which try to leave the flock. This is similar to the original practice in Shetland, and in some parts of Shetland the sheep are still rounded up this way.
For their herding work, the dogs weren't given particular training, the farmers simply relying on the dogs' natural abilities. The dogs were also used to guard the sheep, keep watch over the farmstead at night, and drive off stray animals from the fenced area around the farm. Some were also used for hunting birds and foxes.
Life could be harsh. In the earlier days, dogs might be left to their own devices to find food and shelter. There was no systematic breeding. The dogs would multiply, and outbreaks of disease on occasion would decimate their numbers. A dog tax in 1890 also had the effect of diminishing the dog population. Towards the end of the 19th century, after an epidemic of distemper, it was said that one true Iceland Dog was worth one horse and two sheep.
In The Faroes and Iceland, published in 1905, Nelson Annandale writes of the Icelandic Sheepdog: "Dogs are an absolute necessity in Iceland; without them it would be impossible to gather the sheep or herd the ponies." When working sheep, "Their duty is not so much to marshal a flock of sheep as to single out individuals which stray from the others and to bring them in by seizing hold of them. They are trained not to bark when the sheep are being collected; but at other times they have a wonderful nose for strangers and act as very efficient protectors of a house, so far as making a noise can go. They are also able to trace the sheep which have got covered up with snow and to dig them out. In Iceland they are employed in herding horses on a journey. When a man is traveling with a train of pack ponies he drives them on in front of them; but they take every opportunity of running away, unless there is a dog to bark at their heels and keep them in single file." Another account mentions that when fording a stream, the dog might be allowed to sit on a horse's back behind its owner.
Annandale's account mentions that the dogs of the Faroes were somewhat different from those of Iceland, there formerly having been three types, one of which was similar to the Icelandic Sheepdog. He provides an interesting story of herding on Suderoe in the Faroes, commenting that while in most of the Faroes the terrain made it impossible to gather sheep on horseback, according to an earlier writer, Debes, writing in 1670 of Suderoe: "When therefore they go about their sheep, they ride, and their dogs follow them, they knowing how to ride with their horses up hills and down dales in a full gallop, through moors, and over rocks and stones, so that the horses care for nothing when they hunt after sheep, and where the place is too difficult to ride over to pursue them, the man leaps from his horse in the midst of his course, and takes his best advantage against the sheep, the horse running after him till he leaps upon it again; in the mean time the dogs follow also, till they have driven the sheep into the retten (sheepfold). A part of the horses are also so taught, that the man over-reaching the sheep on horse back, the horse graspeth the same between his forelegs, till the man takes it up."
By the early 20th century the true Icelandic Sheepdog had greatly diminished in numbers. Many of the dogs left were crossbreds. An Englishman, Mark Watson, who traveled in Iceland in the '30's, 40's and '50's, noticed the decline of the breed and began a search for the pure Icelandic Sheepdog. He carefully selected dogs from areas where the original breed had remained in its purest form, *finding most of his dogs in eastern Iceland and some in the north.* His efforts were instrumental in the preservation of the true Icelandic Sheepdog. Mark Watson eventually took the dogs he had collected to California and established Wensum Kennels in Nicasio where he published "A Research on the Iceland Dog" in 1956.
Unfortunately, his dogs were lost in a kennel fire. Two of the dogs he had collected, however, had remained behind in Iceland and made an influential contribution to the reestablishment of the breed there.
As early as 1898, a standard for the breed had been recognized in Denmark, and in 1905 the breed had been recognized in England, although only a few were imported to England at that time and numbers there remained very small. In 1970 Icelanders formed an association to protect and sponsor the breed, and in 1972 international recognition was achieved.
Today in Iceland there are between 300 to 400 Icelandic Sheepdogs. They are outnumbered there by other breeds such as Labradors, Irish Setters and English Setters. Many farmers use Border Collies or Border Collie mixes for herding, but some farmers are starting to use the Icelandic Sheepdog again because of its endurance and suitability for local conditions.
Iceland is very rural and sheep farming differs to some extent from other countries. The sheep are driven up to the hills and mountains, and in the fall the farmers take their horses and herding dogs to bring the sheep back to the lowlands. Many farmers have one or two dogs, which are used to seek out and gather the sheep from the hills. The Icelandic Sheepdog doesn't tend to group up the sheep at a distance and keep them in a flock like the Border Collie, but the farmer can walk in the bottom of the valley and send the dog up the hills on both sides, the dogs finding and bringing down any sheep that might be there.
The Icelandic Sheepdog will run longer distances than other breeds as it seeks sheep in the harsh, bare terrain. *After the sheep are gathered, the dogs push them along in front of the farmers, barking.* As in earlier times, most farmers don't train their dogs to any great extent. Icelandic Sheepdogs can also herd horses, although they are not used for that as much. The breed is very hardy and able to handle bad weather, sleeping contentedly in the snow with its nose under its tail while imported dogs are freezing.
A few Icelandic Sheepdogs have been brought to North America from Iceland, Denmark, England, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. *A Montana rancher who has started her Icelandic Sheepdogs on stock comments that the dogs have shown good instinct and, although at first inclined to chase, will bunch and hold cattle. They are upright workers, preferring to remain on their feet, and tend to move stock by body movement, barking and, if necessary, gripping. They may move fast and dive in on the outrun, but they balance naturally and will fetch and hold stock to the handler, and at times have given evidence of some eye.*
Agnes Yr, a breeder in Iceland, notes that Icelanders have for many centuries looked at the dog as one of the farm animals and not cared so much about breeding, but thankfully this has changed. The Icelandic Sheepdog is now becoming popular with urban horse-lovers in Iceland, who keep horses for their leisure time and have fallen in love, again, with this wonderful dog. Here is a top working breed that adjusts well to urban life -- a happy, proud, intelligent dog that takes joy in pleasing its people.
Thank you to Bill Cordingly, Bolstad Kennels; Agnes Yr, Kennel Yrar; Stefania Siguradardottir; and Anne Milkovich for their assistance with this article.
Herding Temperment Test for Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies -Summer 2007 Issue for Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club
Herding Temperament Test for Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies!
By Valerie Sharp
When I got my Icelandic Sheepdogs I was very excited that they were a herding breed, my grandfather on my mothers’ side had bred, raised, trained and used Collies on his farm for years, and his dogs were most sought after. I can still remember Grandpa explaining what made a good dog, and I have to admit that I, to this day, still look for those very same things in my own dogs.
On my father's side of the family, they owned a huge thousand-head of sheep farm in southern Alberta and Border Collies were the dogs of choice, so I was familar with both the more upright style of herding that a Collie will use and the more traditional Border style of working sheep but the first question I asked was "what does an Icelandic Sheepdog herd like?"
In keeping with this, I called Iceland and talked to different owners of dogs that lived and worked the dogs on both sheep/horses, I also called and visited with Icelandic Breeders and owners in both Canada, and the US, that had both Icelandic Sheep and Icelandic Sheepdogs on their farms, and was surprised to no end, when in a nut shell, I was informed by both in Iceland and across North America that the dogs didn't really herd. The first thing that surprised me was how little time is spent herding or even driving sheep in Iceland with the dogs, this is because the sheep are a) low flocking, and b) turned out into the mountains to graze etc, in fact it became clear that they were used more on the horse throughout the year then they were used on the sheep at this time in the breeds’ history.
But what did come out clearly was this a) they are natural herders, they are not normally trained per se in Iceland, b) they had for hundred of years been used as natural boundary tenders, as fences have only appeared in the last while in Iceland and so the dogs were used to keep the hay meadows clear of the sheep and horses etc and would drive them back up into the hills. c) that they are a natural driving breed, and are what is in North America called a loose eyed, upright barking breed.
I have attended a number of single-day and even one three-day herding clinics with my Icelandics over the past years. I belong to my local herding club, and find the help and encouragement from the group a great asset.
Every year on our little farm, I use the dogs for boundary tending, I walk with my Icelandic and show her the line, and then we sit and write or read a book or in Jason's case, he will often take his laptop out, and we just hang out while the sheep graze, until someone gets too close to the "line" and my ISD will look at me, and I say, Go push them back and they are up like a flash and drive the herd back into the center of the hay pasture and then back to me to lay down in the shade of the chair, until needed again.
I think the second thing I use them for most is very close work in the barn, moving the sheep from pen to pen, moving them past the gate that they know has the grain feed in it, and also to help split the flock up, in case I need to check or work with one of the sheep. It is such a pleasure to be able to open the front door and say to my dog or dogs, Sheep, Barn, and by the time I have walked to the barn from the house, the dogs will have gone to the field, got the sheep, and driven them into the barn and into their back pens and will be waiting for me to close the gates.
I can see why a good sheepdog was worth its weight in gold, I have heard from many folks in Iceland that the dogs can be used to find lost sheep under snow, I believe this totally, as they often help me find, but not hurt, my new chicks in the barn, they will also let me know if anything is new in the barn by finding and trailing the scent, I know that some folks say that an Icelandic would not hurt anything small. I can't agree, my dogs learn what is part of the farm, and leave it alone, but mice, moles, rats, and wild birds are fair game, and the dogs will hunt the hay fields like a fox would, I have spoken to other breeders in Iceland and they confirm that their Icelandics also hunt the barns for mice, so I believe that this is something that is likely to be seen in our dogs here in Canada.
In keeping with this, if you go to a training center, if and when asked what they herd like, I have learned to say, they are most Australian Shepherds in terms of what breed they herd like.
While I had brought in Icelandics directly imported from Iceland who had working parents, I really wanted to work my own dogs and I also wanted to make sure that I kept the breed’s natural herding drive and ability alive in my kennel, so from my very first litter, I have done herding tests on the puppies with the ducks, I still remember introducing Greenstone Ada to the ducks at ten weeks old and being amazed to watch her show off her natural abilities, since then I have created a much more formal test for my kennel’s records.
I would never recommend that you test six to ten week old puppies on anything other then ducks, I have heard that one lady did bring a well dog-broke mini goat to the breeders home in the US to see which of the puppies had the most natural drive. You need to be careful and make sure that those first intro's are done in a safe and controlled manner.
So I have a round pen that is 20 feet across, and here is the test that I do:
Puppy Herding Test. Tester ______________________________ Date__________
Name of Puppy ____________________________ Age of Puppy _____________________
Parents of the Puppy ________________________________________________________
Round pen is ________ feet, Ground is flat and ducks are well dog Broke
Number of Ducks used __________
Test One
Put the puppy in the pen with duck, Puppy comes into the ring on leash
a) Does the Puppy Notice Ducks Yes______ or No _________
b) Does Puppy Move forward towards the ducks Yes ________ or No __________
Test Two, Puppy is let off-leash
Ducks move away from Puppy (either the puppy moves them ______ or human does______)
a)Does Puppy Give Chase Yes______ or No ________
b) Does Puppy Give up? Yes ______ or No _________ How long? _________________
c) Does Puppy Split ducks? Yes _____ or No ________
d) Does Puppy Bunch ducks? Yes _________ or No ________
e) Does Puppy Bark at ducks? Yes ________ or No _______
f) Does Puppy find balance to ducks? Yes ______ or No _______
g) Does Puppy circle ducks? Yes ______ or No ______
h) Does Puppy bit a duck? Yes _____ or No _______ Why? __________________________
i) Does Puppy respond to human in ring? Yes________ or No ___________
Test Three- Puppy is called back to person
Come when called. Yes _________ or No _________
Repeat test twice, with at least one day inbetween.
I have had my import/foundation Icelandic Herding Instinct tested with the CKC Herding Program and I have two generations of Puppy Herding Temperament tests done to date, so this means that so far, I have three generations of tested ISD's and I am looking forward to the fourth generation being born in the near future.
What has been very interesting to me personally is that the puppies that have tested out as a natural herding puppy at eight weeks, has proven to get the same results when tested out as adults, so it does appear that to date that it is very accurate, and I look forward to when Greenstone Kennel has another five generations of results in the future, and we will continue to look for any patterns or results.
Greenstone Icelandic Puppies that have tested out well in the puppy herding test have gone on to do well in both Arena style herding trials as well as working actively on sheep farms, and I also have one dog in Alberta that works with horses. Greenstone Icelandics on my own farm work with ducks, sheep and I even have one Icelandic, Ch Belglen Runa of Greenstone that can move my turkey flock for me.
I train all my dogs in regards to boundary tending, and I have found that it is one of the most natural and easy things to teach my dogs, so if you have any reason to get to teach this skill to your dogs, I think you will find it a worthwhile and fun thing to do.
By Valerie Sharp
When I got my Icelandic Sheepdogs I was very excited that they were a herding breed, my grandfather on my mothers’ side had bred, raised, trained and used Collies on his farm for years, and his dogs were most sought after. I can still remember Grandpa explaining what made a good dog, and I have to admit that I, to this day, still look for those very same things in my own dogs.
On my father's side of the family, they owned a huge thousand-head of sheep farm in southern Alberta and Border Collies were the dogs of choice, so I was familar with both the more upright style of herding that a Collie will use and the more traditional Border style of working sheep but the first question I asked was "what does an Icelandic Sheepdog herd like?"
In keeping with this, I called Iceland and talked to different owners of dogs that lived and worked the dogs on both sheep/horses, I also called and visited with Icelandic Breeders and owners in both Canada, and the US, that had both Icelandic Sheep and Icelandic Sheepdogs on their farms, and was surprised to no end, when in a nut shell, I was informed by both in Iceland and across North America that the dogs didn't really herd. The first thing that surprised me was how little time is spent herding or even driving sheep in Iceland with the dogs, this is because the sheep are a) low flocking, and b) turned out into the mountains to graze etc, in fact it became clear that they were used more on the horse throughout the year then they were used on the sheep at this time in the breeds’ history.
But what did come out clearly was this a) they are natural herders, they are not normally trained per se in Iceland, b) they had for hundred of years been used as natural boundary tenders, as fences have only appeared in the last while in Iceland and so the dogs were used to keep the hay meadows clear of the sheep and horses etc and would drive them back up into the hills. c) that they are a natural driving breed, and are what is in North America called a loose eyed, upright barking breed.
I have attended a number of single-day and even one three-day herding clinics with my Icelandics over the past years. I belong to my local herding club, and find the help and encouragement from the group a great asset.
Every year on our little farm, I use the dogs for boundary tending, I walk with my Icelandic and show her the line, and then we sit and write or read a book or in Jason's case, he will often take his laptop out, and we just hang out while the sheep graze, until someone gets too close to the "line" and my ISD will look at me, and I say, Go push them back and they are up like a flash and drive the herd back into the center of the hay pasture and then back to me to lay down in the shade of the chair, until needed again.
I think the second thing I use them for most is very close work in the barn, moving the sheep from pen to pen, moving them past the gate that they know has the grain feed in it, and also to help split the flock up, in case I need to check or work with one of the sheep. It is such a pleasure to be able to open the front door and say to my dog or dogs, Sheep, Barn, and by the time I have walked to the barn from the house, the dogs will have gone to the field, got the sheep, and driven them into the barn and into their back pens and will be waiting for me to close the gates.
I can see why a good sheepdog was worth its weight in gold, I have heard from many folks in Iceland that the dogs can be used to find lost sheep under snow, I believe this totally, as they often help me find, but not hurt, my new chicks in the barn, they will also let me know if anything is new in the barn by finding and trailing the scent, I know that some folks say that an Icelandic would not hurt anything small. I can't agree, my dogs learn what is part of the farm, and leave it alone, but mice, moles, rats, and wild birds are fair game, and the dogs will hunt the hay fields like a fox would, I have spoken to other breeders in Iceland and they confirm that their Icelandics also hunt the barns for mice, so I believe that this is something that is likely to be seen in our dogs here in Canada.
In keeping with this, if you go to a training center, if and when asked what they herd like, I have learned to say, they are most Australian Shepherds in terms of what breed they herd like.
While I had brought in Icelandics directly imported from Iceland who had working parents, I really wanted to work my own dogs and I also wanted to make sure that I kept the breed’s natural herding drive and ability alive in my kennel, so from my very first litter, I have done herding tests on the puppies with the ducks, I still remember introducing Greenstone Ada to the ducks at ten weeks old and being amazed to watch her show off her natural abilities, since then I have created a much more formal test for my kennel’s records.
I would never recommend that you test six to ten week old puppies on anything other then ducks, I have heard that one lady did bring a well dog-broke mini goat to the breeders home in the US to see which of the puppies had the most natural drive. You need to be careful and make sure that those first intro's are done in a safe and controlled manner.
So I have a round pen that is 20 feet across, and here is the test that I do:
Puppy Herding Test. Tester ______________________________ Date__________
Name of Puppy ____________________________ Age of Puppy _____________________
Parents of the Puppy ________________________________________________________
Round pen is ________ feet, Ground is flat and ducks are well dog Broke
Number of Ducks used __________
Test One
Put the puppy in the pen with duck, Puppy comes into the ring on leash
a) Does the Puppy Notice Ducks Yes______ or No _________
b) Does Puppy Move forward towards the ducks Yes ________ or No __________
Test Two, Puppy is let off-leash
Ducks move away from Puppy (either the puppy moves them ______ or human does______)
a)Does Puppy Give Chase Yes______ or No ________
b) Does Puppy Give up? Yes ______ or No _________ How long? _________________
c) Does Puppy Split ducks? Yes _____ or No ________
d) Does Puppy Bunch ducks? Yes _________ or No ________
e) Does Puppy Bark at ducks? Yes ________ or No _______
f) Does Puppy find balance to ducks? Yes ______ or No _______
g) Does Puppy circle ducks? Yes ______ or No ______
h) Does Puppy bit a duck? Yes _____ or No _______ Why? __________________________
i) Does Puppy respond to human in ring? Yes________ or No ___________
Test Three- Puppy is called back to person
Come when called. Yes _________ or No _________
Repeat test twice, with at least one day inbetween.
I have had my import/foundation Icelandic Herding Instinct tested with the CKC Herding Program and I have two generations of Puppy Herding Temperament tests done to date, so this means that so far, I have three generations of tested ISD's and I am looking forward to the fourth generation being born in the near future.
What has been very interesting to me personally is that the puppies that have tested out as a natural herding puppy at eight weeks, has proven to get the same results when tested out as adults, so it does appear that to date that it is very accurate, and I look forward to when Greenstone Kennel has another five generations of results in the future, and we will continue to look for any patterns or results.
Greenstone Icelandic Puppies that have tested out well in the puppy herding test have gone on to do well in both Arena style herding trials as well as working actively on sheep farms, and I also have one dog in Alberta that works with horses. Greenstone Icelandics on my own farm work with ducks, sheep and I even have one Icelandic, Ch Belglen Runa of Greenstone that can move my turkey flock for me.
I train all my dogs in regards to boundary tending, and I have found that it is one of the most natural and easy things to teach my dogs, so if you have any reason to get to teach this skill to your dogs, I think you will find it a worthwhile and fun thing to do.
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