The CKC "miscellaneous class" is for breeds working
towards full recognition by the CKC.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is a
breed of
spitzdog originating from
the dogs brought to
Iceland by
the Vikings.
Later, dogs were taken from Iceland to the British Isles and became the basis
for
Border Collies and
Corgis.
In the
Shetland Islands, it was crossed with the
Norwegian Buhund and became the
Shetland Sheepdog.
Appearance
The Icelandic Sheepdog's distinct features are pointy ears and a curly tail.
It is of medium height, and is commonly golden, reddish, black, or grey combined
with white. The coat may be long or short.
History
Plague and
canine distemper destroyed over 75% of the breed in the late 19th century,
leading to a ban on the importation of dogs. The purebred Icelandic sheepdog was
again bordering extinction in the late 20th century and in 1969 the Icelandic
Dog Breeder Association (HRFÍ) was established, which had among other aims to
preserve the breed.
Miscellaneous
The breed is sometimes denoted in Latin as canis islandicus even
though it is a breed and not a species.
The icelandic sheepdog often have double spurs on the hind paws.