An ancient Viking dog is set to become the latest pedigree breed in the UK – even though there are only 20 of them in Britain right now. The Kennel Club have confirmed they will welcome the rare pet as the 224th pedigree from April.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is believed to have existed in the Nordics for more than a thousand years and is thought to be the descendant of the dogs brought to Iceland by the original Viking settlers to help them herd livestock.
The exclusive canines, described as a “hardy and agile herding spitz”, have a foxy face and a dense coat that can be black and white, red and white, or smoky grey. The dog only arrived in the UK in 2017, when breeders imported three Icelandic Sheepdogs from Iceland and Germany.
Since then, enthusiasts have slowly grown the numbers of the unusual dog in Britain, and now want to see it represented at Crufts. It is hoped that the recognition in The Kennel Club’s Imported Breed Register may help raise the breed’s profile.
Bill Lambert, spokesperson for The Kennel Club, said: “We are delighted to recognise the Icelandic Sheepdog as an official pedigree breed from April. The slow but steady growth in the number of pedigree breeds in this country means that people have an even wider choice when trying to find the right dog for them.”
While the Icelandic Sheepdog has only just been recognised in official British records, it features in ancient Icelandic Sagas told more than a century ago. The breed even gets an honourable mention by Shakespeare, with the famous writer calling on “thou prick-ear’d cur of Iceland” in his play ‘Henry V’.
The breed is thought to have been brought to Iceland by Vikings
(Image: Ágúst Ágústsson)
Wendy Laker owns an Icelandic Sheepdog and was part of the group that nominated the breed to be officially recognised by The Kennel Club. She said: “It takes time to build a breed up responsibly and to get recognition in the UK, but we’ve worked hard to bring in lines from different countries and to develop relationships with passionate breeders, who will make sure that the right people breed, buy and love these wonderful dogs.”
Wendy praised the breed’s “friendly, active and intelligent” temperament, and stresses that the dog would make a great family pet due to its sociable nature.
Wendy said: “They’re medium sized and love to be part of the family, joining in with whatever is going on, but they’re also happy to have some down time relaxing! They’re really intelligent and easy to train, and make a great pet for the right owners who have taken the time to learn about the breed.”
Enthusiasts in the UK want to see the Icelandic Sheepdog represented at Crufts next
(Image: Getty)
However, she also warned that fans of the new pedigree must think carefully about whether they can offer the high-maintenance dog the time and attention it requires. She highlighted taht they “need regular grooming and owners who are committed to this, and to keeping their minds and bodies active”. Wendy also warned that the dogs “can certainly be vocal” due to originally being bred as herding dogs “who would bark to keep animals in a flock”.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is the fourth new breed to be recognised in the UK in the last five years, following the Polish Hunting Dog earlier this year, the Smooth Faced Pyrenean Sheepdog in 2021, and the Barbet in 2020. It will not officially join The Kennel Club’s Imported Breed Register until April 1, 2025, to allow officials time to create and approve a breed standard.
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In order to become a pedigree, a breed must have a traceable ancestry going back several generations on both sides. This means that pedigree dogs are predictable in terms of their temperament and physical appearance and therefore their exercise, grooming and general care needs.
Lambert explained: “The process of being recognised as a pedigree breed by The Kennel Club takes several generations of dogs, but once we recognise a breed it means that we know that it has a reliable lineage that will give people a dog with predictable characteristics in terms of temperament, health, exercise and grooming needs, which helps dogs to find homes with the right owners.”
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