The Icelandic Sheepdog
The history of the Icelandic Sheepdog is interwoven with the history of the nation. Ever since the Age of Settlement, this one true Icelandic dog breed has stood watch alongside the people, having been brought to the country by Norse settlers in the 9th century.
The Icelandic sheepdog was not only an indispensable working animal for herding and farming but also a loyal companion who helped people survive in a harsh land. It is because of this deep-rooted connection that the dog rightfully holds the title of Iceland's National Dog - a living cultural heritage that reminds us of our origins and perseverance.
This website is dedicated to that heritage; here, we share information about the breed's history and unique characteristics, and we collect treasured stories about our national dog.
The Icelandic sheepdog was not only an indispensable working animal for herding and farming but also a loyal companion who helped people survive in a harsh land. It is because of this deep-rooted connection that the dog rightfully holds the title of Iceland's National Dog - a living cultural heritage that reminds us of our origins and perseverance.
This website is dedicated to that heritage; here, we share information about the breed's history and unique characteristics, and we collect treasured stories about our national dog.
Blog
Story Corner
It’s time to kick off the third project of the year. I’m setting up a cozy corner at the Heritage Center where people can sit down, pick a book from the shelf and read, or put on headphones and listen to dog stories. I’ve gathered a fair collection of stories here on the site, but I’m looking for more—stories that are fun to preserve and great to read aloud. That’s why I’m calling for submissions again. These can be stories people want to share about their own Icelandic sheepdogs, and I would also be very grateful for tips about stories of Icelandic dogs in literature that you’ve come across. Would you like to share your dog’s story, or do you know of interesting stories that can be found in books? I’m happily accepting stories, photos, and suggestions! The photo above is of Bak urfrá Flögu, which Björn Sigurðsson kindly allowed me to use. You can find more photos and a short story about Bak [here.](https://www.fjarhundur.is/en/stories/bakur-fra-flogu)
Photographs
The first organized photo shoot for the coat-color database took place two weeks ago. It was a very cold day, and standing out in the cold took its toll - especially on the photographer. Still, it was wonderful to see all those beautiful dogs and to meet their owners who took part. A few days ago I was able to deliver the photos to them for their own use, and I’m so happy to see many of those images on social media, shared by proud owners and breeders. I’ve had requests from several people to add puppy photos to the database so that the development of coat color can be seen from puppyhood through adulthood, since colors and markings can change over time. I personally find this very interesting and important, so I will honor that request. Owners whose dogs come for a photo shoot will receive a special link to upload puppy photos, which will then be added to the database. The photo above is of Logeyjar Plútó; he was one of the dogs who showed up that day. His smile is irresistible, isn’t it? Finally, I’d like to encourage you to read the newest story that’s been added to the story archive; it’s about [Hrafnkötlu Esja,](https://www.fjarhundur.is/en/stories/hrafnkotlu-esja) who is quite a hero according to her owners.
The Heritage Center and other news
In recent weeks we have improved the premises of the Heritage Center. We had to panel the ceiling and varnish the floor. To do this we took down the exhibition and set it up again as soon as everything was ready. Now we have also added two languages for the information panels. It is possible to scan QR codes on the panels and read the texts in German or French. We have the option to add as many languages as we want, but for that we need to translate the texts. Something we can do over time. A thirty-person group visited us a week ago and some were taking advantage of the German translation. On February 8th I held an webinar about the history of the Icelandic dog at the request of ISIC and about 110 people followed it. As far as I know, a recording of the lecture is to be made available on [ISIC's website.](https://icelanddog.org/) Now in February we received four-page coverage in a German magazine, published by IPZV. [You can read it here](https://drive.proton.me/urls/31Y8ANSF9R#tf9fz6C2o0gq) (in German for those who understand it). Work on the project "Colors of the Icelandic Sheepdog" has also begun. Last weekend we took pictures of 23 dogs and photographer Carolin Giese/[LinaImages](https://linaimages.com/) is now working on the images. More photo sessions will take place soon. Programming of the database has also begun. It is so enjoyable to work on all these projects for the benefit of our national dog, to meet and get to know people and dogs.
Contact
Lýtingsstaðir, 561 Varmahlíð.
+354 893 3817
[email protected]
