Strútur, Kolur, and Mark Watson

Working on this project is both intriguing and enjoyable. I am deeply passionate about it and feel an immense need to collect information and stories about the Icelandic Sheepdog. We need to preserve these stories and make them accessible for the future. The dog is part of our cultural heritage, and it has accompanied the nation through thick and thin for over 1000 years. It is the responsibility of our generation to maintain a testament to its history.

I came across a Facebook post related to Icelandic Sheepdog Day where a Canadian woman showed a picture of a dog named Strútur. Strútur was the first known Icelandic Sheepdog in Canada in recent times, arriving there in 1969. I got in touch with Salín Guttormsson, the woman who posted the picture, and we have been communicating since then. Salín recently published an article about Strútur's history in "Lögberg - Heimskringla", and she gave me permission to post it on this website (which will likely be available in the fall).

Salín's father had corresponded with Mark Watson in 1970 as he tried to purchase the book "The Iceland dog", which unfortunately was out of print. Watson replied that the book was sold out and no copies were left, but he sent him photocopies of the main sections of the book, along with an revised introduction.

In his letter, Watson wrote that there were about 50 Icelandic Sheepdogs in Britain and they were recognized by the English Kennel Club. The Club had recognized the breed in 1905. However, the breed is not recognized today as there are too few Icelandic Sheepdogs in Britain.

Watson also mentioned in the letter that he had recently moved two dogs to England which he purchased from Sigríður Pétursdóttir of Ólafsvellir. And Strútur also came from Sigríður's breeding. I am including a picture here of Kolur, Strútur's father. Sigríður Pétursdóttir took the picture in 1969. Salín allowed me to show this picture, and I am immensely grateful to her for sharing the story of Strútur and the correspondence between Watson and her father. Receiving these narratives is invaluable to me.