The Iceland
dogs are a Spitz breed from Iceland.
From what is known about that breed's origin, it was brought to Iceland in about 870, when
Vikings colonized the island from Norway.
Over the succeeding 1100 years the breed showed itself to both a working herder
and family pet. Since Iceland
is virtually without predators (bear and wolves mostly) aggression was not
tolerated in the breed, and if a dog proved too aggressive it was put down.
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.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.
