Icelandic Sheepdog
FCI:
Icelandic Sheepdog - Group V. - Spitz and primitive types, Section 3 - Nordic Watchdogs and Herders.
General Appearance:
It is absolutely calm, balanced, easy, cheerful, curious, playful and fearless. By nature, watchful, but never aggressive guard that loudly and enthusiastically welcomes every newcomer, full of defensive talent. It gets in different situations with confidence and it is very much alive. It is always extremely friendly, if any individuals manifesting any signs of aggression, they are never used for breeding.
Temperament/Behaviour:
It needs a kind owner, always be fair, but also determined, who proves to be in its eyes at all times the right leader "pack", even without previous experience (only while respecting the principle of consistency). Neither the education of ductile and friendly dog can do without consistency. It must be sweet, but tough.
In contact with children is good-natured and patient, but it is necessary to keep an eye on them, in order not to hurt it - whether on purpose or not. If it is socialized from young age, it gets well with all dogs and pets. It is the happiest when it has contact with the owner and its family members. It feels as punishment when it is closed in outdoor kennel and owner is at home.
It lost all hunting instinct, so it is not necessary to keep it on leash. It does not tend to move away from the owner. It is handy and agile in dog sports suitable, it is very successful, when it is in a good relationship with the owner-trainer, it is very hard working.
Body:
It's fairly sturdy, slightly smaller than a medium-sized Nordic Spitz rectangular format of the body. Males must be from first look distinguish from females. Ideal height at withers male is 46 cm in female is 42 cm.
The head should be strong, has the shape of a triangle. The skin on it must fit snugly, not form folds and wrinkles. The skull is slightly longer than the muzzle and above should be slightly arched. The frontal slope should be clear.
The nose is either black or chocolate brown or cream-coloured some individuals dark brown. Muzzle should be thick, slightly shorter than the skull, toward the nose tapers evenly, has the shape of a blunt triangle. The nasal dorsum should be straight. Cheeks should be flat. Lips tightly fitting to the jaws and teeth, their edges are black or chocolate brown and cream-coloured specimens are dark brown. Scissor bite is required, complete.
Eyes are medium sized, almond shaped and dark brown or lighter it may be by an individual coloured chocolate brown or cream. Ears must be pricked, of medium size, triangular, hard edges, slightly rounded at the tops very mobile. Sensitively react to any stimulus and accurately indicate what state of mind the dog is located.
The neck should be rather long, muscular, carried high. On the neck should not be loose skin and neck should be slightly arched. The body must be strong. Its length is more than height and blends in with the overall look of the individual. The back should be straight, muscular, strong, broad shoulders, well muscled. Croup should be rather short, wide, muscular and slightly sloping. The tail is set high, carried up and over the back and shoulders curled.
The chest must be adequately long and deep, ribs should be properly rounded. Belly should be slightly tucked. The forelegs should be strong, straight and parallel, moderately angulated. Shoulders are oblique, muscular. Feet tend to have an oval shape, the fingers are properly arched, tight and padded well developed. Dewclaws should be doubled.
Hindquarters require strong, straight and parallel, moderately angulated. The thighs should be broad, well muscled. Hind feet are the same as the forequarters. Dewclaws should be well developed and it is desirable to have doubled, their absence is considered a severe defect.
The coat should be very dense, extremely resistant to bad weather. It consists of a top coat and undercoat. Depending on the length of the outer coat distinguishes between two types - shorthair and longhair.
Smooth character has a topcoat comprised of medium length, rather coarse guard hairs and dense, soft undercoat. On the neck, chest and back of the thighs, the hair is longer. The tail should be richly feathered, bushy, but the length of hair on it must correspond with the rest of the coat.
In nature, which is called long-woollen, is a type of hair as the same variety short haired only hairs also rather coarse, they are slightly longer. Also, there is a subset thicker and softer than outer coat. The tail is downright shaggy, but the length of hair on it also corresponds to the length of the rest of the coat.
Colouring can be different, but some of the colours, they must dominate. It can dominate different shades of tan, cream to reddish brown, chocolate brown, gray and black. White, often irregular markings may be on the forehead (where they form a "bald") to parts of the face, front chest (shirt front), the neck ("collar") to the distal portions of the extremities ("socks") and tip of tail. The lower part of the body from the neck to the tip of the tail the colour is brighter.
Tan and gray-coloured dogs are often in the face and a black mask on the trunk and limbs black coloured ends of hair here and there and all black hairs. Tricolour individuals are coloured black with white markings on the locations mentioned above and with tan spots on the usual "burning", i.e. on the cheeks, above the eyes and limbs. Enabled it is also mottled colouration, i.e. the white spots above colours, but white should not predominate.
Faults from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and accurately assessed by the degree of expression with regard to the health of the male or female.
