From goofy Golden Retrievers to cheeky Chow Chows, the UK is home to hundreds of different dog breeds.
Now, we’ve welcomed a new breed to the pack.
The Kennel Club has officially granted recognition to the Icelandic Sheepdog.
This makes it the 224th pedigree dog breed in the UK.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is believed to have existed for over 1,000 years in the Nordics, having been brought to Iceland by the original Viking settlers.
Around 20 of these medium-sized ‘Icelandics’ – said to make excellent family pets – now live in the UK.
‘We are delighted to recognise the Icelandic Sheepdog as an official pedigree breed from April,’ said Bill Lambert, spokesperson for The Kennel Club.
‘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.’
The Kennel Club has officially granted recognition to the Icelandic Sheepdog. This makes it the 224th pedigree dog breed in the UK
The Icelandic Sheepdog is believed to have existed for over 1,000 years in the Nordics, having been brought to Iceland by the original Viking settlers
The Icelandic Sheepdog has ancient origins, and is even referred to in the Sagas, which date back over 1,000 years.
Thought to be a descendent of the dogs brought to Iceland by the Vikings, the breed has a dense coat, foxy face, pointed ears, and a bushy, curling tail.
It comes in several colours including black and white, red and white, and smoky grey, and is said to make an excellent family dog.
It is the fourth new breed to be recognised in the UK in the last five years.
The Kennel Club also added the Polish Hunting Dog earlier this year, alongside the Smooth Faced Pyrenean Sheepdog in 2021, and the Barbet in 2020.
‘The process of being recognised as a pedigree breed by The Kennel Club takes several generations of dogs,’ Mr Lambert explained.
‘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.’
The first three Icelandic Sheepdogs were imported into the UK from Iceland and Germany back in 2017.
It comes in several colours including black and white, red and white, and smoky grey, and is said to make an excellent family dog
And since then, the breed has been developed here by a small group of enthusiasts, who have even launched their own breed club.
Wendy Laker is part of the group, and was the one to put the breed forward to the Kennel Club for recognition.
‘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,’ she said.
‘And in the future, it means the breed will be able to compete for the prestigious Best in Show title at Crufts, which is exciting for all those who love these charming dogs.’
In terms of what the dogs are like, Ms Laker describes the breed as ‘friendly, active and intelligent’.
‘They can certainly be vocal and bark to alert, this is because they were originally bred as herding dogs who would bark to keep animals in a flock, communicate with their owners and protect their flock’s young,’ she added.
‘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!
‘As a Spitz breed, they do need regular grooming and owners who are committed to this, and to keeping their minds and bodies active.’
Following its new designation as a pedigree breed in Britain, the Icelandic Sheepdog will go onto the Kennel Club’s Imported Breed Register from 1 April 2025.
Once the breed standard has been produced and approved, it will then move onto the main breed register.
