ISIC recommendations

International Breeding Recommendation for the Icelandic Sheepdog

The ISIC breeding committee has agreed upon this breeding recommendation for all breeding clubs of Icelandic Sheepdogs worldwide in 2007. The objective of the agreement is the conservation of the world population of the breed.

All breeders

These recommendations are meant for every breeder of Icelandic Sheepdogs, within or without a breeding club. The recommendations are complementary to the breeding regulations of kennel clubs and breeding clubs in different countries.

The concern of the ISIC breeding committee is the soundness of the Icelandic Sheepdog breed. The aim of the Breeding Committees in ISIC is to support breeding with healthy dogs with good working ability and the typical behaviour of a farm and herding spits. It is based on the specific type and mental characteristics of the breed described in the breed standard of the Icelandic Sheepdog. FCI Standard no 289. This breeding recommendation will contribute to this purpose.

The recommendations:

  • Genetic Resources. The genetic variation in the breed should be maintained for the future of the breed. For this purpose ISIC maintains a database with decent data of the whole (world) population. The inbreeding coefficient of the population should stay low. To be able to realise this ISIC is aiming at an Effective Population Size of about 150-200 dogs for the total population within ISIC, which is large enough to stop heavy losses of genetic variation.
    • ISIC recommends that the number of progeny (puppies) after a single male should not be more than 35 and no more than twice that number as grandfather.
    • ISIC recommends that the number of progeny after a single bitch should not be more than 25.
  • These numbers count for the complete life time of the dog and are independent from the country where the dog lives.
  • Health. Only healthy animals should be used for breeding. The breeding stock should be free from any diseases and deformities.
    • ISIC recommends that dogs used in breeding should have an official known HD-status. The aim is to breed only with A-B dogs.
    • ISIC recommends that all dogs used in breeding should have an official known eye-examination. The result should be without remarks.
  • Mentality. In order to maintain the characteristic Icelandic Sheepdog mentality it is recommended to have a mentality description of the breeding animals made before breeding. The breeding clubs have developed or will develop a mentality test that produces a description of the mentality of the individual dogs. The description indicates whether the dog is cheerful, friendly, inquisitive, playful and unafraid.
    • ISIC recommends that dogs used in breeding should have taken part in the Mental Description (MH) if possible.