| Icelandic Sheepdog Identifying Checklist The following checklist is a device to help identify a found dog as an ISD. The dog in question may not meet all of the criteria and still be an Icy. If you find a lost dog or a dog in a shelter, examine it carefully to see how it compares with the checklist below. If on examining the dog you think it might be an Icy, contact the Icelandic Sheepdog Rescue Group: - Rescue@IcelandDogs.com The Rescue Group is devoted to rescuing purebred Icelandic Sheepdogs and finding them a suitable new home. Sadly there are not enough of us to rescue mixed breed dogs. Identifying Question Yes No 1. Is the dog male or female? Circle M or F. M F 2. Does the dog in question have dewclaws? If there are dewclaws, please note how many there are and where they are. See 2. below. 3. If the dog is a male, how tall is he at the front shoulders? ____ “ See 3. below. 4. If the dog is a female, how tall she it at the front shoulders? ____ “ See 4. below. 5. Does the dog have “prick ears”? See 5. below. 6. Is the tail curled and resting on the back of the hip area? See 6. below. 7. What color is the tongue? See 7. below. 8. Does the dog have a microchip? If so, what is the number? = ___________________________ See 8. below. 9. What is the dog’s reported name? ______________________ See 9. below. 10. Does the dog react positively to humans? Yes No See 10 below. 11. Does the dog react appropriately to other dogs? Yes No See 11 below. 12. Colors - List from most common to least common = ____________________________________________ See 12 below. 13. Do you know where the dog lived? If so, list the city, state = _________________________________________________ 14. Do you know the dog’s age or can someone estimate it? = ________________________________ 15. How much does the dog weigh?_____________________ Explanations: 2. Dewclaws are extra toes with toenails. They may be along the side of the leg or even “on the ground” with the other toes. Normally Icies have four toes plus one set of dewclaws on the front feet. Icies may also have the normal four toes on the hind feet plus one or even two dewclaws on the ground or on the side of the leg. It is rare, possible, but not very common, for an Icy not to have any dewclaws. 3. The standard height for Icy males is about 18” (about 46 cm). They may be slightly shorter or slightly taller than that however. Measure from where the front foot touches the floor to the shoulders where the neck just starts to rise from the shoulders. 4. The standard height for Icy females is about 16.5” (about 42 cm). They may be slightly shorter or slightly taller than that however. Measure from where the front foot touches the floor to the shoulders where the neck just starts to rise from the shoulders. 5. Prick ears are upright and have slightly rounded tips. Think of a German Shepard instead of a Beagle or a Lab. 6. Icelandic tails must at least arch up over the back and touch it. They may form a complete circle or form two complete circles. If the tail stretches out behind the dog in a more or less straight line, it is not a typical Icy tail. 7. Chows have a black or purple tongue. Because they are so much more common than Icies, they rather frequently leave mixed offspring around. Those Chow mixes can be identified because they often have a purple or spotted tongue. 8. Microchips are usually implanted between the shoulder blades of dogs in case they are lost. Most vets and shelters have microchip readers. Lost dogs with microchips can be traced through national data bases. 9. Although purebred dogs usually have an “official” registered name with a kennel club like the AKC or the UKC, frequently their human companions shorten the official name to a more easily pronounceable “call name”. (Samur becomes “Sam”.) The call name may be totally different and therefore not recognizable. 10. Icies love humans. Often Icies maintain eye contact in a friendly way with humans. If the dog is unusually frightened by humans or is aggressive to humans, it may not be an Icy. 11. Icies love other dogs. If the dog is unusually frightened by another dog or is aggressive to another dog, it may not be an Icy. 12. Icies are usually one of several shades of tan (cream, fawn, yellow, red, sable) and often have white markings on the feet or legs and the belly. Less common colors are black and white dogs, tricolor dogs (black, white and some tan), pied dogs (white with spots of tan-shades or black). Rarely dogs may be chocolate. Most Icies have two or three colors. ISD Identifying Checklist – Green Rescue |
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