Breeder’s Code of Conduct

Updated 11/30/22

⦁ I will strive to improve my breeding program to meet the American Kennel Club Standard for the Icelandic Sheepdog.

⦁ I will not condone or participate in mixed breeding with breeds other than the Icelandic Sheepdog or breeding Icelandic Sheepdogs that are not registered with the AKC, FCI or CKC (Canadian Kennel Club).

⦁ With each Icelandic Sheepdog I place in a new home, I will make available the following:

⦁ Diet and Care Information

⦁ Immunization and Health Records

⦁ A Registration Application or Transfer

⦁ A Contract / Owner’s Agreement containing a Return to Kennel Clause or other arrangement to address steps to be taken in case rehoming becomes necessary (i.e. contact the National Icelandic Sheepdog Rescue Alliance).

⦁ I will make every effort to mentor all owners with whom I have placed dogs, especially those who hope to keep their dogs intact for breeding purposes.

⦁ I will not knowingly sell or donate a dog to a pet shop, any commercial outlet for resale or puppy mill operation or to any person who sells dogs to such operations.

⦁ I will not knowingly permit any of my dogs to be sold at auction, or to be used as any type of prize.

⦁ I agree to follow the established health testing protocols for the Icelandic Sheepdog, and to make those tests publicly verifiable prior to breeding my Icelandic Sheepdog, currently:

⦁ OFA or Penn Hip Testing for Hip Dysplasia

⦁ OFA / CAER Eye Certification for hereditary eye disease

⦁ For dogs up to 3 years of age, a test is current for 1 year after the test date

⦁ For dogs 3 years and older, a test is current for 24 months after the test date

⦁ For dogs 7 years and older, who have had 2 prior clear tests results, they are considered current for the remainder of their life.

⦁ Optional pre-breeding testing, not required

⦁ Elbow Dysplasia

⦁ Patellar Luxation

⦁ Cardiac Exams

⦁ BAER Testing for Congenital Testing

⦁ OFA Dentition Database

⦁ DNA Blood Sample submission for CHIC

⦁ I agree to update the ISAA with any health information that could reveal emerging health issues or changes in breed health statistics that are not publicly available. (This may include but isn’t limit to premature deaths, failed/ abnormal breeding clearance tests or any other unusual health condition not recorded in OFA)

⦁ I agree to wait until my Icelandic Sheepdog (Brood Bitch or Stud Dog) is two years old before they have their first litter to allow time for proper maturation or potential genetic conditions to be revealed.

⦁ I agree to follow the accepted brood bitch management practice of waiting one heat cycle between litters, or if bred back to back, waiting two heat cycles prior to breeding the same bitch again to allow for recovery. Bitches should be limited to breeding to between the ages of 2 years and 8 years.

⦁ I agree to provide registration information of new litters or imports for inclusion in the ISAA, ISIC and Dog’s Global Databases.

⦁ The ISAA recommends that Breeders microchip each puppy prior to leaving for their new homes.

⦁ The ISAA recommends to ensure AKC registration of each and every Icelandic Sheepdog that Breeders permanently register their puppies for their new owners.

Icelandic Sheepdog International Cooperative International Breeding Recommendations

The ISAA encourages Icelandic Sheepdog Breeders in the USA, whether club members or not, to observe guidelines for breeding set forth by Icelandic Sheepdog International Cooperative (ISIC). The ISIC is a cooperative organization of International Icelandic Sheepdog Breed Clubs whose focus is the preservation of the Icelandic Sheepdog through International cooperation, the ISAA has been a member of the ISIC since 2008.

The aim of the International Breeding Committees in ISIC is to support breeding with healthy dogs with good working ability and the typical behavior of a farm and herding spitz. It is based on the specific type and mental characteristics of the breed described in the breed standard of the Icelandic Sheepdog. The Breeding Committees task to recommend breeding for long term results. Among the goals of the ISIC is the conservation of the breed’s genetic variation through thoughtful breed management practices. The ISIC’s recommendations in support of these goals are as follows:

⦁ 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.

⦁ The ISIC recommends that the number of progeny after a single bitch should not be more than 25.

(These numbers are for the complete lifetime of the dog and are independent from the country where the dog lives. This is to ensure that no one pedigree dominates.)

⦁ ISIC recommends an IC score of 5.0 or lower at 5 generations.

⦁ The ISIC recommends that all dogs used in breeding should have an official known eye and hip test result.

To view the complete ISIC recommendation for breeding the Icelandic Sheepdog please follow the below link:

https://www.icelanddog.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/International-Breeding-Recommendation_revised-verion-2012.pdf