Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America (ISAA)
Breeding Guidelines
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has a wealth of great information about breeding.
Their introduction for new breeders is a basic course in breeding from A to Z and can be
found on their website by clicking on the breeder tab. Here are a couple of great links to
their breeding guidelines and information.
http://www.akc.org/breeders/resources/questionnaire.cfm
http://www.akc.org/breeders/resources/guide_to_breeding_your_dog/index.cfm
ISAA is a partner club of the Icelandic Sheepdog International Cooperation (ISIC) and so
follows the ISIC international Icelandic Sheepdog breeding recommendations as a part
of the ISAA breeding guidelines. As such, we respect and follow the Icelandic Sheepdog
FCI standard as originally issued and maintained by the Icelandic Kennel Club (HRFI).
Our AKC standard is closely modeled on this standard and endorsed by Deild íslenska
fjárhundsins (DIF), the Icelandic national club for Icelandic Sheepdogs. Please see the
AKC breed standard http://www.icelanddogs.com/Standard-AKC.html
and the illustrated standard for more information
http://www.icelanddogs.com/Illustrated-standard.html
Registration: USA dogs must be registered with the AKC and a copy of the pedigree on
file with ISAA-BRCC, preferably an electronic copy. Dogs from other countries must be
registered with their home country in a recognized FCI or CKC registry.
Breed Improvement: The aim of our ISAA breeding committee (Breeding Review and
Compliance Committee - BRCC) is the same as that of the ISIC, to support breeding of
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 AKC/FCI breed standard of the ISD.
Healthy dogs mean dogs perceived as healthy and strong, in good condition and with
thick, weatherproof coats. It also means dogs that fulfill club recommendations in health
matters.
A dog of good type means a dog with good external characteristics. The concept ‘type’
involves the total sum of the physical details which clearly separates the ISD from any
other breeds. The general appearance and the details are described in the AKC/FCI
breed standard for the ISD.
The BRCC, like the ISIC breeding committee, supports breeding with lively, gentle,
courageous, intelligent and happy dogs. We believe the ISD should be a very good
herding dog and an excellent guarding dog without being aggressive.
Genetic Variation: The BRCC, like the ISIC breeding committee, recommends combining
dogs from unusual family groups with dogs from more common groups. This is to ensure
preservation/spreading of unusual genes to a sufficient number of dogs. The committee
recommends breeding more selectively in the larger family groups and less selectively in
the smaller ones while still choosing the best, healthy dogs.
Revised: 10-30-14
1
The ISAA and the BRCC supports the ISIC goal to reach an effective population size of
about 150 – 200 dogs in the breeding pool as research has shown that this population is
large enough to stop heavy losses of genetic variation within the breed.
We support the ISIC recommendation that breeding animals be exchanged between
countries in such a way that the average inbreeding, calculated over five generations,
will not increase more than the 2% - 2.5% level of inbreeding. This corresponds to a .4%
- .5% increase per generation.
Prior to breeding, the inbreeding coefficient (IC) scores for generations one through ten
should be done. ISIC recommends an IC score of 5.0 or lower at 5 generations. A copy
of the pedigree for the pups will be generated by BRCC as well as the IC scores. Please
request these be completed when you plan your breeding and use the information as a
tool for deciding whether a particular litter should be bred. Of course, you are not
required to have a litter listing on the website; nevertheless, this information needs to be
compiled by the BRCC. This includes all litters produced by all approved breeders/stud
dog owners, all male and female dogs bred.
Offspring/progeny: We follow the ISIC recommendation that the number of offspring from
a single male should be no more than 35 and the number of offspring for a single female
should be no more than 25. We also follow the recommendation that the number of
grandchildren should be no more than twice the number of offspring during the life of the
dog.
Breeding Age: Dogs are not mature until two to three years of age and cannot be judged
with certainty before that time. This is also important in regard to genetic disturbances
that may show up as a dog ages. Therefore, both males and females must be at least 24
months of age before being bred. This will allow them the necessary time to become
fully mature physically and emotionally.
Other Reproductive Considerations: For females, their reproductive life should end by
the end of their 8th year of age. Females should have at least one season between
litters or a minimum of 9 months since the birth of her last litter. Females should not
exceed 2 litters in a 24 month period. No drugs should be administered to alter their
natural cycles. Cryptorchid or monorchid males will not be used for breeding.
We recommend that only dogs that can mate in the natural way be used for breeding. If
artificial insemination is being used, a responsible veterinarian should certify that the
male and female can mate naturally if they have not mated naturally in the past.
Health Testing: All dogs must complete required health checks and must be microchipped or tattooed in order to certify test results. These include hip and eye tests.
These tests and the inbreeding co-efficient scores should be used by breeders to help
decide if the dog(s) should be bred.
Hip Testing: Dogs must have a hip x-ray done before being bred and before being listed
on the breeder/stud pages. This may be OFA, PennHIP, or the European testing
equivalent. The results must be on file with the BRCC. We strongly recommend that
dogs with hip dysplasia or unsatisfactory hip scores not be used for breeding. Our aim is
to improve hip scores so dogs with poor hip scores should only be used if they have
other qualities and contribute to the broadening of the breeding base.
Revised: 10-30-14
2
For more information on PennHip, please see the laxity profile ranking explanation on
the bottom of the following link. PennHip recommends that breeding stock be selected
from dogs with tighter hips than the median ranking for the breed.
http://research.vet.upenn.edu/pennhip/PennHIPMethod/PennHIPLaxityReport/tabid/334
3/Default.aspx
For more information on OFA, please see the OFA hip dysplasia guidelines for breeders
http://www.offa.org/hd_guidelines.html, a breeder’s practical guide
http://www.offa.org/pdf/hovanart.pdf, and an examination of hip grading
http://www.offa.org/hd_grades.html
Eye Testing: Before being bred for the first time and before being listed on the ISAA
breeder pages, a dog must have an eye test that certifies them free of heritable eye
disease.
In the USA and Canada, this means a CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) or
OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Eye test. Here is the OFA eye flyer.
http://www.offa.org/pdf/eye_flyer_web.pdf. More information can be found on their
website http://www.offa.org/eye_overview.html
Please find CERF information http://www.vmdb.org/history.html, a list of upcoming
clinics http://www.vmdb.org/upcomingCERFclinics.html and CERF vet info by state
http://www.acvo.com/new/public/search/public_search_location1.asp on the CERF
website.
To be listed on the breeder or stud pages, a CERF/OFA Eye dog must have a
CERF/OFA Eye date from the previous year and submit the results to CERF/OFA Eye to
be posted on their website. For example, to be listed on the 2014 breeder page, each
dog’s CERF/OFA Eye results must be from 2013 or 2014.
Additionally, before a CERF/OFA Eye dog is used for breeding, it is the breeder’s
responsibility to make sure that there has been a CERF/OFA Eye exam performed
within the previous 12 months, submitted to CERF/OFA Eye or the results received by
the BRCC if not yet posted on the CERF/OFA Eye site.
For foreign dogs, the dog must meet the guidelines of the parent club in regard to eye
testing.
Optional Testing: X-rays of the elbows (front legs) and patella’s (rear legs) are optional.
Temperament/Mentality: ISIC recommends that dogs used in breeding should have
taken part in the mental description or temperament testing if possible. And, to avoid
problems with mental status, they recommend that we keep an eye on the dogs’
mentality so we can use the description in the selection of breeding animals. No specific
temperament testing protocols in place for the Icelandic Sheepdog in the USA. We know
of general resources available, such as those through the American Temperament Test
Society http://atts.org/ and Volhard’s Puppy Aptitude Testing
http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php among others. We can recommend the canine
good citizen test through AKC http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm. While
it is not a temperament test, it does include temperament testing features.
Revised: 10-30-14
3
Working Ability: We recommend that dogs be tested for working (herding) instinct/ability.
This can be done through AKC http://www.akc.org/events/herding/getting_started.cfm or
another herding club http://www.herdingontheweb.com/programs.htm.
Recordkeeping: Breeders must keep a record of information on their dogs according to
AKC/FCI guidelines for record keeping. AKC offers an on-line recording keeping service
for breeders http://www.akc.org/services/breeder_records.cfm All parents’ test results,
pertinent health information, dates of litters, and numbers of pups should be included.
Litters should be registered with the AKC, CKC or FCI.
Litter Information: All information from prior litters must be current with the BRCC or the
home country breed club. Required information can be submitted to the BRCC via email
(isaabrcc@gmail.com): This can be found in the Breeder’s Corner under the step-bystep litter listing process, terms and conditions #3, checklist for litter information
http://www.icelanddogs.com/files/ISAA_Checklist_for_Litter_Information_2013.doc
The BRCC chair will forward all information to the membership secretary, email
addresses only to the newsletter editor (unless no email address is available and a copy
via US mail needs to be sent), the name and state/province to the pedigree generator.
All information will be kept confidential.
Photographs: Recent photos of the sire and dam must be on file with the BRCC.
Other Responsible Breeding Practices: In order to promote the protection and welfare of
our breed, ISAA encourages breeders to register each litter and puppy with the
American Kennel Club, to microchip each puppy and have an OFA eye test on each
puppy.
ISAA approved breeders do not condone and will not participate in mixed breeding with
non-Icelandics or breeding Icelandic Sheepdogs that are not from an AKC FSS, CKC or
FCI approved registry, including importing dogs from non-approved registries. ISAA
approved breeders understand that Artificial Insemination (AI) with an Icelandic
Sheepdog with/from an approved registry is permitted but strongly discouraged for a first
litter in support of the ISIC recommendation.
With each Icelandic Sheepdog sold, ISAA approved breeders will make available the
following: diet and care information, immunization and health records, a copy of at least
a three generation information pedigree http://is-pedigrees.com/htdocs/search.html and,
where applicable, a registration application or transfer
http://www.akc.org/breeders/index.cfm. ISAA approved breeders will offer to help with
problem solving throughout the dog's life.
Any breeder/stud owner who does not meet the guidelines may be removed from the
“ISAA Breeders’ Page” and/or the “ISAA Stud Page”. Breeders will be re-listed at the
owners’ request once their dogs conform to the published guidelines. In the alternative,
in some instances, a note may be added to the breeder’s listing outlining the problem.
Additionally, the ISAA approved breeder logo may not be used if the breeding guidelines
are not followed. Exceptions to any of the guidelines must be explained to and approved
by the BRCC.
Revised: 10-30-14
4