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Welcome to the home of SouthStar Icelandics

Home of:

Blackstar Thorri Frostfyres
Urdur Gala Orlagadis

Members of:
American Kennel Club
New Zealand Kennel Club
Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America
Icelandic Sheepdog International Breeders

Vinur

Icelandic Gelding

Our Story

We became interested in these dogs from riding in Iceland. We had one run out of a farm, join our riding group and he kept up with the horses, even swam across a river to stay with us! He had to be driven back to his farm at the end of the day!
When it came time to get a dog, we remembered him and got our first Icelandic puppy from a breeder in Southern California. We learned the remarkable story of this breed as time went on, as well as how special they are.

In 1960 the when the breed was almost extinct,  the head vet in Iceland asked Sigridur Petursdotir to assist in bringing the breed back to life. She and Sir Mark Watson gathered the remaining dogs and led the effort to save the breed.
The Icelandic Dog is a very hardy breed but had faced the same natural dangers and harsh climate as the original settlers of Iceland. The Vikings did not need a dog to defend them, but one that would raise an alarm as intruders approached. Most owners today will tell you that the bark of the dog is the least favorite trait, however , historically, dogs that barked excessively were not used for breeding. As with the horses of Iceland, the goal of breeding is to preserve the original characteristics of the breed. Aggression was not tolerated, and while the dogs were used to bring the sheep out of the mountains, they also slept in the crofts with the family at night. They are truly a dog that goes from field to hearth today.

Sigridur recognized the need to have pockets of breeding outside of Iceland in order to ensure the preservation of the breed. I feel that establishing the breed in New Zealand is taking the breed preservation one step further!
In Viking tradition they continue to conquer new lands and new hearts and I am happy to play a very small part in this great adventure!In July 2008 we bought Thorri with us to New Zealand. In true Viking style he traveled well and made many friends along the way. Gala joined our family in February 2008. Due to import regulations, she was not able to travel with us; luckily we found her a temporary foster home and she was able to join us a few months later.
The breed has been accepted for Registration by the New Zealand Kennel Club and Thorri and Gala are the first Registered ISD’s in NZ. We have had our first breeding and are hoping for a litter soon.

We hold the Vilikng tradition in high regard and breed to conform to the ideals and standards of FCI Icelandic Sheepdogs Standards of Excellence
Health Standards

We follow the Icelandic Sheepdog International Cooperations (ISIC) breeding committee standards to ensure our dogs health for future generations. Prior to breeding dogs must pass both hip and eye exams to rule out any congenital health problems. Also as our gene pool is limited, all dogs are screened for inbreeding coefficients.