Sómi conquers abroad

At the end of 2024, news arrived that the Icelandic Sheepdog would be officially recognized as a breed by the British Kennel Club. This recognition came into effect on April 1, 2025, meaning that the breeding of Icelandic Sheepdogs in Britain will now follow official breed standards, allowing the issuance of official pedigrees and participation in official dog shows—including CRUFTS, one of the world's oldest dog shows, held annually since 1891.

The Kennel Club published the official breed description of the Icelandic Sheepdog on its website on April 1. The breed model featured was none other than my dog, Reykjavalla Íslands Sómi, of whom I am incredibly proud. Not only were two photographs of him published, but also a beautiful artwork created from the photograph, displayed above.

It will be exciting to follow the progress and development of the Icelandic Sheepdog breed in Britain. The breed enjoyed popularity there during the Middle Ages and has remained known ever since, despite the overall number of Icelandic Sheepdogs in Britain never having been particularly high.