Icelandic Sheepdog vs Miniature American Shepherd
Compare Icelandic Sheepdog and Miniature American Shepherd side by side and get a clear picture of what sets the breeds apart. Explore differences in size, weight, temperament, activity level, and other key traits to more easily decide which breed best fits your lifestyle and circumstances.
Characteristic
Icelandic Sheepdog
Miniature American Shepherd
Breed type
Purebred
Purebred
Height
41 – 46 cm
33 – 46 cm
Weight
10 – 14 kg
9 – 14 kg
Life expectancy
12 – 15 years
11 – 14 years
Child friendly
3/5
4/5
Energy level
4/5
4/5
Intelligence
4/5
4/5
Trainability
4/5
3/5
Health
4/5
3/5
Grooming needs
3/5
4/5
Shedding
3/5
3/5
Barking level
4/5
4/5
Aggressiveness
3/5
3/5
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Characteristics
Icelandic Sheepdog
High energy
Super smart
Easy to train
Small
Miniature American Shepherd
Great with kids
High energy
Super smart
Small
Summary
About Icelandic Sheepdog
The Icelandic Sheepdog is a cheerful, medium spitz herder from Iceland, with prick ears, curled tail, and a thick weatherproof coat. Friendly, vocal, and people oriented, it thrives on companionship, regular exercise, training, and varied activities like herding and agility.
About Miniature American Shepherd
Compact, athletic herding dog bred in the U.S. as a smaller Australian Shepherd. Intelligent, devoted, and “velcro” with family, often reserved with strangers. Needs regular training, mental work, and exercise. Medium double coat in varied colors; generally healthy with 12–15 year lifespan.
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