Icelandic Sheepdog vs Norwegian Buhund
Side by side
Icelandic Sheepdog
Norwegian Buhund
Adult weight
Males 12–15 kg (27–33 lb); females 10–13 kg (22–28 lb) (estimated: ±10% around the AKC breed page's single points of 30 lb for dogs and 25 lb for bitches)
Males 14–18 kg (31–40 lb); females 12–16 kg (26–35 lb)1
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
No sourced figure
A brush once a week
Exercise
A moderate amount
Class
Family
Sport
Which suits you
Size
The Norwegian Buhund is a little larger on average: about 15 kg (33 lb) as an adult, against 12 kg (28 lb) for the Icelandic Sheepdog.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Icelandic Sheepdog: keen to work with you; Norwegian Buhund: cooperative, with its own ideas) and on intelligence (Icelandic Sheepdog: learns readily, likes games; Norwegian Buhund: needs daily brain work).
Alike
Both are rated the same on voice: very vocal.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Icelandic Sheepdog
Spitz & primitive · Medium
In temperament the breed is friendly, cheerful and inquisitive, and generally not aggressive. It is quick to bark, enjoys company and stays close to its people.
Norwegian Buhund
Spitz & primitive · Medium
Buhunds are alert, energetic and quick to learn, with a strong urge to work and a ready voice. They are generally friendly and form close bonds with their household.
Breed traits
Day to day
Icelandic Sheepdog
Norwegian Buhund
Activity
Differs
A good daily walk and play
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Differs
Learns readily, likes games
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
Icelandic Sheepdog
Norwegian Buhund
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Icelandic Sheepdog
Norwegian Buhund
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Very vocal
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Usually fine with small pets
Chases; needs managing
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Norwegian Buhund grows to the heavier adult, about 15 kg against the Icelandic Sheepdog's 13 kg. The Icelandic Sheepdog's weight is not a published figure.
Icelandic Sheepdog
Norwegian Buhund
More comparisons
Compare the Icelandic Sheepdog with
Sources
- 1
- 2Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 3
- 4Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 5Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 6American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 7
Parts of this page were written by AI ·