Thrymheim Ice - Jim Carroll

Just heard from Jim Carroll who is owned by "Ice" (Thrymheim Ice) bred by Cathy Lallemand. Here's his Christmas photo of Ice - isn't Ice beautiful.

I hope he got everything he wanted from Santa.
"Jaime,
Hope this e mail finds you well. Just wanted to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thought I would include a photo of Ice. We went to a pet supply store for photo with all income going to rescue.  We have found a new trainer and will start working with her in the new year. She knows the breed and considered an ISD at one point but got some bad info about temperament and (- - - decided against getting one). After a hour with Ice she said we could be ready to compete in a month! Ice really was showing off. She also said her next dog would be an Icelandic. The ISD's just blow people away. Hope the New Year is a good one for you and your wonderful dogs."
"Being smarter than Ice is not an easy task. Ice, like I'm sure most Icelandic dogs, is  sometimes too smart for me and I wonder who is training who! Trainer commented several times about how smart he was. Anything new just took a couple or three passes and he got it."

Cheers,
Jim Carroll & Ice

I realize I probably sound like a broken record to those who already know me but for the newbies - you may still not have heard: - You have to be smarter than an Icelandic Sheepdog or they will run you - own you. Rule you. They learn faster than any other breed I have worked with. Many or most dogs take days or weeks to learn new stuff. It takes Icelandic two or three times with something new and they truly get it.

They ought to be trained from early puppy-hood. Waiting until they are adults makes training harder, imo, possible, but harder. (It's easier to train a puppy up right than to try and re-train an adult - - works for people as well as dogs.) You have to show them you are smarter and nicer - that's really important - NICER! If you are mean to them, they quickly learn that from you and respond the way you have taught them. If you are nice, they will respond in that way to you too.

The only Icelandics, two or three, that I've heard about, but have never met, that are a problem were raised that way - with an iron, unsympathetic, unkind hand - - at least that's what I truly believe.

They give as good as (or better than) they get. They also give back bad treatment. Karma would perhaps be a good name for an Icelandic (female because of the ending). Karmir for a male? Maybe an Icelander can tell us what the correct word would be.