“Snorri”

Training engagement (low/medium/high):

High- Snorri is so smart! He’s able to learn quickly and really enjoys classes. We’re not as great about practicing at home, but when he’s presented with games and directed play at home he’s fully engaged.

Energy level (low/medium/high):

Medium- Snorri is averaging about 5 miles of leash walking per day and can sprint up to 28 miles per hour in our neighbor’s fenced yard (he gets to do this 3 times a week). The rest of the time Snorri is able to chill out (lay on the floor and sleep and amuse himself with a chew toy for 20-30 minutes at a time); then he’s up and looking around for the next adventure. He really turns it off in his crate where he can sleep all through the night. We’ve only left him in his crate during the day for a max of 3 hours and then he’s out with us sitting in our backyard and playing catch with frisbees and balls.

Biddability (low/medium/high):

High when it’s a fun activity; Medium if he’d rather be doing something else, though he’s not hard to convince

Vocality (low/medium/high):

It was Medium, but it’s now Low. Starting at about 5 months old, Snorri’s barking increased in response to noises outside and, while outside, full blown barking meltdowns/pulling-on-the-leash to chase cars, deer, and vultures. Poor guy would get really worked up and it didn’t matter if we had a good smelling treat or a fun toy in front of his face. So, our strategy was to keep him away from the stimuli as much as possible. We also had to curtail free-romping in the back yard because anytime a car/deer/vulture went past (which is often), Snorri would get into a bark feedback-loop which seemed to stress him out and also annoyed the neighbors. We finally decided to try a vibrating (no shock) bark collar ( DogRook ). It worked immediately- he barked once; the collar beeped and vibrated; and Snorri was like what the heck is this, I don’t need this happening. Since we started using it on May 10 th Snorri only barks occasionally when something is super stimulating; he mostly watches and/or chases to the fence line, but doesn’t bark. Or if he barks, it’s only a couple of times rather than getting into the loop. He doesn’t seem particularly bothered by the vibrating when it happens, it just distracts him from the barking-spiral and redirects his attention. He’s good with cars that are far off, but walking on the road when a car passes is still too stimulating. Overall, it has made him less reactive to noises even when he doesn’t have the collar on. We never have the collar on him when he’s in his crate. He wears it in the backyard and on walks, but we take it off in our neighbor’s field and when he’s playing with other dogs. He’s really now a Low bark dog.

Prey drive (low/medium/high):

Medium for bugs, lizards, and chipmunks. Very high for chasing cars, deer, and large birds.

Human social (reactive, aloof, neutral, social):

Social! He loves people, wags his tail and wants lots of pats. This is one of the reasons we fell in love with Icies. Seriously, he is so good with people!

Dog social: (reactive, aloof, neutral, social):

Social! Also, another reason we love this breed! Snorri is happy to meet every dog and immediately matches/determines the other dog’s play style. He’s gentler with older dogs and more rambunctious with younger dogs. He’s had dogs in “his” house and he’s not territorial. He’s also visited other dogs’ houses and been a great guest.

Environmental sensitivity - (scale of 1-10, 10 being very reactive/unable to redirect and 1 being sleeping and/or completely engaged and able to ignore the world):

4- When we’re playing frisbee or ball, he usually stays focused on the game, but he’ll sometimes stop to go over and watch a car pass. When we’re on a hike, he’s mostly able to stay on the trail and only zig zags if some smell has crossed the path. When we’re at a puppy class, I can keep him focused on me with really good treats unless the other dogs are running around or making a lot of noise.

He has a hard time with thunderstorms. We’re still working on the right combination to calm him down. Trazadone takes the edge off, but if it’s really thundering I take him in the laundry room, run the dryer, play music, and I wear ear plugs. He’s able to settle in there if I can block out the thunder sounds. Our vet recommended with try Sileo Gel so we just ordered a tube.

Confidence level (scale of 1-10, 1 being afraid of the smallest change/shadow and 10 being completely unafraid in any scenario):

9- He’s mostly fearless- meeting other dogs, running through the woods, jumping over logs, visiting other people and their houses, and splashing in the little creeks we have around here. He’s cautious about encountering new animals- like turtles. We also think he’s been through a couple of fear periods where he’s been a little jumpy but they’ve passed within a couple of days.

Velcro (scale 1-10, 1 being very independent and aloof and 10 being living in your skin at all times):

6- Snorri is a great blend of wanting to be near me and Killick and being happy on his own. He follows us around the house or comes to check on us if we’re out of sight, but he’s also happy being outside on his own exploring the back yard. If I let him off leash in the woods with deer around I’m not sure how far he would run before he’d turn around- I’m guessing Snorri would come back sooner than Kafka, the border collie we used to have. Still, I don’t plan on testing it.

Affectionate (scale 1-10, 1 being not ever seeking or giving affection/attention, 10 being the most affectionate dog ever):

9- Snorri loves to give kisses and get rubs. He’ll lay down at your feet for a few minutes, then his puppy energy will kick in and he’ll have to move around. He’ll cuddle for short bursts and he lets me carry him in my arms which makes the both of us happy! I’m guessing he’ll get even more cuddly as he gets older.

Problem solving skills/independent thinking: (scale 1-10, 1 being needs help with everything/can’t generalize, 10 being puzzle master):

10- Snorri is a puzzle master- whether it’s puzzles with hidden dog food, or how to get at the chipmunk in the woodpile, he’s excellent at figuring things out!

Off switch?

Yes, Snorri has an off switch that seems to be getting stronger as he matures. He can turn off after a good day of playing as well as overnight or when he’s in his crate. He does like to be engaged so “settling” only lasts so long until he wants to do something, but he’s not overbearing about it.

Favorite activities:

Water- he loves being sprayed off with a hose (and in the shower!) and splashing in creeks; playing with frisbees and balls; chasing cars along the fence line in our neighbor’s field; playing with dogs, especially good energy matches; and being carried.

Personality quirks?

Sometimes when Snorri is chewing on something he shouldn’t, our attempts to redirect are met with an obvious, “The alternative chew toy is nice but I want to continue chewing on the forbidden object!”…he reserves his most adorable vocalizations for one particular squeaky ballerina toy. Currently he really doesn’t like having his nails clipped or hair brushed but he loves being dried off with a blow dryer. When we give him an ice cube no matter where he receives it, he goes to the refrigerator and pushes it under and then looks to us to help retrieve it.

Pros?

Snorri is so amazing- I feel like his personality is all pros. He’s always smiling, wagging his tail, and ready to go see what we want to go see.

Cons?

The barking was a bit stressful because we knew the neighbors were listening, but, with the collar, that’s no longer on the radar- we even got a thank you email from the neighbors.