The Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard: A Guide to The Sheltie Standard By Becky Turner Discuss This Article at our

Sheltie Forums

The Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard is a set of guidelines that describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and physical appearance of the Sheltie breed. There are very slight variations in the Sheltie Standards of the American Kennel Club and the English Shetland Sheepdog Club, and most Shelties would have some issues competing in the other's show ring. But ultimately all breeding lines are from the same original stock of the early 20th century. This article is not the definitive Standard but reflects many points of note about the American and English Breed Standards. For the complete Standards, visit theAmerican Shetland Sheepdog Association or the English Shetland Sheepdog Club.

General Appearance Shelties trace their ancestry back to the Shetland Islands of Scotland, where their Collie genes were crossed with small, intelligent, long-haired breeds. This reduced the herding breed then known as Toonies to miniature proportions. However, the breed has become a lot more refined over the years, and in 1959 the American Kennel Club (AKC) created a new Standard. They agreed that Shelties should be small, alert, rough-coated and long-haired. They should also be sound, agile and sturdy. Dogs should appear masculine and bitches feminine. The English Shetland Sheepdog Club (ESSC) adds that Shelties should be free from cloddiness and coarseness, action lithe and graceful. They say that the outline should be completely symmetrical so that no part appears out of proportion. The Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard says Shelties should sport an abundant coat, mane and frill, with shapeliness of the head and sweetness of expression.

Size, Proportion and Substance Both Sheltie Standards define exact proportions of the ideal dog. This may sound picky and perfectionist - but this is exactly what breeding pedigrees is all about. Without fixed definitions, each set of offspring would deviate further from the norm and soon the breed would be no more. American judges believe that all Shetland Sheepdogs should stand 13 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder. English judges demand an even stricter definition of 13.5 to 15.5 inches for dogs, and 13 to 15 inches for bitches. In overall appearance, the body should appear moderately long, as measured from the shoulder joint to the rearmost extremity of the pelvic bone (the ichium).

Head and Skull The Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard says that the Sheltie head should be refined and elegant. The overall shape, when viewed from the top or side, should be a long blunt wedge tapering slightly from ears to nose. The width and depth of the skull are in proportion to the length of the skull and muzzle, as well as the overall size of the dog. The jaws should be clean and powerful, with the teeth forming a scissor bite. The characteristic expression of the Sheltie is obtained by this perfect balance and combination of skull and foreface, shape, color and placement of eyes, correct position and carriage of ears. The AKC Sheltie Standard specifically identifies a number of faults for the head and skull. Namely, a two-angled head; a too prominent stop or no stop; any overfill below, between or above the eyes; a prominent nuchral crest; a domed skull; prominent cheekbones; a snipy muzzle; or teeth visible when the mouth is closed.

L-N-D's Dreams in The Mist CGC "Turtle" of L-N-D Shelties Eyes and Ears

The ESSC Breed Standard states that the eyes must be medium-sized, almond shaped and obliquely set. They should be dark brown except in the case of blue merles, where one or both may be blue or blue flecked. The ears of the Sheltie breed must be small and flexible, moderately wide at the base, placed high and fairly close together on top of the skull. They should be carried three-quarters erect with the tips breaking forward (when alert) and thrown back into the frill (when in repose).

Forequarters The shoulders should be very wall laid back, with the shoulder blades sloping at a 45-degree angle forward and downward to the shoulder joints. At the withers they are separated only by the vertebra, but they must slope outwards to accommodate the desired spring of ribs. The forelegs are straight when viewed from the front, muscular and clean, with strong (but not heavy) bones. The American Breed Standard adds that dew claws may be removed, and faults include the upper arm being too short; loose shoulders; crooked legs; or light bones.

Coat and Coat Colors The Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard defines the beautiful Sheltie coat as a thick, double coat consisting of long, straight, harsh hair. The undercoat is short and furry, and so dense as to give the entire coat its "standoff" quality. The mane and frill are abundant, and should be particularly impressive in males, while the forelegs are well feathered. The hind legs above the hocks are covered profusely with hair; and below the hocks are fairly smooth. Smooth-coated Shelties are highly undesirable. The Sheltie breed comes in several coat color variations of Sable (ranging from golden through mahogany), Black (also known as Tri Color) and Blue Merle. Each category is marked with varying amounts of white and/or tan. Faults include rustiness in a black or blue coat color; washed-out or degenerate colors; or more than 50% white color (resulting in elimination from the competition).

Gait

The American Kennel Club Standard explains that the trotting gait of the Shetland Sheepdog should denote effortless speed and smoothness. There should be no jerkiness, nor stiff, stilted, up-and-down movement. The drive should be from the rear, true and straight. Faults include crossing of the feet; throwing the weight from side to side; stiff steps resulting in a choppy, jerky movement; and a pacing gait.

Temperament Shelties are intensely loyal, affectionate and responsive to their owners. They can be reserved towards strangers and this is fine; but not to the point of showing fear or cringing in the ring. Temperament faults include shyness; nervousness; stubbornness; snappiness; or ill temper. If you are considering becoming a Sheltie breeder, you can find more information on the Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard at the American Kennel Club.

About The Author Becky Turner is the creator of Sheltie Planet. She lives in New Zealand with her partner, Peter, and their son, Fox. Becky is 100% owned by Howard and Piper Woofington Moon, the Shelties who inspired this site. Visit them on Facebook or The Sheltie Planet Forums. The Growth of a Sheltie Puppy to Adult Dog - in Photos! By Becky Turner Discuss This Article at our Sheltie Forums

Here are some super cute photos of a Sheltie puppy growing up into an adult dog showing all the funny little changes in their face and bodies as they grow up. These pictures are a good way of helping new Shetland Sheepdog puppy owners

understand what their baby furball might look like in the near future! Our model dog is Howard Woofington Moon, our first Sheltie who we've had since he was 8 weeks old. The pictures show him growing up from then to the present day, at 2.5 years old, where he demonstrates his fully grown adult coat. Enjoy! :)

"Me So Tiny!" A Sheltie Puppy at 8 Weeks

"Nom Nom Nom..." A Sheltie Puppy at 8.5 Weeks

Pure Innocence. A Sheltie Puppy at 9 Weeks

Little Round Belly. A Sheltie Puppy at 11 Weeks

Getting Confident... A Sheltie at 4 Months

All Gangly - The Coyote Stage. A Shetland Sheepdog at 5 Months

Here Comes The Long Fur... A Shetland Sheepdog at 6 Months

There's The Howard We Recognize! A Shetland Sheepdog at 7 Months

Such Striking Colors! A Shetland Sheepdog at 1 Year Old

Something's Tickled Howard... An Adult Sheltie at 1.5 Years Old

Such a Wise and Handsome Dog! An Adult Sheltie at 2 Years Old

All Grown Up with An Adult Coat An Adult Shetland Sheepdog at 2.5 Years Old We've love to see more Shelties growing up! If you want to share your own photos of a Sheltie puppy growing into an adult, start a new thread at our Sheltie Planet Forum and post as many photos as you like. The Sheltie Family: Collie Cousins By Becky Turner Discuss This Article at our Sheltie Forums

Our Sheltie history revealed thatthe Sheltie family includes many Collie breeds. Farmers began importing Scandinavian herding dogs to the Shetland Islands in the 1700s, when the first crosses with mainland Collies were made. Later crosses in the early 20th century developed the Toonie dogs into the modern Shetland Sheepdog we know today. Thus, there is a good reason why they resembleRough Collies.

The Collie Family Collies are medium sized herding dogs originally from Britain. They generally have a lightweight build (underneath a lot of fur) and pointed snouts. They are active, intelligent and agile, ideal for herding cattle, sheep and other livestock. Nowadays, many Collie dogs are bred for conformation showing and as pets, which has reduced their working dog instincts and produced a more subdued temperament. Members of the extensive Collie / Sheltie family include:

The Old English Sheepdog Australian Cattle Dog Australian Kelpie Australian Shepherd Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog Bearded Collie Blue Lacy Border Collie English Shepherd Farm Collie German Collie Huntaway

The Border Collie Lurcher McNab Shepherd Old English Sheepdog Rough Collie Shetland Sheepdog Smooth Collie Welsh Sheepdog

The Rough Collie

Lassie was a famous TV series which began in the 1940s featuring a line of Rough Collies owned by Rudd Weatherwax. Over the years, his Collie dogs appeared in multiple movies, TV series, radio programs and novels. They're the reason we Sheltie owners so often get approached with coos of "Ooh! A mini Lassie!" But if we're going to get technical, Shetland Sheepdogs are not miniaturized Rough Collies... There were plenty of Lassies in the early Sheltie family tree, but the underlying Sheltie breed has its own distinctive line coming from Spitz dogs.

The Rough Collie Rough Collies are somewhat larger than Shelties, with males standing 22 to 26 inches tall and weighing 45 to 75 pounds. They have a more pointed face than their Sheltie cousins, but both share the same smallish eyes and attentive gaze. Lassie dogs show no nervousness or aggression; but like Shelties should be well socialized when young or may become shy. Their closest relative is the Smooth Collie, which is a short-coated version, and considered by many to be the same breed. So, next time someone calls your Sheltie a mini Lassie you can set them straight! That's our a quick overview of the Sheltie family... Can you see where they get their devastating good looks? :) A Brief Sheltie History By Becky Turner Discuss This Article at our Sheltie Forums

We all know that Shetland Sheepdogs come from the Shetland Islands of Scotland. But the complete Sheltie history is lesser known and makes for a fascinating story...

The Scandinavian Origins Our Sheltie history begins with Scandinavian herding dogs, most likely a Spitz dog breed similar to the modern Icelandic Sheepdog. Their thick double coats made them well equipped to deal with harsh winters, and they were excellent working dog candidates for the islands of Scotland.

Chestnut Rainbow, born 1922, ancestor of almost all modern American Shelties Once imported into the Shetland Islands in the 1700s, the Scandinavian Spitz breed was extensively crossed with mainland working collies, like the Border Collie and Rough Collie, along with other breeds like the now extinct Greenland Yakki, the King Charles Spaniel and the Pomeranian.

The Miniature Collie But why do Shetland Sheepdogs resemble miniature Collies? The Sheltie history and evolution reveals two clear reasons for their miniaturization: Smaller Cattle - the Shetland Islands are famous for their miniature animals, including the Shetland Pony which stands at around one meter tall. Shetland Sheep are also smaller and lighter than their mainland counterparts. This is because the islands are small, food was scarce, and the animals naturally downsized over the generations. As a result, Shetland farmers bred smaller Shetland Sheepdogs to watch their wee cattle and so Toonies evolved.

Tourism - in the 1800s, the people of the Shetland Islands found that they could make money by selling the cute, fluffy Toonie breed to rich travelers. They crossed their working Toonies with Pomeranians and possibly even Papillions and Corgis to achieve even smaller dogs that would appeal as pets.

The Modern Sheltie Breed However, this still didn't create the modern Sheltie breed we know and love today... By 1900, the people of the Shetland Islands began to realize that the original working dog breed was disappearing. So they retraced their steps and reintroduced Collie crosses, sometimes even with show Collies. These new lines became known as Shetland Collies and a Sheltie breed standard was accepted by the Kennel Club.

Our pet Sheltie Howard a modern Shetland Sheepdog The Sheltie history went political when Collie breeders began shunning the new Shetland Collies as "little mongrels" and calling for greater distinction between the breeds. The Kennel Club quickly changed the breed name to Shetland Sheepdogs, even though the modern Sheltie breed is highly influenced by those Collie crosses. The political history of Shelties went on to define the modern day standard which describes the breed's dimensions, colors, gait and temperament. Shetland Sheepdogs are very rare on the Shetland Islands now, having been

replaced as working dogs by Border Collies. You would be lucky to see a Sheltie on the Shetlands today!