Sizes

Today Shelties come in a variety of sizes: over-sized, over 16', and under-sized, below 13'. Both sizes can appear in the same litter. Especially if a large Sheltie is bred to a small Sheltie. Shelties also mature at different rates, where the largest puppy at 6 weeks, might not be biggest at 6 months. A breeder who has invested years in studying there lines, will be able to provide the best estimate regarding the size a pup should reach at maturity. Though there is no garentee.

A Sheltie is measured at the shoulder.

While most Shelties measure between 13 - 16" at the shoulder, the vast majority are over 14". Keeping Shelties "in size" is a constant challenge for some breeders. pet Shelties have been known to reach 20" or more and weigh upwards of 40 lbs. and then there are the petite ones below 13" inches which is becoming more rare. But all are called Shetland Sheepdogs.

Coat Colors

Shelties come in a variety of colors. Although genetically, there are only two Sheltie coat colors, black and brown, many terms are used to describe the different shades of the Sheltie.

Sable: Brown or tan, with coats ranging from pale ginger to mahogany, or red. They usual have                white markings, but these may range from very prominent to almost non existent.

Tri:  Predominently black, with white and tan markings.

Bi-blacks: Black and white only

Blue merle: They are genetically black dogs, whose coat color has been modified by the merling gene. This makes them appear to be dappled silver and black, usually with black patches.  They also differ from other Shelties in that they may have blue or brown eyes, or one of each, or merle eyes, whech appear to be both brown and blue. This does not cause any vision deficiency. They are marked with varying amounts of white, and may or may not have tan markings. Those without tan markings are called Bi-blues.

White: There are two kinds of white. Color-headed white, "White factor" or mostly white. They are over 50% white. Some all white except for a sadle on there backs or just a few patches of color, some with huge collars and white down there legs, hunches, or shoulders. AKC standard severely penalizes any show Sheltie that is over 50% white. But they are excepted in all other AKC sporting events.

The Shetland Sheepdog

The Shetland Sheepdog originated from the Shetland islands, which lie between Scotland and Norway.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, the islanders began to breed small dogs which they called "toonies," to keep the ponies and sheep out of their crops.

Nothing is recorded of the Shelties history until the end of the nineteenth century. The earlier, larger sheep dog of Shetland, various British working collies, the Icelandic Yakkie, and the continental dwarf spaniels all may have contributed to the genes of the Shetland Sheepdog.

Around 1890, British dog lovers became alarmed by reports that the Toonies numbers were disappearing. Sailors from whaling ships had taken many away to serve as ships dogs, or as gifts. The changes in the islands ecomony were making other kinds of herding dogs more important. Then the Scottish and English breeders set about the task of "preserving and purifying" the little island dogs. Almost immediately serious differences arose. Some wanted to keep the characteristics of the toonies dogs, which were described in a publication of the day as a dog: 10 - 11 inches tall, 6 - 10 lbs., "pretty, intelligent, and hardy." Those in opposition, however, saw the toonies as little more than mongrels, and in need of considerable refinement.

The ones in opposition sought to strengthen what they rerceived to be the Toonies best traits by crossing them with small rough Collies. These crosses produced a somewhat bigger dog, which became known as the Shetland Collie.

The Kennel Club recognized the Shetland Collie in 1909, and a year later the first representative of the new breed was registered with the American Kennel Club. In 1914, The Shetland Collie was officially remaned the Shetland Sheepdog.

Imports from England continued after World War 1, up until the 1950's, when the Shelties from Britian and America began to change greatly in type. This may be attributed to the Collie crosses in the U.S. even though the AKC has always forbidden cross-breeding. It may also stem from the fact that the English standard has long set the ideal height for all Shelties at 14 inches for females and 14 1/2 inches for males. In America the standard does not give preferences to any height between 13 and 16 inches. Prior to adoption of the present standard in the 1950's, American Shelties champions could be as tall as 18 inches.

By the end of the 1970's the Shetland Sheepdog appeared on AKC's list ofthe ten most popular dogs in twelve of the next fifteen years. They have always stayed high on the list of AKC since then.

Shelties compete in Show, agility, obedience, tracking, herding etc....

AKC Information (www.akc.org)

Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard
Herding Group

General Appearance
Preamble-- The Shetland Sheepdog, like the Collie, traces to the Border Collie of Scotland, which, transported to the Shetland Islands and crossed with small, intelligent, longhaired breeds, was reduced to miniature proportions. Subsequently crosses were made from time to time with Collies. This breed now bears the same relationship in size and general appearance to the Rough Collie as the Shetland Pony does to some of the larger breeds of horses. Although the resemblance between the Shetland Sheepdog and the Rough Collie is marked, there are differences which may be noted. The Shetland Sheepdog is a small, alert, rough-coated, longhaired working dog. He must be sound, agile and sturdy. The outline should be so symmetrical that no part appears out of proportion to the whole. Dogs should appear masculine; bitches feminine.

Size, Proportion, Substance

The Shetland Sheepdog should stand between 13 and 16 inches at the shoulder. Note: Height is determined by a line perpendicular to the ground from the top of the shoulder blades, the dog standing naturally, with forelegs parallel to line of measurement.

Disqualifications-- Heights below or above the desired size range are to be disqualified from the show ring.

In overall appearance, the body should appear moderately long as measured from shoulder joint to ischium (rearmost extremity of the pelvic bone), but much of this length is actually due to the proper angulation and breadth of the shoulder and hindquarter, as the back itself should be comparatively short.

Head
The head should be refined and its shape, when viewed from top or side, should be a long, blunt wedge tapering slightly from ears to nose.

Expression-- Contours and chiseling of the head, the shape, set and use of ears, the placement, shape and color of the eyes combine to produce expression. Normally the expression should be alert, gentle, intelligent and questioning. Toward strangers the eyes should show watchfulness and reserve, but no fear.

Eyes medium size with dark, almond-shaped rims, set somewhat obliquely in skull. Color must be dark, with blue or merle eyes permissible in blue merles only. Faults-- Light, round, large or too small. Prominent haws. Ears small and flexible, placed high, carried three-fourths erect, with tips breaking forward. When in repose the ears fold lengthwise and are thrown back into the frill. Faults-- Set too low. Hound, prick, bat, twisted ears. Leather too thick or too thin.

Skull and Muzzle Top of skull should be flat, showing no prominence at nuchal crest (the top of the occiput). Cheeks should be flat and should merge smoothly into a well-rounded muzzle. Skull and muzzle should be of equal length, balance point being inner corner of eye. In profile the top line of skull should parallel the top line of muzzle, but on a higher plane due to the presence of a slight but definite stop. Jaws clean and powerful. The deep, well-developed underjaw, rounded at chin, should extend to base of nostril. Nose must be black. Lips tight. Upper and lower lips must meet and fit smoothly together all the way around. Teeth level and evenly spaced. Scissors bite.

Faults-- Two-angled head. Too prominent stop, or no stop. Overfill below, between, or above eyes. Prominent nuchal crest. Domed skull. Prominent cheekbones. Snipy muzzle. Short, receding, or shallow underjaw, lacking breadth and depth. Overshot or undershot, missing or crooked teeth. Teeth visible when mouth is closed.

Neck, Topline, Body
Neck should be muscular, arched, and of sufficient length to carry the head proudly. Faults-- Too short and thick.

Back should be level and strongly muscled. Chest should be deep, the brisket reaching to point of elbow. The ribs should be well sprung, but flattened at their lower half to allow free play of the foreleg and shoulder. Abdomen moderately tucked up. Faults-- Back too long, too short, swayed or roached. Barrel ribs. Slab-side. Chest narrow and/or too shallow. There should be a slight arch at the loins, and the croup should slope gradually to the rear. The hipbone (pelvis) should be set at a 30-degree angle to the spine. Faults-- Croup higher than withers. Croup too straight or too steep.

The tail should be sufficiently long so that when it is laid along the back edge of the hind legs the last vertebra will reach the hock joint. Carriage of tail at rest is straight down or in a slight upward curve. When the dog is alert the tail is normally lifted, but it should not be curved forward over the back.
Faults-- Too short. Twisted at end.

Forequarters
From the withers, the shoulder blades should slope 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 outward sufficiently to accommodate the desired spring of rib. The upper arm should join the shoulder blade at as nearly as possible a right angle. Elbow joint should be equidistant from the ground and from the withers. Forelegs straight viewed from all angles, muscular and clean, and of strong bone. Pasterns very strong, sinewy and flexible. Dewclaws may be removed. Faults-- Insufficient angulation between shoulder and upper arm. Upper arm too short. Lack of outward slope of shoulders. Loose shoulders. Turning in or out of elbows. Crooked legs. Light bone.

Feet should be oval and compact with the toes well arched and fitting tightly together. Pads deep and tough, nails hard and strong. Faults-- Feet turning in or out. Splay feet. Hare feet. Cat feet.

Hindquarters
The thigh should be broad and muscular. The thighbone should be set into the pelvis at a right angle corresponding to the angle of the shoulder blade and upper arm. Stifle bones join the thighbone and should be distinctly angled at the stifle joint. The overall length of the stifle should at least equal the length of the thighbone, and preferably should slightly exceed it. Hock joint should be clean-cut, angular, sinewy, with good bone and strong ligamentation. The hock (metatarsus) should be short and straight viewed from all angles. Dewclaws should be removed. Faults-- Narrow thighs. Cow-hocks. Hocks turning out. Poorly defined hock joint.

Feet as in forequarters.

Coat
The coat should be double, the outer coat consisting of long, straight, harsh hair; the undercoat short, furry, and so dense as to give the entire coat its "standoff" quality. The hair on face, tips of ears and feet should be smooth. Mane and frill should be abundant, and particularly impressive in males. The forelegs well feathered, the hind legs heavily so, but smooth below the hock joint. Hair on tail profuse. Note: Excess-hair on ears, feet, and on hocks may be trimmed for the show ring. Faults-- Coat short or flat, in whole or in part; wavy, curly, soft or silky. Lack of undercoat. Smooth-coated specimens.

Color
Black, blue merle, and sable (ranging from golden through mahogany); marked with varying amounts of white and/or tan. Faults-- Rustiness in a black or a blue coat. Washed-out or degenerate colors, such as pale sable and faded blue. Self-color in the case of blue merle, that is, without any merling or mottling and generally appearing as a faded or dilute tri-color. Conspicuous white body spots. Specimens with more than 50 percent white shall be so severely penalized as to effectively eliminate them from competition. Disqualification-- Brindle.

Gait
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, dependent upon correct angulation, musculation, and ligamentation of the entire hindquarter, thus allowing the dog to reach well under his body with his hind foot and propel himself forward. Reach of stride of the foreleg is dependent upon correct angulation, musculation and ligamentation of the forequarters, together with correct width of chest and construction of rib cage. The foot should be lifted only enough to clear the ground as the leg swings forward. Viewed from the front, both forelegs and hindlegs should move forward almost perpendicular to ground at the walk, slanting a little inward at a slow trot, until at a swift trot the feet are brought so far inward toward center line of body that the tracks left show two parallel lines of footprints actually touching a center line at their inner edges. There should be no crossing of the feet nor throwing of the weight from side to side.

Faults-- Stiff, short steps, with a choppy, jerky movement. Mincing steps, with a hopping up and down, or a balancing of weight from side to side (often erroneously admired as a "dancing gait" but permissible in young puppies). Lifting of front feet in hackney-like action, resulting in loss of speed and energy. Pacing gait.

Temperament
The Shetland Sheepdog is intensely loyal, affectionate, and responsive to his owner. However, he may be reserved toward strangers but not to the point of showing fear or cringing in the ring. Faults-- Shyness, timidity, or nervousness. Stubbornness, snappiness, or ill temper.

Scale of Points

Disqualifications
Heights below or above the desired size range, i.e., 13-16 inches.
Brindle color.

Approved May 12, 1959
Reformatted July 18, 1990