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The Shetland Sheepdog (or Sheltie) is a breed of dog, originally bred to be small sheep dogs ideally suited for the terrain of the Shetland Islands. They resemble a rough Collie in miniature and have been crossed from time to time with the rough Collie.
Appearance: Shelties have a double coat consisting of
long guard hairs covering a fluffy insulative undercoat.
Several coat colors exist. There are three main acceptable
show colors, sable (ranging from golden through mahogany),
tricolor (black, white, and tan) and blue merle (grey, white,
black, and tan). Bi-Blues (grey, black, and some white) and
bi-blacks (white and black) are less common but still
acceptable. The best-known color is the sable, which is
dominant over other colors. Shaded, or mahogany, sables can
sometimes be mistaken for tricolored Shelties due to the large
amount of dark shading on their coats.
Another acceptable color in the show ring, but much less
seen, is the sable merle, which can often be hard to
distinguish from regular sables after puppyhood. Double
merles, the product of breeding two merle Shelties together,
can be bred but have a higher incidence of deafness or
blindness than the other coat colors.
There are few additional coat colors that are quite rare
because they are unacceptable in the breed standard, such as
color-headed white (majority of fur white, with the head
'normally' marked). There have been reports of a brindle
Sheltie but many Sheltie enthusiasts agree that a cross
sometime in the ancestry of that specific Sheltie could have
produced a brindle coat.
The size of a sheltie (at the withers) is about 13-15
inches(males) and 12-14 inches(females). The weight of most
males is about 14-18 pounds while most females are about 12-16
pounds, slightly smaller.
Temperament: The Shetland Sheepdog is an outstanding
companion dog and is intensely loyal, with a delightful
temperament. It is lively, intelligent, trainable, and willing
to please and obey. Shelties are loving, loyal, and
affectionate with their family, but are naturally aloof with
strangers and might not appreciate being petted by someone
they do not know; for this reason Shelties must be socialized
extensively.
Most Shelties, if encouraged, will warm up to strangers if
given time. Some can be quite reserved and some have varying
degrees of shyness. Although they are excellent family pets,
Shelties do especially well with children if they are raised
with them from an early age; however, their small size makes
it easy for a child to accidentally injure them, so
supervision is necessary.
Shelties have a reputation as vocal dogs, but that might be
undeserved. Ill-bred dogs often display a terrier-like
personality--hyper and yappy, always on the go--but can just
as easily be overly timid and may become a fear-biter. The
intelligent Sheltie can be trained to be an excellent watch
dog, and not yappy, giving two or three barks to alert its
owner to a person at the door.
Unlike some dog breeds, males and females make equally good
pets. The main difference is that males tend to have more
impressive coats, and unspayed females will 'blow' coat after
every heat cycle. Males should appear masculine, females,
feminine.
The herding instinct is still strong in many Shelties. They
love to chase things, including squirrels, ducks, Bichons, and
children, and when people are milling around the yard,
Shelties sometimes try to "herd" the people into a
group by running around, barking, and nipping at heels. This
tendency appears most when children run around the yard in a
group. Shelties love to run in wide-open areas. Just make sure
the space is safe and they can't get too far away.
Shelties usually love to play. They do best with a
sensitive, yet firm, owner. The Sheltie is, above all, an
intelligent herder and likes to be kept busy, although their
activity level usually coincides with their owner's level.
Shelties also are very smart, making them highly trainable.
Health: Like the Rough Collie, there is a tendency
toward inherited malformation and disease of the eyes. Each
individual puppy should have his eyes examined by a qualified
veterinary ophthalmologist. Some lines may be prone to
hypothyroidism, epilepsy, or skin allergies.
As with all dog breeds, diet should be monitered and
adjusted as needed as many nonworking Shelties can overeat and
easily become obese.
Eyes: The two basic forms of inherited eye problems
in shelties are SES (Sheltie Eye Syndrome) and progressive
retinal atrophy (PRA).
SES can be detected in young puppies by a certified
ophthalmologist. The disease involves all three layers of
the posterior eyeball. Mild SES can result in a blind
spot, while severe cases will lead to complete blindness.
PRA can not be detected until later in life, as it is a
"progressive" disease. Affected dogs often begin
with night vision problems, progressing to loss of day
vision and total blindness.
Currently, there is no treatment for either disease. Note
that merles commonly have at least one blue eye and that
Shelties are one of the few dog breeds for which this is
normal; for many dogs this is considered a defect.
Dermatomyositis (Sheltie Syndrome): Dermatomyositis
may occur at the age of 4 to 6 months, and is frequently
misdiagnosed by general practice veterinarians as sarcoptic or
demodectic mange. The disease manifests itself as alopecia on
the top of the head, supra- and suborbital area and forearms
as well as the tip of the tail.
If the disease progresses to its more damaging form, it
could affect the autonomic nervous system and the dog may have
to be euthanized. This disease is generation-skipping and
genetically transmitted, with breeders having no clear
methodology for screening except clear bloodline records. Deep
tissue biopsies are required to definitively diagnose
dermatomyositis.
Ears: Shelties' ears are required to bend slightly
or "tip" at the top to be qualified to show in AKC
shows. If a dog's ears are not bent (referred to as prick
ears) it is acceptable to help the ears along to the desired
position by bracing them into the correct position and leaving
them on for several weeks.
Wideset ears can also be a problem, often breaking too low
down (referred to as 'hound' ears). These are often harder to
correct than prick ears, and must be braced early and
consistently throughout the first year. It is easiest to train
a dog's ears when the dog is in its first year and the
cartilage has not stiffened much.
Thyroid problems: Hypothyroidism (under-functioning
of the thyroid) is being observed more frequently in Shelties.
Clinical symptoms include hair loss or lack of coat, over or
under-weight, and listlessness. Research is currently ongoing
to further understand the thyroid.
History: The Sheltie came from the Shetland Islands
off the coast of Scotland. Unlike many miniature breeds that
resemble their larger counterparts, this breed was not
developed by selectively breeding the Rough Collie for smaller
and smaller sizes. Rather, it is the result of the
intermingling of Border Collies and possibly several other
herding breeds over the past several centuries.
Its exact origins are not known, but the most-often cited
ancestors of the breed include the Border Collie (or its
ancestors), the Yakki (also Yakkie or Yakkin) dog (a dog kept
and bred by Greenland whalers), and the Icelandic sheepdog.
During the 19th century, the appeal of small, fluffy dogs
became clear, and there are mentions of cross-breedings with
Pomeranians (which were larger then than they are today) and
with the now-extinct (?) Prince Charles Spaniel or possibly a
King Charles Spaniel. Some Shelties in the early 20th century
had brindle coats, which could have come from a terrier or
Corgi breed. Note: the "mentions" of cross-breedings
with Pomeranians is largely seen as a myth by most Sheltie
experts.
The year 1909 marked the initial recognition of the Sheltie
by the English Kennel Club and the first Sheltie to be
registered by the American Kennel Club was "Lord
Scott" in 1911.
Rather bizarrely, the Shetland Sheepdog is only rarely
found in Shetland, having been replaced by the Border Collie.
Activities: In their size group, the breed dominates
dog agility competitions. They also excel at competitive
obedience, showmanship, flyball, tracking, and
herding.Participating in such a sport will satisfy a Sheltie's
needs for mental and physical exercise.
Grooming: Shelties have a double coat. The topcoat
consists of long, straight, water-repellent hair, which
provides some protection from cold and the elements. The
undercoat is short, furry, and very dense in order to help
keep the dog warm.
The Sheltie is usually a clean dog and should only need to
be brushed once or twice a week (it is helpful to spray-mist
with water when brushing). Mats can be commonly found behind
the ears, under the elbow on each front leg, and in the fluffy
fur on the hind legs (the "skirts").
Although its coat might appear to be a time-consuming task,
a once-weekly, but thorough, brushing is all that is needed,
though more frequent groomings will contribute to a beautiful
and tidy coat. Shelties 'blow' coat usually twice a year,
often at spring and fall, and should be groomed more often at
those times. A good brushing with an undercoat rake, which
removes the dead and loose hair from its coat daily should
reduce the amount of hair that is shed.
It is easiest to teach a dog to tolerate, or even enjoy,
grooming if they are shown that it is a pleasurable thing from
a young age. Breeders usually teach the dogs to lie on their
side, be brushed, and then flip over to the other side.
Toenails and hair between the pads need to be trimmed every
couple of weeks.
Show dogs may require more frequent brushing to keep their
coats in top condition. Regular brushing encourages undercoat
growth, distributes healthful oils produced by the skin, and
prevents sores known as "hotspots" which can occur
when dead undercoat is allowed to accumulate close to the
skin. Most Shelties learn to love the attention that grooming
provides, if the routine is started when the dog is still
young.
Showing Requirements: As with all breeds of dogs
there is a certain set of rules that must be followed in order
to show them and that varies by country. For example in the
United States under American Kennel Club standards, Shetland
Sheepdogs must be within the required height of 13-16 inches
at the withers for both males and females. Shetland Sheepdogs
must also have slightly bent or "tipped" ears,
approximately two thirds up and one third tipped over.
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