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Shetland Sheepdog
The
Shetland Sheepdog is a strong, lively, lightly built, beautiful
dog, with a long, wedge-shaped head. Its coat is rough with a soft undercoat.
This breed has a resemblance in size and general appearance to the Rough Collie
as the Shetland pony does to some of the larger breeds of horses. They are small,
alert, rough-coated, longhaired working dog. They must be sound, agile and sturdy.
The outline should be so symmetrical that no part appears out of proportion
to the whole. Males should appear masculine while bitches should be feminine.
Temperament
The Shetland Sheepdog is an outstanding companion dog with a delightful temperament.
They are very lively, intelligent and trainable. The Shetland Sheepdog is one
to the smartest breeds, very willing to please and obey. These dogs are so smart
that many people consider them to have almost human intelligence. Loving, loyal
and affectionate with its family, but suspicious with strangers, especially
with children, but they will put up with a lot from children in the family.
Size Category
Medium
Height/Weight
Height: 13-16 inches (33-40.6 cm.)
Weight: 14-27 pounds (6.4-12.3 kg.)
Living Conditions
They will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are fairly
active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Exercise and Activities
They needs a lot of exercise, preferably running free but be sure the dog is
in a safe area.
Life Expectancy
12-15 years
Grooming
The coat is easier to care for than you might expect but regular brushing
is important. Spray the coat lightly with water before you begin and tease out
the mats before they get bad, but use the comb sparingly. This breed is a seasonally
heavy shedder.
Health Problems
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. It can also be affected by displacement
of the patella which is thought to be inherited.
Origin
The Shetland Sheepdog is probably descended from Scottish Rough Collies brought
to the Scottish island of Shetland and crossed with the Icelandic Yakkin, a
small island dog brought over in the boats of fishermen. By 1700, the breed
was completely developed. For centuries these little dogs were used to herd
and guard the sheep flocks of the Shetlands, those rugged islands off the Scottish
coast where many of the animals are rather small in stature. Refinement of the
breed took place mainly in the twentieth century after the export of Shelties
to mainland Scotland and beyond.
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