What is a Shetland Sheepdog
The official Canadian definition of a Shetland Sheepdog, called the "Shetland Sheepdog Standard", is maintained by the Canadian Kennel Club and may be viewed at the CKC website.
These little dogs are from the Shetland Isles, off the coast of Scotland, and are shown in Conformation Shows under the "Herding" Group.
In Conformation classes, the Sheltie (standing 13 to 16 inches in height) is placed on a table so that the judge can go over every dog individually to determine physical structure. The Sheltie is then moved onto the floor to determine correctness of movement. The dog closest to the breed standard (a written description of the ideal Sheltie) then wins the coveted Best in Breed Award.
They are extremely intelligent, excelling in popular “Dog Sports” such as Obedience, Rally, Agility, Fly Ball, Scent Hurdling, and Free Style Obedience, which is obedience put to music!
They have a long double coat that with practice is very easy to maintain. Colours range from various shades of brown (sable) to black with brown and/or white (tricolour or bicolour) to blue (merle).
They are true “family” dogs- content to jog, play ball or relax with the family. They can range from high energy to couch potatoes all in one day! They are “companion” animals and are definitely “house dogs”.
Shelties are very alert, often acting as "guard dogs" using their keen hearing, sharp eyes and often a big bark to alert owners to what is happening outside.
The NEGATIVE aspects of owning a sheltie are:
- SHEDDING - Frequent grooming by the owner can take care of this problem.
- BARKING - Consistent training while a puppy is beneficial.
- Shyness - Socialization plays a HUGE part in the raising of a confident Sheltie. It is helpful to take your puppy to classes at an appropriate age. Subsequent obedience or fun classes after that are always a good idea.