Dog
Group:
Herding 
Shetland Sheepdog Champions
You must login to add your Champion Dog to this list.
Pronunciation:
shet-luhnd sheep-dawg
Breed Description:
The Shetland Sheepdog breed of dog is an atletic, medium sized breed that should be compact and sturdy. This should be a dog that has plenty of energy and stamina and they should look like it. The Shetland Sheepdog is usually slightly longer than they are tall with a level top line. The long tail should either be carried low or slightly curved. The ears should be small, folded forward and set high on the head and the head should be wedge shaped.
The coat of the Shetland Sheepdog should be a double coat with a short undercoat and a medium length top coat. There should be shorter, smoother hair on the legs, feet, head and ears. Both coats should be very dense and abundant and the undercoat should be soft. The top coat should have a hard texture. There should be ample feathering on the tail and backs of the legs and there should be a dense mane around the neck and shoulders. The Shetland Sheepdog can be found in several colors, although they should be colored with white markings. They can be bi-colored or tri-colored and if they aer the latter, they should also have tan markings. The colors are black, sable, gold, mahogany, and blue merle.
Temperament:
The Shetland Sheepdog breed of dog is friendly, affectionate and intelligent dogs that are known for being a wonderful family dog. This is a breed that loves children and will provide a child of any age with a dedicated and loyal companoin. The breed is usually very happy and while they can be shy and reserved with new people, the breed truly shines with their own family. The breed does very well with other pets but they can have problems adjusting to other dogs. On a strange note, the Shetland Sheepdog will usually accept another Shetland Sheepdog immediately.
Height:
The average height for a Shetland Sheepdog is between 13 to 16 inches.
Weight:
The average weight for a Shetland Sheepdog is between 14 to 27 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Shetland Sheepdog breed of dog is a healthy breed, however, there are a few health concerns that you should be aware of including Hip Dysplasia, von Willebrand's Disease, Collie Eye Anomaly, Dermatomyositis and Hypothyroidism.
Living Conditions:
The Shetland Sheepdog breed of dog can do very well in apartments if their exercise needs are being met, however, the ideal home is one with a large fenced yard. This breed should not be an outdoor dog since they thrive when they are with their owners.
Exercise:
The Shetland Sheepdog breed of dog is a very energetic breed and needs about 60 minutes of exercise each day. It is important for them to have something to do and if they don't they can become very destructive.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Shetland Sheepdog breed of do gis a very easy breed to groom and they require little maintenance to keep their coats healthy. On average, you should expect to brush your dog on a weekly basis to remove dead hairs and dirt. It is important when you are brushing the Shetland Sheepdog that you wet the coat down since brushing it dry will actually damage it and cause you more work. Ears should be cleaned on a regular basis and nails should be clipped once or twice a month.
Origin:
The Shetland Sheepdog breed of dog was developed by crossing the Border Collie with other dog breeds found in their place of origin. The breed itself was developed on the Shetland Islands, which is between Scotland and Norway, and were originally known as "Toonies". They were commonly used for protecting and herding livestock, including sheep. The breed remained fairly unknown for a while, but by the early 1800's, the Shetland Sheepdog gained the attention of many fanciers in England. Unfortunately for the Shetland Sheepdog, they became an instant tourist attraction and many other dog breeds were added to the line to make them fluffier and smaller. This led to the breed almost being wiped out or altered completely from their original looks and at the end of the 1800's, several breeders began to breed the Shetland Sheepdog to return it to its original type. However, because breeders used different dogs to return the Shetland Sheepdog to its original type, there were three different breed types accepted by the Kennel Club of England in 1909. This lead to further controversies until a breed standard in 1930 determined that the Shetland Sheepdog should "resemble a collie in miniature." From that point, the breed has been established as we know it today and has gained popularity through the last several decades. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
