Shetland Sheepdog

Size
Small (under 11kg)
Exercise
40 min/day
Training
Puppy school only
Size of home
Some outdoor space
Time at home
Alone with support
Grooming
Frequent
Barking preference
Low
Personality
Very affectionate

Breeder List

Breeder - Miss Nicole Pearson (Hartly)

hartlyshelties@bigpond.com
See Details
Breeder - Ms Dianne Abbess (ZANELYN)

zanelyndachshunds@gmail.com
See Details

2. Submitted by Garry Danielle Dryburgh. Cabal Candids

History

Shetland Sheepdogs are small, long-haired, working dogs of great beauty, originally bred to herd sheep in the rugged terrain of the Shetland Islands, north of the United Kingdom and west of Norway and were settled by the Norse (Vikings) in 920AD.

These settlers brought with them cattle, sheep and dogs; and archaeological remains of the dogs indicate they were of typical Spitz descent, resembling what we now know as Buhund and related breeds. These dogs were an all purpose dog, useful around the crofts or farms, but with no specific role, in what was a hard windswept environment where only low and sparse vegetation could grow and few sheep, cows and ponies could exist; a hard and poor environment for man and animals alike to survive.

Appearance

Their appearance resembles that of a small Collie (Rough), but they are indeed an individual breed with features, apart from size, that distinguish them from their larger relatives. They are a small, long-haired, working dog of great beauty, free from cloddiness and coarseness; action lithe and graceful. Outline symmetrical, so that no part appears out of proportion to whole. Abundant coat, mane and frill, shapely head and sweet expression.

Head and skull: head refined and elegant with no exaggerations; when viewed from top or side a long, blunt wedge, tapering from ear to nose.

Eyes: medium size; obliquely set; almond shape. Dark brown except in the case of merles, where one or both may be blue or blue flecked.

Colour: Sable; Tri-colour; Blue Merles; Black and White; Black and Tan.

Sizes: dogs 37cm at withers; bitches 35.5cm at withers. (1)

Characteristics

Alert, gentle, intelligent, strong and active.

4. Edited. Submitted by Shelmanna.Lisa Berrill and Shirley Fox

4. Submitted by Ashlea Stanton Julie Harris. Photo by Jodie Grieve

Temperament & Trainability

The Australian Breed Standard summarises the Shetland Sheepdog’s temperament as “affectionate and responsive to his owner, reserved towards strangers, never nervous”.

Shelties are hardy, durable little sheepdogs which thrive on attention and praise. They are gentle dogs, making them great companions for children and adults alike. Like all working dogs they are quite active but, because of the smaller size, suit the average suburban-size backyard while also enjoying walks or excursions. They make superb house pets and are very adaptable.

Shelties possess a keen intelligence and aptitude to training, which makes them suitable for many performance disciplines. They perform at the highest levels of Obedience, Agility, Herding and many other dog-sports activities. Their easy going nature makes them great companions for other pets. As with all dogs, socialisation and training from a young age is highly recommended.

Maintenance

Shelties are double coated, with a harsh, longer outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat; these were developed to be durable and weather resistant when the dogs worked stock on the Shetland Isles.

While regular maintenance is necessary, this is not as much work as may first be assumed. Most breeders recommend
a thorough 10-minute brushing about once a week to keep the lovely coat free from knots and tangles, with particular attention paid to legs, stomach and behind the ears.

Regular baths will also help keep the coat in good condition. Shelties will shed their undercoat approximately every six months.

Suitability

Shelties will suit almost any family or home situation that can give them the love and attention they deserve. Their size makes them suitable to many families and their gentle, intelligent and affectionate nature also makes them loyal and endearing pets.

Health

Shelties are primarily a healthy breed of dog, with an average lifespan of between 12 to 16 years and only a few known congenital conditions, as with all animals (and humans).

Some Shelties may be affected by an eye condition called Collie Eye Anomaly. Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) is a congenital, recessively inherited eye defect that affects the development of the choroid (an important tissue under the retina) and is also found in other breeds.

Responsible breeders strive to decrease the incidence of such eye conditions in the Shetland Sheepdog through careful breeding plans and by supporting further veterinary research.

References

Information from the Shetland Sheepdog Club of NSW
Ref (1): Source DOGSAUSTRALIA.org.au
Image: Shutterstock.com

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Shetland Sheepdog you may have think that this is the dog for you. Before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Shetland Sheepdog and its needs and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 29 Jun 2010)

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A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

Small, long haired, working dog of great beauty, free from cloddiness and coarseness, action lithe and graceful. Outline symmetrical so that no part appears out of proportion to whole. Abundant coat, mane and frill, shapeliness of head and sweetness of expression combine to present the ideal.

Characteristics

Alert, gentle, intelligent, strong and active.

Temperament

Affectionate and responsive to his owner, reserved towards strangers, never nervous.

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	Head refined and elegant with no exaggerations: when viewed from top or side a long, blunt wedge, tapering from ear to nose. Width and depth of skull in proportion to length of skull and muzzle. Whole to be considered in connection with size of dog. Skull flat, moderately wide between ears, with no prominence of occipital bone. Cheeks flat, merging smoothly into well rounded muzzle. Skull and muzzle of equal length, dividing point inner corner of eye. Topline of skull parallel to topline of muzzle, with slight but definite stop. Nose, lips and eye rims black. The characteristic expression is obtained by the perfect balance and combination of skull and foreface, shape, colour and placement of eyes, correct position and carriage of ears.
Eyes	Medium size obliquely set, almond shape. Dark brown except in the case of merles, where one or both may be blue or blue flecked.
Ears	Small, moderately wide at base, placed fairly close together on top of skull. In repose, thrown back; when alert brought forward and carried semi-erect with tips falling forward.
Mouth	Jaws level, clean, strong with a well-developed underjaw. Lips tight. Teeth-sound with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. A full complement of 42 properly placed teeth highly desired.
Neck	Muscular, well arched, of sufficient length to carry head proudly.
Forequarters	Shoulders very well laid back. At withers separated only by vertebrae, but blades sloping outwards to accommodate desired spring of ribs. Shoulder joint well angled. Upper arm and shoulder blade approximately equal in length. Elbow equidistant from ground and withers. Forelegs straight when viewed from front, muscular and clean with strong, but not heavy, bone. Pasterns strong and flexible.
Body	Slightly longer from point of shoulder to bottom of croup than height at withers. Chest deep, reaching to point of elbow. Ribs well sprung, tapering at lower half to allow free play of forelegs and shoulders. Back level, with graceful sweep over loins, croup slopes gradually to rear.
Hindquarters	Thigh broad and muscular, thigh bones set into pelvis at right angles. Stifle joint has distinct angle, hock joint clean cut, angular, well let down with strong bone. Hocks straight when viewed from behind.
Feet	Oval, soles well padded, toes arched and close together.
Tail	Set low; tapering bone reaches to at least hock; with abundant hair and slight upward sweep. May be slightly raised when moving but never over level of back. Never kinked.
Gait/Movement	Lithe, smooth and graceful with drive from hindquarters, covering the maximum amount of ground with the minimum of effort. Pacing, plaiting, rolling or stiff, stilted, up and down movement highly undesirable.
Coat	Double; outer coat of long hair, harsh textured and straight. Undercoat soft, short and close. Mane and frill very abundant, forelegs well feathered. Hindlegs above hocks profusely covered with hair, below hocks fairly smooth. Face smooth. The coat should fit the body and not dominate or detract from the outline of the dog. Smooth coated specimens highly undesirable.
Colour	Sables - Clear or shaded, any colour from pale gold to deep mahogany, in its shade, rich in tone. Wolf sable and grey undesirable.Tri-colours - intense black on body, rich tan markings preferred.Blue Merles - clear silvery blue, splashed and marbled with black. Rich tan marking preferred but absence not penalised. Heavy black markings, slate or rust tinge in either top or undercoat highly undesirable; general effect must be blue.Black & White and Black & Tan - are also recognised colours.White markings may appear (except on black and tan) in blaze, collar and chest, frill, legs and tip of tail. All or some white markings are preferred (except on black and tan) but absence of these markings not to be penalised. Patches of white on body highly undesirable.
Size	Size Ideal height at withers:Dogs: 37 cms (14½ ins);Bitches: 35.5 cms (14 ins).More than 2½ cms (1 in) above or below these heights highly undesirable.

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.