“Sheltie” – Shetland Sheepdog Breed Profile

History

The Shetland Sheepdog can be traced back many years to the
Shetland Isles, where they were bred as a herding dog.

Smaller, hardier animals were required to survive the harsh
conditions in the Shetland Isles and thus, the Shetland Sheepdog
was developed. No official records exist, but it is believed
that Sheltie’s probably derived from Scottish Collies, which
were smaller than today’s Collies.

Appearance

Shelties are very pretty little dogs with almond shaped eyes,
giving them a very sweet expression.

Shelties should stand at approximately 36 cm tall for females
and 37 cm tall for males.

They have very long, thick coats and come in a wide variety of
colours; Sable, Tri-coloured, Black and White, Black and Tan and
Blue Merle, with many variations inbetween.

Temperament

Sheltie’s have wonderful affectionate, gentle temperaments with
their owners, but can be a little reserved with strangers. They
are certainly not ‘lap-dogs’, but make wonderful pets because of
their kind nature. They have wonderful characters, with an
endearing stubbornness that makes them a pleasure to own.

Their strength and intelligence mean that these hardy little
dogs excel in many competitive fields, such as obedience and
agility.

Grooming

They do require a considerable amount of grooming because of the
thickness and length of their coats.

Exercise

Sheltie’s are very active little dogs, and are described by many
as almost tireless. They enjoy being outdoors and do require a
moderate amount of exercise.

Health Problems

The breed is largely free of any major health problems, however
Collies and Shelties are known to suffer from some hereditary
eye conditions, namely Progressive Retinal Atrophy (P.R.A) and
Collie Eye Anomaly (C.E.A).

P.R.A is a rare but serious disease which inevitably leads to
total blindness. It is unlikely to be detected until the dog is
approximately 2 years of age and although nothing can be done to
stop the progression of this disease, responsible breeders are
careful to have breeding animals tested so that new litters are
not produced from affected parents.

C.E.A is much less serious; statistics suggest that up to 75% of
Shelties are affected to some degree, however it is unlikely
that the condition will worsen in most cases and a mild
affliction will not cause great inconvenience to the dog.