In ancient times the Shetland Islands were inhabited by people called the Picts who were conquered by the Norseman and the islands eventually became part of Scotland. Therefore, it is surmised that the origin of the Sheltie goes back to a mixture of the Picts-Norse Scots dogs. Additionally the theory is held probable that the Sheltie is a descendant of the dogs carried aboard fishing fleets (from Scotland, the Scandanavian and Lowland countries) which put in at the Shetland Islands during the summer fishing season. There are also some indications of crossbreeding with dogs from Greenland and Iceland and with Collies imported from Scotland by the shepherds of the Shetland Islands. Traditionally, the Shetland Sheepdog is considered as old as the working Collie of Scotland and like today's show Collie is a descendent of the Scotch Border Collie. The Sheltie developed on the islands as a hardy working dog, an alert guard and an intelligent, affectionate companion.
The Sheltie - a special dog. Loyal. Above average in canine intelligence. A near-human capacity for understanding and compassion. He has grace, beauty of expression and balance; he is also a practical, useful canine. It is in his nature to please and obey, willingly and naturally. He seems to have an inate sense of politeness and cleanliness. He excels in obedience, from novice to utility, and even in tracking. The instinct to guard and protect, another trait as old as the breed itself, makes a Sheltie an excellent farm or stock dog. Some exhibit natural herding ability, while others pick it up readily with training.
His most striking features are his uncanny ability to sense when something is wrong and his extremely strong awareness of property boundaries. He likes to work; lacking the opportunity to herd animals, he may take over the children, keeping them where they should be or at least letting others know if something is wrong.
His working dog instinct lends a Sheltie to inventive ways of pleasing his master - bringing in slippers or the paper, or leash as a hint for an evening walk. Kept as a house pet, the Sheltie becomes so much a part of the family that he soon knows the habits, desires and idiosyncracies of his owner. He is a pleasure to live with; a delight to own.
Many small unique traits have helped endear the Shelties to his admirers. Some Shelties grin, many cross their legs when they lie down, some use their "hands" extensively, or wash their face like a cat. Most have distinct language of whines, groans, grumbles, and warbles.
The sheltie should stand between 13 and 16 inches at the shoulder. Note: Height is determined by a line perpendicular to the ground from the top of the shoulder blades, the dog standing naturally, with forelegs parallel to line of measurement.
The coat should be double, the outer coat consisting of long, straight, harsh hair: the undercoat short, furry, and so dense as to give the entire coat its "stand-off" quality. The hair on the face, tips of the ears and feet should be smooth. Mane and frill should be abundant, and particularly impressive in males. The forelegs well feathered, the hind legs heavily so, but smooth below the hock joint. Hair on tail profuse.
Genetically there are only two colors of shelties. Black and brown. Blacks are registered as tri-colors when they have white and tan markings, or Bi-Blacks when they are marked only with white. A black Sheltie with a rusty coat is faulted in the show ring. The sable sheltie is brown or tan, ranging from a pale yellow to mahogany. The tri-factored or shaded sable sheltie may have black hair over the brown. They also have varying amounts of white markings. Blue merles are black shelties whose coat has been changed by the merling gene. They appear as silver with black patches. They also have tan and white markings in varying degrees. The bi-blue only has white markings.
The head should be refined and its shape, when viewed from the top or side, be a long, blunt wedge tapering slightly from ears to nose. The nose must always be black.
The top of the skull should be flat. Cheeks should also be flat and continue smoothly into a well-rounded muzzle.The muzzle and skull should be of equal length. The deep well developed under-jaw should extend to the base of nostril. Lips should be tight, upper and lower meeting and fitting smoothly together completely around. The teeth should be evenly spaced and level, with a scissor bite.
The eyes should be medium sized with almond shaped dark rims. Color must be dark. Blue or merle eyes are only permissable in blue merles.
EARS
Placed high on head, small and flexible, three fourths erect with the tops breaking forward.
BRUSHING
You will need a slicker brush, pin brush, and spray bottle. Expect to spend up to an hour brushing, as they need to be brushed from the skin out.
Unless you have just given your sheltie a bath, always dampen your dog's coat. This prevents their undercoat from being pulled out. The basic method for brushing shelties or any long coated dog is "Linebrushing." With a pin brush, part the dog's hair down to the skin and then spray with water, and back brush against the lay of the coat. Then make a new part and continue on. The same method is used on the tail. The pants or bloomers are brushed by taking a section and brushing it out and down to give it fullness. The hair on the sides of the face should be brushed towards the ears and the backskull and behind the ears should frame the face. The ruff should always be brushed straight up. The legs are brushed so every hair is standing straight out, and the feathering back towards the body. A small slicker brush works well for this.
TOENAILS
Nails hould be cut every 10 days or so and kept short enough so that the nails do not touch the floor when your dog is standing. They should be clipped to the "quick" or bloodline. On a white or clear nails this can be seen as a pink area. If your dog's nails are very long, only clip a small bit. The quick recedes back after cutting so you will have to repeat this every few days until the correct length is achieved. Since you cannot see the "quick" on black nails, only clip the hook part of the nail. If bleeding does occur, it can be stopped with a styptic or powered alum.
Some Shelties have excessive hair between the pads of their feet and may require that the hair be cut, but only to the same length as the pads.
SHELTIE EYE SYNDROME
SES is believed to be caused by one recessive gene and can be carried by normal eyed dogs for many generations without appearing. It is a condition where there is no refective material , partially formed or damage to the fundus (reflective area of the eye). The optic nerve may also be underdeveloped, deteriorated or pitted. This is a hereditary defect.
PROGRESSIVE RETINAL ATROPHY
PRA is seen more in Collies than Shelties. The pupils are semi-dilated and the response to light sluggish. There is an increase in the reflectivity of the eye and the blood vessels are diminished in size. One of the first signs of PRA is night blindness in your dog. Day blindness will appear later.
CENTRAL PROGRESSIVE RETINAL ATROPHY
CPRA is more commonly seen in Shelties. It effects the central portion of the retina initially. The first sign is difficulty in picking out objects directly in front the dogs eyes, the peripheral vision is still good, but will gradually become involved. Blindness may or may not result.
These two conditions are hereditary and pose a problem to breeders as they may not show up until the dog is three to six years of age.
HIP DYSPLASIA
HP is a developmental condition which may show up at the age of 8 weeks, but more commonly not until the pup is between the ages of 4 months to two years. It involves the bone formation of the hip joint as well as the muscle mass around the hip joint. It may also be influenced by, rapid growth rate, poor diet, and excess weight.
VON WILLEBRAND'S DISEASE
VWD affects the ability of the blood to clot normally. Symptoms include fatal bleeding after surgery, excessive bleeding after welping or even after toenails are cut, bloody diarrhea frequently misdiagnosed as parvo or corona virus, and early puppy deaths. VWD and hemophilia A is a deficiency or abnormality of one or more coagulation proteins in the blood. VWD can be found through a simply blood test.
An AKC Registration is in no way an indication of quality. Most dogs even so called "purebreds" should not be bred. Find a responsible breeder, one with a committment to preserve the health and has the knowledge of everything involved in breeding dogs. Responsible breeders know the genetic makeup of their breed and produce pups at least or if not better than the parents. They will closely track any genetically transmitted diseases such as hip dysplasia, blood diseases, eye disorders and temperment. Affected dogs will be eliminated from their breeding programs. Repsonsible breeders also study the pedigree lines and have a good idea what a certain mating will achieve.
You will know when you have found a responsible breeder when the breeder makes you prove you are qualified to own one of his/her puppies. They consider their pups their "Children" and want only the best homes for them. If a breeder doesn't ask you questions regarding why you want this breed, how many dogs have you owned in the past, at what ages did they die, what do you know about training dogs, etc. and only wants to see your checkbook, find another breeder. If you feel that you are getting the third degree with all the questions, please don't feel intimidated, you have found a responsible breeder.
The responsible breeder will also explain total breed care, supply shot records, pedigrees, and genetic test results. This breeder should also have in his/her contract that you as buyer WILL return the puppy to them at any age, for any reason you decide not to keep it.
So where do you find a responsible breeder. NEVER, EVER, in the pet store. Find a dog show being held in your area. The AKC has events listed or look in a dog magazine such as Dog World or Dog Talk. You'll see first hand what a Sheltie should look like. Ask the breeders or handlers if you could speak to them about their dogs, many will more than be willing to spend some time with you.