The Shetland Sheepdog, also known as the Sheltie, is an extremely intelligent, quick, and obedient herder from Scotland's remote and rugged Shetland Islands. Shelties bear a strong family resemblance to their bigger cousin, the Collie. The Shetland Sheepdog is a small, active, and agile herding dog standing between 13 and 16 inches at the shoulder. The long coat is harsh and straight, with a dense undercoat, and comes in black, blue merle, and sable, with white markings. The coat, along with a long, wedge-shaped head; small, three-quarter-erect ears; and a deep-chested, level-backed torso, gives Shelties the look of a rough-coated Collie in miniature. Bright and eager Shelties are easy trainers and world-class competitors in obedience, agility, and herding trials. They are sensitive and affectionate family dogs, highly attuned to the household's mood. They like to bark and tend to be reserved toward strangers; two qualifications of an excellent watchdog.
Shetland Sheepdogs were originally bred on the rocky Shetland Islands, the United Kingdom's northernmost point. They were employed by farmers to herd sheep, ponies, and poultry. ('Toonie dog' was an old slang name for Shelties, 'toon' being a Shetland word for farm.) There's a reason why the Sheltie was bred smaller than its close cousin, the rough-coat Collie. Thanks to their compact size, Shelties eat less than Collies and other large herding dogs. This is an important consideration in the harsh, cold climate of the breed's homeland, where food can be scarce. This also explains the diminutive size of Shetland ponies. Exactly when Collies were imported to the island from the Scottish mainland and bred down to Sheltie size is a detail lost to history, as the islands' breeders left behind no written records. And, because the islands were so inaccessible, Shelties lived in virtual isolation from other breeds and were nearly unknown in the rest of Britain until the early 20th century. The Sheltie was first recognized by the Kennel Club (England), as the Shetland Collie, in 1909. Under pressure from Collie fanciers, the breed name was changed soon after to Shetland Sheepdog. The AKC registered its first dog of this remarkably bright and obedient breed in 1911.
Shetland Sheepdog Breed Standard (pdf)
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