History

Native to Scotland, it is named Shetland sheepdog because of its origin, or shelti() for short. It is thought to be the result of a cross between the Scottish Collie (the working dog of the Greenland whalers) and the Spitz (the Nordic fisherman's companion). It is also believed that the Shetland Sheepdog originated from king charles spaniel. The Shetland Sheepdog has a history of more than 100 years and is one of the most popular dog breeds in Japan. It is mainly distributed in the United Kingdom and North America. For centuries, the dog has been herding sheep and guarding the Shetland Islands, a rocky island off the coast of Scotland where animals are small. Shetland was the first club to be established in 1908, and the Shetland Club was also established in Scotland the following year, which was introduced to England in the late 19th century. Introduced to the United States in 1911, it has become very popular, and now the dog has spread all over the world.

Origin

Scotland

Function: Sheepdog

Lifespan: 13-14 years

Personality

Personality will mainly vary from breeder to breeder. They are loyal and enthusiastic to their owners, because they are naturally happy to be in the company of their owners. They are quite emotional. Enthusiastic, friendly, intellectual and understanding to the owner, smart, high IQ, lively and active, loyal to the owner, but wary of strangers and high alertness. It is an excellent family guard dog and is extremely easy to train, making it an ideal working, show or family dog. The coat must be groomed frequently. Regular activity is essential to maintain a strong physique.

Overall Appearance: A small, long-haired, beautiful working dog with an elegant temperament. The shape is well-proportioned, and no part is out of harmony with the overall proportion. The overall amount of hair is rich, with mane and feathers, the head is in good shape, the expression is lovely, and the overall image is perfect.

Traits: Alert, gentle, intelligent, strong, lively.

Temperament: Warm and obedient to the master, alert to strangers, but not nervous.

Head and Skull: The head is well-shaped, long and wedge-shaped when viewed from above or from the side, tapering from the ears to the nose. The width of the skull is coordinated with the length of the skull and muzzle. The size of the head should be coordinated with the size of the body. The skull is flat, the width between the ears is moderate, and the occipital bone is not protruding. Cheeks are flat with a smooth, natural juncture with the round muzzle. The skull and muzzle are of equal length, with the demarcation point at the inner corner of the eye. The skull is parallel to the muzzle, and the forehead is shallow but clear. Nose, lips and eyeliner are black. The perfectly coordinated combination of the skull and muzzle, the shape, color and position of the eyes, and the correct position and posture of the ears, create the characteristic facial expression of this dog.

Mouth: Jaws flat, dry, strong, with well developed jaws. The lips are tight and the teeth are healthy in a perfect, neat, complete scissors bite, ie the upper and lower teeth overlap closely and form a square. There should be 42 neatly arranged teeth.

Clear eyes: medium in size, slightly high on the outer corners of the eyes, almond-shaped. Brown, with the exception of blue merle breeds - dogs of this breed may have blue eyes or one eye or have blue markings.

Ears: Small, of moderate width at the base, set close to the upper part of the skull. When responding to a sound, it will move backwards; when alert, it will be half-pricked forward, and the tips of the ears will drop forward.

Neck: Muscular, naturally arched, of adequate length, allowing the head to be raised proudly.

Forelimbs: Shoulders naturally sloping backwards, separated by vertebrae, but scapulae laterally sloping to accommodate rib expansion. Shoulder joint angle is natural. Upper limbs and shoulder blades are approximately equal in length. Elbow-to-ground height is equal to shoulder-to-shoulder height. Viewed from the front, the forelegs are straight, well muscled, strong boned and well defined. Department is strong and flexible.

Body: The distance from the top of the shoulders to the hips is slightly greater than the height at the withers. The chest is deep, extending to the tip of the elbows. The ribs naturally expand and the lower half narrows, allowing for free movement of the front legs and shoulders. The back is level, the upper part of the waist is well-curved, and the hips are gently sloping back.

Hindlimbs: Upper limbs broad, well muscled and properly angulated to the pelvis. The knee joint has a clear angle, the metatarsal is well-defined, the angle is naturally downward, and the bones are strong. Seen from behind, plantars straight.

Feet: Oval, well padded. The toes are arched and compact.

Tail: Set low; tapering coccyx at least as long as the plantars; well-haired, extending slightly upward. Raises slightly during exercise but does not rise above the topline.

GAIT/DYNAMICS: Soft, smooth, graceful, with power on the hind legs. Great stride. When running, a slow pace, woven lines, swaying or rigidity, unnaturalness, and upward jumping are not acceptable.

Coat: Double layer; outer layer long, rough and straight. The undercoat is soft, short and tight. The mane and neck are well-furnished, and the forelegs are well-coated. The hind legs have abundant hair above the metatarsus and short below the metatarsus. The hair on the face is soft. Breeds with a soft outer coat are undesirable.

Coat Color:

Sable—light or dark, anywhere from pale yellow to deep reddish-brown, or darker in rich tones. Wolf Black and Wolf Grey are ineligible.

Tricolor - Body is dark black, preferably with rich tan markings.

Blue sapphire - bright silvery blue with black specks. Preferable to have abundant tan spots, but no penalty if not. Thick black spots, dark bluish-gray, or light rust on coat or undercoat are not acceptable; basic color must be blue.

Black and white and blue and tan—also acceptable colors.

White patches (other than black and tan) may appear on the face, neck and chest, mane, extremities and the tip of the tail. It is advisable to have a few white spots (other than black and tan) all over or on part of the body, but no points will be deducted for the absence of these spots. Large white patches on the body are considered undesirable.

Size

Height: Male dogs are 37cm at the shoulder;

The female dog is 35.5cm at the shoulder.

More than or less than 2.5 cm of the above dimensions are not acceptable.

Defects: Any departure from the above points is considered a defect, the severity of which is strictly proportional to the extent of the defect and the effect the defect has on the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog with obvious physical and behavioral abnormalities should be considered disqualified.

Note: Male dogs have two apparently normal testicles that are completely placed in the scrotum.