The
Shetland sheepdog, often known as the
Sheltie and sometimes as the
Shetland collie, is a breed of dog in the
herding dog group.
The AKC breed standard for height is from 13 to 16 inches (33 to 41 cm). A measurement outside this range will result in dismissal from the conformation ring, and three dismissals result in the dog being banned from any more conformation classes.
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Shelties normally weigh around 11–30 pounds (5.0–14 kg).
Shelties have the herding dog temperament. They are vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and work hard. They were used in the
Shetland Islands for herding and protecting
sheep.
They are small dogs, 13–16 inches (33–41 cm) at the withers by
AKC Conformation standards, and they come in a variety of colors, such as Sable/White, Tri-color, Blue Merle, and so forth.
Their early history is not well-known. They originally were a small
mixed breed dog, often 8-10 inches in height. It is thought that they were a cross of a
Spitz type dog from
Scandinavia with the local
sheepdog. In the early 1900s, James Loggie added a small show
Rough Collie to the stock, and the modern Shetland sheepdog was born. The original name of the breed was Shetland Collie, but this caused controversy among Rough Collie breeders, and the breed's official name was changed to Shetland sheepdog.
The year 1909 marked the initial recognition of the Sheltie by the English Kennel Club, with the first registered Sheltie being a female called Badenock Rose. The first Sheltie to be registered by the
American Kennel Club was "Lord Scott" in 1911