Sheltie Colors

As stated in the standard: Black, blue merle, and sable (ranging from golden through mahogany); marked with varying amounts of white/and or tan.

 



Faults: Rustiness in a black or blue coat. Washed out or degenerate colors, such as pale sable and faded blue. Self-color in the case of the blue merle, that is, without any merling or mottling and generally appearing as a faded or dilute tri-color.

 

The Sheltie is a small, intelligent, and playful breed.

The Shetland Sheepdog is a small, alert, rough-coated, longhaired working dog. He must be sound, agile and sturdy. The outline should be so symmetrical that no part appears out of proportion to the whole. Dogs should appear masculine; bitches feminine.

The Shetland Sheepdog is an extremely intelligent and playful herding dog who loves playing with children and learning new tricks. Shelties are easy to train and are world-class competitors in obedience, agility, and herding trials. They’re loyal and affectionate with their family but can be reserved toward strangers. (Bonus: This trait makes them excellent watchdogs—like an alarm system that likes to cuddle.)

Temperament
As a herding dog, they can be inclined to bark at and herd people. Shetland Sheepdogs thrive on the farm, but adapt to many living situations if given proper exercise. As is common with other herding breeds, They like to chase moving things, including cars and other motor vehicles, and should have a well-fenced yard and be walked on a leash. They do well as city dogs as long as the owners provide sufficient exercise. Very intelligent and trainable, the Sheltie will reach his best potential a companion when given training in basic manners at the very minimum.

Information from AKC website... www.akc.org

Sable and white merle male puppy

Shetland Sheepdog 

The Shetland Sheepdog, like the Collie, traces to the Border Collie of Scotland, which, transported to the Shetland Islands and crossed with small, intelligent, long haired breeds, was reduced to miniature proportions. Subsequently crosses were made from time to time with Collies. This breed now bears the same relationship in size and general appearance to the Rough Collie as the Shetland Pony does to some of the larger breeds of horses. Although the resemblance between the Shetland Sheepdog and the Rough Collie is marked, there are differences which may be noted. The Shetland Sheepdog is a small, alert, rough-coated, long haired working dog. He must be sound, agile and sturdy. The outline should be so symmetrical that no part appears out of proportion to the whole. Dogs should appear masculine; bitches feminine. 

Owning 
The Sheltie is a ''watch'' dog, not a guard dog; nor is it visually frightening. It will bark at intruders, but after giving warning, may either retreat or escort them through your house. One of the lovely attributes of the sheltie is the long harsh coat. Brushing the coat for half an hour each week can keep the Sheltie looking his best. The Sheltie will shed at least once a year, the shedding process can be sped up by a warm bath and more complete and more frequent brushing. Because of its small size, the Sheltie is very adaptable to city living, as long as he is given proper exercise. Shelties are good with children and make delightful family companions. 

Did You Know 
The first Shetland Sheepdog registered by the American Kennel Club (1911) was Lord Scott, a sable imported from Shetland, Scotland by John G. Sherman, Jr. of New York. The American Shetland Sheepdog Association, parent club of the breed, was organized at the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1929, and held its first specialty in 1933. The Shetland Sheepdog, alias Sheltie, originated in the Shetland Islands as a small herding dog. 

This information is from the American Kennel Club.  http://topqualitydogs.com

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Intelligence and Activity Level

Activity level

The herding instinct is strong in many Shelties. They love to chase and herd things, including squirrels, ducks, children, and if an owner is not watchful, cars. Shelties love to run in wide-open areas.

A bi-black Sheltie doing agility

Shelties usually love to play. They do best with a sensitive, attentive owner. The Sheltie is, above all, a herder and likes to be kept busy, although their activity level usually coincides with their owner's level. Shelties also are very smart, making them highly trainable. Shelties are very good with children. Neglecting a Sheltie's need for exercise and intellectual stimulation can result in undesirable behaviors, including excessive barking, phobias, and nervousness. Fortunately, the reverse is also true: annoying behaviors can be lessened greatly by an hour of exercise that engages the dog with its owner.

 Intelligence

Shelties have a high level of intelligence. According to Dr. Stanley Coren, an expert on animal intelligence, the Shetland sheepdog is one of the brightest dogs, ranking 6th out of 132 breeds tested. His research found that an average Sheltie could understand a new command in less than 5 repetitions and would obey a command the first time it was given 95% of the time or better.<sup>[5]

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