Shetland Sheepdog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Sable Shetland Sheepdog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Common nicknames | Sheltie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Origin | Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dog ( domestic dog ) |
The Shetland Sheepdog, also known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog that originated in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It was formally recognized by The Kennel Club in 1909. It was originally called the Shetland Collie, but this caused controversy amongst Rough Collie breeders of the time, so the name was changed. [1] It is a small dog, clever, vocal, willing to please, and trustworthy.
Like the Shetland pony, Shetland cattle and the Shetland sheep, the Shetland Sheepdog is a hardy but diminutive breed developed to thrive amidst the harsh and meagre conditions of its native islands. While the Shetland still excels at herding, today it is often raised as a working dog or family pet. [2]
The Shetland's origins are obscure, but it is not a direct descendant of the Rough Collie, which it largely resembles. Rather, the Shetland is a descendant of small specimens of the Scottish Collie and the King Charles Spaniel. They were originally a small mixed-breed dog, often only about 20 to 30 centimetres (8 to 12 inches) in height at the shoulder, and it is thought that the original Shetland herding dogs were of the Spitz type, and were crossed with Collies from mainland Britain. [1] In the early 20th century, James Loggie added a small Rough Collie to the breeding stock, and helped establish the breed that would become the modern Shetland Sheepdog.
Unlike many miniature breeds that resemble their larger counterparts, this breed was not developed simply by selectively breeding the Rough Collie for smaller and smaller size. The original sheepdog of Shetland was a Spitz-type dog, probably similar to the modern Icelandic Sheepdog.[ citation needed ] Strong evidence suggests that this dog was bred with the Yakki, an Icelandic dog that accompanied whalers from Greenland who landed in the ports of the island. The Yakki was about 14 inches (36 cm) in height and usually black with tan or white markings. Many of the early Shetlands were black and white or black and tan and this colouring can still be see in the muzzle of some sables dogs today whose muzzles are referred to as "smutty muzzles". Folk tales also mention a King Charles Spaniel that came from a yacht. Pomeranian dog ancestry is likely given the appearance of the breed. The first club for the breed called for a dog similar to the Rough Collie except in size, the standard called for dogs to be no taller than 15 inches (38 cm). Other clubs called for similar standards with the breed to essentially be a miniature. These standards led to people adding in collie blood to the breed to achieve said type. The Kennel Club originally refused to recognise the breed but later agreed to on the condition the name was changed from Shetland Collie due to opposition from collie breed clubs. [1] The original Spitz-type working sheepdog of Shetland is now extinct, having been replaced for herding there by the Border Collie. Shetlands were used for herding until commercial livestock farming required larger breeds. [3]
When the breed was originally introduced breeders called them Shetland Collies, which upset Rough Collie breeders, so the name was changed to Shetland Sheepdog. [1] [4] During the early 20th century (up until the 1940s), additional crosses were made to Rough Collies to help retain the desired Rough Collie type – in fact, the first English Shetland champion's dam, Gesta, was a rough Collie. [5] The year 1909 marked the initial recognition of the Shetland by the English Kennel Club, with the first registered Shetland being a female called Badenock Rose. The first Shetland to be registered by the American Kennel Club was "Lord Scott" in 1911. [6]
The general appearance of the Shetland is that of a miniature Rough Collie. [1] They are a small and double coated dog with a well shaped head. They have a long coat which becomes short around the face giving it the appearance of a mane.
Shetlands have a double coat, which means that they have two layers of fur that make up their coat. The outer coat is made up of long hair and is "harsh-textured and straight". The undercoat is soft, short, and close to the skin. The long coat should produce the appearance of a mane. The face is smooth haired. [7]
Shetlands may come in the following colours.
White markings may appear on any coat besides black and tan but patches on the body are undesirable. [7]
The ideal height at the withers is 141⁄2 inches (37 cms) for dogs and 14 inches (35.5 cm) for bitches. More than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in variation from these heights is undesirable. [7]
The Shetland's ears are small and of moderate width at the base placed close on top of the head. When alert the ears are semi-erect and propped forward. [7]
Eyes are of medium size and are almond shaped. Eyes are always dark brown except in dogs with merle coats where one or both of the eyes may be blue. [7]
The head is refined without any exaggerations. The head has a long wedge tapering from the ears to nose. The occipital bone isn't prominent. The cheeks are flat to support a well roounded muzzle. The muzzle is of equal length to the skull, dividing at the corner of the eye. The mucocutaneous parts of the face are black in pigmentation. [7]
Neck is well arched and muscular. Legs are muscular. The dog is slightly longer than it is tall with a deep chest. [7]
According to Dr. Stanley Coren, an expert on animal intelligence, the Shetland Sheepdog is one of the brightest dogs, ranking 6th out of 138 breeds tested. His research found that an average Shetland could understand a new command in fewer than five repetitions and would obey a command the first time it was given 95% of the time or better. [8]
A Japanese study of pet cemetery data found a life expectancy of 14.3 years with 239 dogs—higher than 13.7 overall life expectancy. [9] A UK study found a life expectancy of 13.4 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds. [10]
The Shetland is predisposed to the following dermatological conditions: allergic skin disease, cutaneous drug eruptions, cutaneous histiocytosis, cutaneous or systemic lupus, dermatomyositis, and Sertoli cell tumour. [11] [ page needed ]
Shetland Sheepdogs have four times the risk of other dogs of developing transitional cell carcinoma, a cancer of the bladder. [12]
A North American study of over a million hip scores in dogs over the age of two found the Shetland to have the fifth-lowest prevalence out of sixty breeds—4.2% of Shetlands had hip dysplasia. [13]
Von Willebrand disease is an inherited bleeding disorder. The Shetland is affected by both type I and type III. [14]
Collie eye anomaly is an autosomal recessive inherited trait which results in incomplete closure of the embryonic fissure, seen almost exclusively in Collies, Border Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs. [15]
A mutation the MDR1 gene causes sensitivity to certain drugs such as ivermectin. This sensitivity has been observed in the Shetland. The MDR1 mutation has been identified in the Shetland and the breed was identified as predisposed in a study in the US. [16] Due to this genetic mutation, affected dogs may exhibit sensitivity or adverse reactions to many drugs, including acepromazine, butorphanol, doxorubicin, erythromycin, ivermectin, loperamide, milbemycin, moxidectin, rifampin, selamectin, vinblastine, and vincristine. [17] [18]
Ulcerative dermatosis of Shetland sheepdog and rough collie (UDSSC) is a disease that is believed to be a vesicular variant of discoid lupus erythematosus. It is an ulcerative dermatosis that affects the thigh, groin, axillae, and ventral abdomen. [19]
A UK study found a significant predisposition to gall bladder mucocele, with the breed being 93.87 times more likely to acquire the condition than other dogs. [20] A study looking at the increased incidence of hepatobiliary disease in the Shetland Sheepdog found that an insertion mutation of the ABCB4 gene that occurs in the Shetland Sheepdog—as well as other breeds—had a significant association with gall bladder mucocele prevalence. [21]
As the name suggests, Shetland Sheepdogs can and have been used as sheepdogs and still participate in sheepdog trials to this day. Herding dogs conduct livestock from one place to another by causing fear-flocking and flight behaviour. [22] [ page needed ]
In their size group, the breed dominates dog agility, obedience, showmanship, flyball, tracking, and herding.[ citation needed ] Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Shetlands exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials. [23]
The Komondor, also known as the Hungarian sheepdog, is a large, white-coloured Hungarian breed of livestock guardian dog with a long, corded coat.
The Australian Kelpie, or simply Kelpie, is an Australian sheepdog capable of mustering and droving with little or no guidance. It is a medium-sized dog and comes in a variety of colours. The Kelpie has been exported throughout the world and is used to muster livestock, primarily sheep, cattle and goats.
The Border Collie is a British breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional sheepdogs once found all over the British Isles. It is kept mostly as a working sheep-herding dog or as a companion animal. It competes with success in sheepdog trials. It has been claimed that it is the most intelligent breed of dog.
The English Shepherd is a breed of herding dog from the United States.
Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many types have a distinctive white color over the shoulders. Collies are very active and agile, and most types of collies have a very strong herding instinct. Collie breeds have spread through many parts of the world, and have diversified into many varieties, sometimes mixed with other dog types.
The Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog from the United States. The name of the breed is technically a misnomer, as it was developed in California in the 19th century. It is believed to have its origins in sheepdog breeds from northwest Spain, as well as collies imported, alongside sheep, from Australia and New Zealand; the breed reportedly took its name from this trade. Originally used solely as a herding dog, the Australian Shepherd has become one of the most popular companion dog breeds in North America.
The Cardigan Welsh corgi is one of two different varieties of livestock-herding dog breeds known as Welsh corgis, with the other being the Pembroke Welsh corgi. It is one of the oldest breeds of the British Isles. Cardigan Welsh corgis are known to be an extremely loyal and trainable dog breed, naturally attuned to herding many different animals, from poultry and waterfowl to large livestock such as sheep and cattle. They are also versatile and can live in a variety of settings.
The Smooth Collie is a breed of dog developed originally for herding. It is a short-coated version of the Rough Collie of Lassie fame. Some breed organisations consider the smooth-coat and rough-coat dogs to be variations of the same breed.
The Rough Collie is a long-coated dog breed of medium to large size that, in its original form, was a type of collie used and bred for herding sheep in Scotland. More recent breeding has focused on the Collie as a show dog, and also companion. The breed specifications call for a distinctive long narrow tapered snout and tipped (semiprick) ears, so some dogs have their ears taped when young. Rough Collies generally come in shades of sable and white, blue merle, tri-coloured, and colour-headed white.
The Bearded Collie, or Beardie, is a herding breed of dog once used primarily by Scottish shepherds, but now mostly a popular family companion.
The Old English Sheepdog is a large breed of dog that emerged in England from early types of herding dog. Obsolete names for the breed include Shepherd's Dog and bob-tailed sheep-dog. The nickname Bob-tail originates from how dogs of the breed traditionally had their tails docked. Old English Sheepdogs can grow very long coats with fur covering the face and eyes and do not shed unless brushed.
Canine terminology in this article refers only to dog terminology, specialized terms describing the characteristics of various external parts of the domestic dog, as well as terms for structure, movement, and temperament. This terminology is not typically used for any of the wild species or subspecies of wild wolves, foxes, coyotes, dholes, jackals or the basal caninae. Dog terminology is often specific to each breed or type of dog. Breed standards use this terminology in the description of the ideal external appearance of each breed, although similar characteristics may be described with different terms in different breeds.
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The Tibetan Terrier is a medium-sized breed of dog that originated in Tibet. Despite its name, it is not a member of the terrier group. The breed was given its English name by European travelers due to its resemblance to known terrier breeds. The Tibetan name for the breed, Tsang Apso, roughly translates to "shaggy or bearded ("apso") dog, from the province of Tsang". Some old travelers' accounts refer to the dog as Dokhi Apso or "outdoor" Apso, indicating a shaggy or bearded working dog which lives outdoors.
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog, is a medium-sized, shaggy-coated, sheep dog breed native to Poland.
The Lancashire Heeler is a small breed of dog developed for use as a drover and herder of cattle. The Lancashire Heeler is listed by the Kennel Club (UK) as an endangered breed. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2024.
The Huntaway is a large, strongly-built breed of dog used for general sheep-herding tasks in New Zealand, where they originate. They were bred to use their loud, deep bark to drive sheep.
The Spanish Water Dog breed is used in Spain as a general purpose sheepdog and guard. It is also used sometimes as a gundog, and is skilled at retrieval from water.
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The Gaucho Sheepdog (Portuguese: Ovelheiro gaúcho) is a dog breed that originated in the Pampas, Brazil. The breed is not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), but it has been recognized by the CBKC, a Brazilian kennel club affiliated with FCI. Dogs of this breed are often characterized as sturdy and agile, which makes them suitable for herding activities. The Gaucho sheepdog is widely used for herding sheep and other livestock, especially in the southern region of Brazil.