~IMPORTANT~
Before considering
purchasing a Sheltie please visit
Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue to
think about adoption.
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If you still want to
purchase a Sheltie puppy read this article
before contacting a
reputable
breeder.
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Think the Sheltie is
the breed for you?
Please read, Are Shelties
For Everyone?
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Visual Standard Thumbnail
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General Appearance
Preamble-- The Shetland Sheepdog, like
the Collie, traces to the Border Collie of Scotland, which,
transported to the Shetland Islands and crossed with small,
intelligent, longhaired 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,
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.
Size, Proportion,
Substance
The Shetland Sheepdog should
stand between 13 and 16 inches at the shoulder. Note: Height is
determined by a line perpendicular to the ground from the top of the
shoulder blades, the dog standing naturally, with forelegs parallel to
line of measurement.
Disqualifications-- Heights below or above the
desired size range are to be disqualified from the show
ring.
In overall appearance, the body should appear
moderately long as measured from shoulder joint to ischium (rearmost
extremity of the pelvic bone), but much of this length is actually due
to the proper angulation and breadth of the shoulder and hindquarter,
as the back itself should be comparatively short.
Head
The
head should be refined and its shape, when viewed from top or
side, should be a long, blunt wedge tapering slightly from ears to
nose.
Expression-- Contours and chiseling of the head,
the shape, set and use of ears, the placement, shape and color of the
eyes combine to produce expression. Normally the expression should be
alert, gentle, intelligent and questioning. Toward strangers the eyes
should show watchfulness and reserve, but no fear.
Eyes
medium size with dark, almond-shaped rims, set somewhat obliquely in
skull. Color must be dark, with blue or merle eyes permissible in blue
merles only. Faults-- Light, round, large or too small.
Prominent haws. Ears small and flexible, placed high, carried
three-fourths erect, with tips breaking forward. When in repose the
ears fold lengthwise and are thrown back into the frill.
Faults-- Set too low. Hound, prick, bat, twisted ears. Leather
too thick or too thin.
Skull and Muzzle Top of skull
should be flat, showing no prominence at nuchal crest (the top of the
occiput). Cheeks should be flat and should merge smoothly into a
well-rounded muzzle. Skull and muzzle should be of equal length,
balance point being inner corner of eye. In profile the top line of
skull should parallel the top line of muzzle, but on a higher plane
due to the presence of a slight but definite stop. Jaws clean and
powerful. The deep, well-developed underjaw, rounded at chin, should
extend to base of nostril. Nose must be black. Lips
tight. Upper and lower lips must meet and fit smoothly together all
the way around. Teeth level and evenly spaced. Scissors
bite.
Faults-- Two-angled head. Too prominent
stop, or no stop. Overfill below, between, or above eyes. Prominent
nuchal crest. Domed skull. Prominent cheekbones. Snipy muzzle. Short,
receding, or shallow underjaw, lacking breadth and depth. Overshot or
undershot, missing or crooked teeth. Teeth visible when mouth is
closed.
Neck, Topline,
Body
Neck should be
muscular, arched, and of sufficient length to carry the head proudly.
Faults-- Too short and thick.
Back should be
level and strongly muscled. Chest should be deep, the brisket
reaching to point of elbow. The ribs should be well sprung, but
flattened at their lower half to allow free play of the foreleg and
shoulder. Abdomen moderately tucked up. Faults-- Back too long,
too short, swayed or roached. Barrel ribs. Slab-side. Chest narrow
and/or too shallow. There should be a slight arch at the loins, and
the croup should slope gradually to the rear. The hipbone (pelvis)
should be set at a 30-degree angle to the spine. Faults-- Croup
higher than withers. Croup too straight or too steep.
The
tail should be sufficiently long so that when it is laid along
the back edge of the hind legs the last vertebra will reach the hock
joint. Carriage of tail at rest is straight down or in a slight upward
curve. When the dog is alert the tail is normally lifted, but it
should not be curved forward over the back.
Faults-- Too
short. Twisted at end.
Forequarters
From the withers, the shoulder blades should slope at
a 45-degree angle forward and downward to the shoulder joints. At the
withers they are separated only by the vertebra, but they must slope
outward sufficiently to accommodate the desired spring of rib. The
upper arm should join the shoulder blade at as nearly as possible a
right angle. Elbow joint should be equidistant from the ground and
from the withers. Forelegs straight viewed from all angles, muscular
and clean, and of strong bone. Pasterns very strong, sinewy and
flexible. Dewclaws may be removed. Faults-- Insufficient
angulation between shoulder and upper arm. Upper arm too short. Lack
of outward slope of shoulders. Loose shoulders. Turning in or out of
elbows. Crooked legs. Light bone.
Feet should be oval
and compact with the toes well arched and fitting tightly together.
Pads deep and tough, nails hard and strong. Faults-- Feet
turning in or out. Splay feet. Hare feet. Cat
feet.
Hindquarters
The thigh should be broad and muscular. The
thighbone should be set into the pelvis at a right angle corresponding
to the angle of the shoulder blade and upper arm. Stifle bones join
the thighbone and should be distinctly angled at the stifle joint. The
overall length of the stifle should at least equal the length of the
thighbone, and preferably should slightly exceed it. Hock joint should
be clean-cut, angular, sinewy, with good bone and strong
ligamentation. The hock (metatarsus) should be short and straight
viewed from all angles. Dewclaws should be removed. Faults--
Narrow thighs. Cow-hocks. Hocks turning out. Poorly defined hock
joint.
Feet as in forequarters.
Coat
The coat
should be double, the outer coat consisting of long, straight, harsh
hair; the undercoat short, furry, and so dense as to give the entire
coat its "standoff" quality. The hair on face, tips of ears and feet
should be smooth. Mane and frill should be abundant, and particularly
impressive in males. The forelegs well feathered, the hind legs
heavily so, but smooth below the hock joint. Hair on tail profuse.
Note: Excess-hair on ears, feet, and on hocks may be trimmed
for the show ring. Faults-- Coat short or flat, in whole or in
part; wavy, curly, soft or silky. Lack of undercoat. Smooth-coated
specimens.
Color
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 a blue coat. Washed-out
or degenerate colors, such as pale sable and faded blue. Self-color in
the case of blue merle, that is, without any merling or mottling and
generally appearing as a faded or dilute tri-color. Conspicuous white
body spots. Specimens with more than 50 percent white shall be so
severely penalized as to effectively eliminate them from competition.
Disqualification-- Brindle.
Gait
The
trotting gait of the Shetland Sheepdog should denote effortless speed
and smoothness. There should be no jerkiness, nor stiff, stilted,
up-and-down movement. The drive should be from the rear, true and
straight, dependent upon correct angulation, musculation, and
ligamentation of the entire hindquarter, thus allowing the dog to
reach well under his body with his hind foot and propel himself
forward. Reach of stride of the foreleg is dependent upon correct
angulation, musculation and ligamentation of the forequarters,
together with correct width of chest and construction of rib cage. The
foot should be lifted only enough to clear the ground as the leg
swings forward. Viewed from the front, both forelegs and hindlegs
should move forward almost perpendicular to ground at the walk,
slanting a little inward at a slow trot, until at a swift trot the
feet are brought so far inward toward center line of body that the
tracks left show two parallel lines of footprints actually touching a
center line at their inner edges. There should be no crossing of
the feet nor throwing of the weight from side to
side.
Faults-- Stiff, short steps, with a choppy, jerky
movement. Mincing steps, with a hopping up and down, or a balancing of
weight from side to side (often erroneously admired as a "dancing
gait" but permissible in young puppies). Lifting of front feet in
hackney-like action, resulting in loss of speed and energy. Pacing
gait.
Temperament
The Shetland Sheepdog is intensely loyal,
affectionate, and responsive to his owner. However, he may be reserved
toward strangers but not to the point of showing fear or cringing in
the ring. Faults-- Shyness, timidity, or nervousness.
Stubbornness, snappiness, or ill temper.
Scale of Points
| General
Appearance |
|
|
| Symmetry |
10 |
|
| Temperament |
10 |
|
| Coat |
5 |
25
|
| Head |
|
|
| Skull and
stop |
5 |
|
| Muzzle |
5 |
|
| Eyes, ears and
expression |
10 |
20
|
| Body |
|
|
| Neck and
back |
5 |
|
| Chest, ribs and
brisket |
10 |
|
| Loin, croup and
tail |
5 |
20
|
| Forequarters |
|
|
| Shoulder |
10 |
|
| Forelegs and
feet |
5 |
15
|
| Hindquarters |
|
|
| Hip, thigh and
stifle |
10 |
|
| Hocks and
feet |
5 |
15
|
| Gait |
|
|
| Gait--smoothness and
lack of wasted motion when trotting |
5 |
5
|
| Total |
|
100 |
Disqualifications
Heights below or above the desired size range,
i.e., 13-16 inches.
Brindle color.
Approved May 12,
1959
Reformatted July 18, 1990
