Shetland Sheepdog - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin

Many people believe, that the only direct ancestor of the Sheltie is the Rough Collie, but that is not true. They were developed from many different breeds, including the original sheepdog of Shetlands and Rough Collies, but also the King Charles Spaniel, Pomeranian and Greenland Yakki.

2) Shetland Collie

The breed was originally named as the Shetland Collie, but that created even more uncertainties and it even made the Rough Collie breeders upset. That is why the name was later changed to the todays Shetland Sheepdog. They were also sometimes called as Dwarf Scotch Shepherds and Shelties, which is their common nickname even today.

3) Sweet personality

Most of the Shetland Sheepdogs are extremely gentle, sweet and pleasing dogs. They love good playtime and they love to show affection towards their owners. And they are intelligent too, which is a great combination with their pleasing personality, because it creates an amazingly trainable dog.

4) Coat

The Shetland Sheepdog coat has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is definitely that it looks great and it is incredibly soft, which makes the petting sessions even better. The disadvantage is the shedding, because you will just never stop vacuuming. You will have Shelties fur everywhere in your home.

5) Active companions

It is true, that shetland sheepdogs make great family companions, but it is important to be aware, how active they are. By nature, they are active workers who will be happy if you keep their bodies and mind busy. But they can easily live in an apartment, but only if you will provide them with enough exercise.

6) Intelligence

Shelties are considered to be one of the smartest dogs in the world. Actually, Dr. Stalney Coren ranked them as the 6th out of 132 breeds in his book The Intelligence of Dogs. Thanks to their intelligence they are great adepts for obedience trials. They also excell at agility, flyball and herding trials.

7) Grooming

I already mentioned, that the Shetland sheepdog is high shedding dog. And if you see their long beautiful coat you probably think that they requiere a lot of grooming. And you would be right! You should brush their coat very often. The coat tends to mat behind the ears and in other places that rub together, such as behind the elbows. Good fact is, that even though they need a lot of brushing, they do not requiere clipping or cutting their coat.

8) Size

Shetland Sheepdog is a strong, but agile dog breed. Their height should be between 12-15 inches which is 30-35 cm and their weight should be between 14-20 pounds which is 6-9 kgs.

9) Around children

Shelties make great companions for children, especially if they are raised with them. The children should be old enough to understand how to act respectfully towards the dog. Otherwise, i would never leave them alone.

10) Health

Shetland sheepdog is a healthy dog breed with a good lifespan between 12-14 years. But as all dogs, they are prone to certain health issues, they are especially prone to malformation and eye diseases. Epilepsy, hip dysplasia and skin allergies are also common.