Breed: The birthplace of this breed - Shetland Islands, which lie about five miles north of Scotland. The biggest part??of this islands for centuries was used exclusively for grazing ponies, cattle and sheep.??The climate there is harsh, damp and dull with frequent storms that sweep away everything everything in their path.

In summer the herds were transported from one island to another and had to stay there under the supervision of the small sheep dogs.??It is known that the first herding dogs - the progenitors of Sheltie - had a short thick wavy hair, round eyes, drooping ears and a tail, curled towards the back.

We should keep in mind, that from the immemorial time the fishermen landed on the isles, which is also exploring the origins of the modern Shelties. Probably, the fishermen from Scandinavia, Scotland and other lands of the northern Europe, engaged in fishing on the Shetland Islands, were bringing dogs: some of them stayed on the island, and left offspring.

A special influence on the breed had the Spitz-looking dogs of Greenland, which were also crossed with the island dogs and their traits are still manifested in the modern Shetland Sheepdogs: for example, short snout, curled tail, erect ears, which are found in even the most "aristocratic" families of Sheltie, are also the??evidence of the Spitz influence.

Traditionally it is believed that the breed is as old as the islands themselves, but it is not possible to reconstruct the history of Sheltie's origin in the details today.??You can rely solely on conjectures and speculations.

The shepherds were selecting small dogs primarily because the security functions were not really??required. This dogs were just a working partners of a shepherd, brightening up his solitary life,??caring for the sheeps.??Perhaps this - not quite usual (isolated) form of communication of a dog and a man led to the intellectualization of the best representatives of the breed.

The main selection criteria have always been: the working abilities, endurance and??intelligence of the dog.??However, the high intellectual abilities are not confined only to Shelties, but also to the other members of the classic herding breeds such as Border Collies.

At the end of the XIX century there was an integration of the farms, respectively, the livestock was also increased, and the small sheep dogs could no longer cope with the workload.??The shepherds start using the larger dogs, what immediately affected the Sheltie - breed was on the verge of extinction. Thanks to the??fanciers, who have always perceived the Shelties solely as a pets this breed survived.

In 1909 the breed was??officially??recognized by the Kennel Club of England??and the Sheltie gradually began to acquire international recognition. Starting from??1912 the Shelties began to attract increasing attention in the show rings, but they varied considerably in size and type.

It should be noted that many breeders considered reasonable to use the rough collies while breeding Sheltie, because the show type of collies??has already been formed at that time.??However, after mating with Collies the Seltie's size increased. ??The??English Sheltie Club was founded in 1914 and in the first standard it was indicated that the Sheltie should have the exterior of a miniature collie.??Shetland Sheepdog became the official name of the breed.

General Features: Sheltie looks like a Collie in miniature. The one who dreams of a Collie, but got confused with the large sizeof this dog, should think about the Sheltie.

Sheltie is a small sized working dog with a thick coat. She has an attractive noble appearance. It is not accidentally that Shelties are extremely popular allover the world. They have a beautiful looks, gentle nature, they love children, they can be easily trained, and they are fairly easy to groom.

The main difference between Collie and Sheltie is growth and a wide variety of colors. In addition to the typical Collie's tricolor, blue merle, and sable and white, Shelties can have colors: bicolor, bimerl (no tan) and black-and-tan (no white).

Shelties must have a broad skull, a more clear "stop" (the transition from forehead to the muzzle). Sheltie's eyes are slightly larger in size, than in Collie's. Shelties have a shorter neck, but still long enough to hold them head high. They have a short and stiff hair. But the biggest difference - is in the temperament of these two breeds. If sometimes you will not notice even three Collies in the house, just one Sheltie will always be in sight.

Temperament: Sheltie is the breed, that will help a beginner to start his discovery of the dog's world, and an experienced dog lover to expand his horizons and see this world from the other side.??Shelties can teach you a lot: to see the world in a new ways, to understand better another people and yourself, to bring a sense of responsibility in children. The Shetland Sheepdog will unite the family and help all members to understand each other better.??This is ??a unique breed in almost everything.??Sheltie is a perfect dog for nearly anyone.??Sheltie fits everyone, who needs a watchful, but not an aggressive dog of small size.??It is an ideal choice for both: single people and for the large and friendly family, who love animals.??Patience of Sheltie to "her" children is almost limitless.

Shelties will not be confused by the small size of your apartment if it's possible to play and have fun outside.??Sheltie is one of the best breeds for those, who love sports with a dog.

The exterior of a decent and well-groomed Sheltie will never leave people cold. This??small dog has a unique charm and a wonderful harmony. Another great advantage of the Sheltie - she??adapts to your lifestyle completely.??Sheltie has a wonderful personality - she is always ready to do just anything for her owner to be happy. Sheltie's??attitude to the owner can be expressed in three words: dedication, sensitivity and understanding.

Training of the Sheltie is mutual - it's a great pleasure to work and communicate with them and the number of commands they are able to study sometimes one can not calculate.??With the matured Sheltie you can just talk and she understands everything.

Of course, the biggest part of their appearance and temperament Shelties got from their great ancestors - a Collie, which in terms of intelligence (according to the researches) is in the first place.??Shelties are not far behind.??However, because of the size and the influence of other ancestors, the nature of Sheltie is different from the nature of Collie.??Activity, the joy of life, vigilance, security qualities, communication are developed stronger in Shelties.??From Collie they took all the best - a unique appearance, dignity, love for children, ability to learn quickly.

Shelties do not express the hunting qualities, this ensures that there will be no problems with cats and other animals.

Another feature of Shelties - they are very selective in choosing partners for games.??Very often Sheltie prefer human society than other dogs. From all dog breeds Sheltie will prefer to play with the other Shelties or Collies.

In America, the UK, many European countries and Scandinavia Shelties have a huge popularity due to their merry cheerful nature, extraordinary charm and the good manners of the noble animal.

It's amazing how Sheltie adjusts to the life of his master, and in all cases, our hero - Sheltie - will be happy - if only he is not left alone for a long time.??A little weakness of Sheltie - loneliness for her is worse than any punishment.

A good Sheltie has a very kind eyes with a soft open expression.??She is always friendly, but does not allow familiarity. She is energetic and tireless, alert and intelligent, with the huge sense of responsibility.??Reaction of Sheltie is like a lightning. With the??strangers aloof and reserved, but she is not a coward.??In the case of extreme necessity, Sheltie is able to protect her owner, but of course, for a man - because of her small size - she is not a serious opponent.

Herding qualities of Sheltie, in contrast to the Collies, are almost lost.??However, the Shetland Sheepdogs can be easily trained for almost anything and they remember what they studied for a long time.??This is one of the most talented breeds.??In the competitions for mini-agility Shelties keep the leadership in many countries.

Shelties do not tolerate rudeness in the treatment - this dog can become stubborn and??unmanageable.??Shelties can never be beaten.

The??"Magic Dog" - Sheltie united the best qualities of the family dog - beauty, intelligence, amazing trainability, devotion, alertness and a great sense of humor.

Health problems: Some Shelties may have problems with their eyes, so from the puppy this dogs should be shown to a vet??ophthalmologic??from time to time. Also Shelties are prone to the skin allergies. In some lines hip dysplasia may be an issue.

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