Breedstandard

 

 
General Appearance of a Sheltie

The Shetland Sheepdog, for short: Sheltie, is a small, long haired working dog of great beauty. Outline symmetrical, so that no part appears out of proportion to the whole. With a sweetness of expression and abundant coat, mane and frill shapeliness of head. The body must be not too short whit a deep breast. Body must be good vaulted. Strong bones in legs and long neck.
 

 

 

The Colours of a Sheltie:

Sable Shelties

Can have any colour from pale old to deep mahony, clear or shaded, in it's shade
 

Tricolour Shelties


Zes driekleuren uit 1 familie, v.l.n.r.: Van links naar rechts: Dawnville Queen of Spades, haar nestbroer Dawnville Quick On The Draw, hun moeder Ch.Dawnville Tri 'n Stop Me, 'Maggie's dochter Dawnville Looking For Trouble en haar nestbroer Dawnville Living legend. Op de voorgrond ligt de zoon van Queen of Spades: Dawnville You've Gotta Be Kidding.
 
Have intense black on body, rich tan markings on body, face and legs preferred. A rosty glow is undesirable

Blue merle Shelties


Hierboven allemaal verschillende blue merles afgebeeld
 
Are clear and silvery blue, splashed and marbled with black spots. Rich tan is preferred, but the absence is not penalised. Patches of white on the body are highly undesirabe.

 
 

Also recognised colours are Black & White and Black and Tan. White markings may appear (except on black and tan) in blaze, collar and chest, frill, legs and tip of tail. All or some white markings are preferred (except on black and tan) but absence of these markings not to be penalised. Patches of white on body highly undesirable.

 
Head & Skull

 
Top-line of skull parallel to top-line of muzzle, with slight but definite stop. Nose, lips and eye-rims black. Head refined; when viewed from top or side a long, blunt wedge, tapering from ear to nose. Width of skull in proportion to length of skull and muzzle. Skull flat, moderately wide between ears, with no prominence of occipital bone. Cheeks flat, merging smoothly into well rounded muzzle. Skull and muzzle of equal length, dividing point inner corner of eye. The characteristic expression is obtained by the perfect balance and combination of skull and foreface, shape, colour and placement of eyes, correct position and carriage of ears.
 

 

Eyes
 

Medium size, obliquely set, almond shape. The colour of the eyes preferebly dark brown. A blue merle is accepted with one or both eyes with a blue colour or flecked.

A dark good placed eye with a sable sheltie

 A nice dark eye with a tricolour sheltie
 

A blue eye with a blue merle sheltie, the eye has a little brown spot.

 

 

Tail

The tail of a sheltie has to be long, tapering bone reaches to at least hocks, set low. with abundant hair and slight upward sweep. May be slightly raised when moving but never over level of back. Never kinked.
 

 

 

Feet

Oval, soles well-padded, toes close together and arched.

 

 

Movement

A Sheltie must be, smooth and graceful with drive from hindquarters. A sheltie must be also lithe in movement, covering the maximum amount of ground with the minimum of effort. Highly undesirable are plaiting, rolling or stiff, pacing, stilted up and down moving.
 

 
 

 

Coat

Long, hard and straight, undercoat soft, short and close. Smooth coated specimen are highly undesirable.

 

Height


Ideal height dogs 37,5 cm (14,5 inch) and the ideal height of a bitch 35.5 cm (14 inch). More than 2,5 cm (1 inch) above or below these heights highly undesirable.

 

Characteristics of a Sheltie
Intelligent, Loyal, Intuitive, Alert, Reserved towards strangers but never nervous, Watchfull, Soft, Affectionate to his owner & Active