When we talk about the Shetland Sheepdog breed standard, it’s important to understand that the ideal characteristics, temperament, and physical appearance of the Sheltie are carefully defined. These guidelines help breeders to ensure that each dog meets specific requirements for showing in competitions. Both the American Kennel Club and the English Shetland Sheepdog Club have their own versions of the breed standard, though they share a common stock that dates back to the early 20th century. While there are slight variations between the two, the breeding lines are fundamentally the same. How Much Do Shetland Sheepdog Puppies Cost?
However, when you bring a Sheltie to the show ring, you may find that the dog’s chances of competing effectively in one ring might be impacted by these subtle differences in the standards. Understanding these differences is essential for breeders aiming for success in either the ASSA or ESSC show rings. It’s fascinating to note that despite these variations, all Shelties can trace their lineage back to the same original stock, and both standards aim to preserve the breed’s true nature. Through the years, the standards may have shifted a bit, but the Shetland Sheepdog’s true essence remains unaltered. The complete and definitive descriptions can be found through organizations like the American Shetland Sheepdog Association or the English Shetland Sheepdog Club.
General Appearance
The Shetland Sheepdog is a small, long-haired working dog that is expected to have a symmetrical outline, where no part appears out of proportion. This creates an overall balanced and pleasing appearance. Both the American and British standards emphasize the importance of the dog’s appearance, though there are some notable differences in how these characteristics are described.
UK Appearance
The UK standard, set by the English Shetland Sheepdog Club (ESSC), focuses on the dog’s great beauty. It highlights the Sheltie’s abundant coat, mane, and frill, along with the shapeliness of the head and sweetness of expression. These features combine to create the ideal Shetland Sheepdog. Additionally, the UK standard insists that the dog must be free from cloddiness and coarseness, with an action lithe and graceful, reflecting the dog’s working nature and elegance.
US Appearance
In contrast, the American standard, defined by the American Kennel Club (AKC), places a stronger emphasis on the Sheltie’s sturdy and strong nature, making it clear that the dog should be sound, agile, and sturdy. The US standard requires the dog to look masculine (for males) and feminine (for females), but does not specify the shapeliness of the head or sweetness of expression like the UK standard does. The American Shetland Sheepdog is also described as having miniature proportions, similar to how the Shetland Pony relates to larger breeds of horses. This version highlights the breed’s relationship to the Collie and the Border Collie, with its ancestry in the Shetland Islands.
Characteristics/temperament
The Shetland Sheepdog breed standard outlines the ideal temperament and personality traits for this loyal and intelligent breed. Both the British and American standards agree that Shelties should be affectionate and responsive to their owners, though they may be reserved towards strangers. However, there are a few key differences in how each standard describes the breed’s behavior.
UK Temperament
The British standard emphasizes that the Sheltie should be alert, gentle, intelligent, strong, and active, with a clear focus on the positive characteristics of the breed. It also stresses that Shelties should never be nervous, ensuring that the dog maintains a calm and confident demeanor. The standard favors a breed that is well-rounded and able to interact with both familiar and unfamiliar people in a composed manner.
US Temperament
The American standard similarly highlights the Sheltie’s affectionate nature and responsiveness to their owners, but it places more emphasis on the breed’s intense loyalty. Shelties should also be reserved towards strangers, but the American standard specifies that this should not manifest as fear or cringing, especially in the show ring. In addition to temperament traits, the American standard lists specific faults that should be penalized, including shyness, timidity, nervousness, stubbornness, snappiness, and ill temper. These faults provide more precision regarding behaviors that would be considered undesirable in the breed.
UK Standard: Head and Skull
The Shetland Sheepdog breed standard in the UK calls for a refined, elegant head with no exaggerations. Viewed from the top or side, the head should be a long, blunt wedge, tapering slightly from the ears to the nose. The skull should be flat and moderately wide between the ears, with no prominence of the occipital bone. The cheeks should be flat, merging smoothly into a well-rounded muzzle. The skull and muzzle should be of equal length, with the dividing point being the inner corner of the eye. The topline of both the skull and muzzle should be parallel, with a slight but definite stop. The nose, lips, and eye rims must be black, with tight lips and clean, strong jaws. The ideal Sheltie head should combine perfect balance in the skull, forehead, eyes, and ears, and possess a full set of 42 teeth.
US Standard: Head and Skull
The US Shetland Sheepdog breed standard mirrors the UK in many respects but is more specific in certain areas. The head should be refined, and viewed from the top or side, it should form a long, blunt wedge tapering slightly from the ears to the nose. The skull is flat, with no prominence of the nuchal crest. Cheeks should be flat, merging into a well-rounded muzzle. The skull and muzzle should be of equal length, with the dividing point being the inner corner of the eye. The topline of both should be parallel, with a slight but definite stop. The nose must be black, and the lips should be tight, with jaws clean and powerful, featuring a deep, well-developed underjaw. The expression should be alert, gentle, intelligent, and questioning, with eyes showing vigilance and reserve toward strangers. The scissors bite is required, and faults like a two-angled head, prominent stop, or an overshot/undershot bite are noted.
UK Eyes
In the UK Shetland Sheepdog breed standard, the eyes should be of medium size, almond-shaped, and set obliquely in the skull. The color of the eyes is typically dark brown, except for merles, where one or both eyes may be blue or blue flecked. The standard does not mention eye rims, focusing mainly on the shape, color, and positioning of the eyes to achieve the breed’s characteristic expression.
US Eyes
According to the US Shetland Sheepdog breed standard, the eyes must be medium size, with almond-shaped rims, set somewhat obliquely in the skull. The color should be dark, but blue or merle eyes are acceptable in blue merles only. Faults include light, round, large, or too small eyes, and prominent haws. The eyes contribute significantly to the breed’s expression, which should appear alert, gentle, intelligent, and questioning.
Ears
UK
In the British standard, ears should be small, moderately wide at the base, and placed fairly close together on top of the skull. When the Shetland Sheepdog is in repose, its ears are thrown back, with tips falling forward. However, when the dog is alert, the ears are brought forward and carried semi-erect, creating a distinctive and attentive appearance.
US
The American standard calls for ears to be small and flexible, placed high on the skull. They should be carried three-fourths erect, with tips breaking forward when alert. In repose, the ears fold lengthwise and are thrown back into the frill. It’s important to note that ears that are set too low, or resemble hound, prick, bat, or twisted ears, are considered faults. Additionally, the leather of the ears should neither be too thick nor too thin to maintain the proper structure.
Neck
UK
The neck should be muscular and of sufficient length to carry the head proudly. It should be well arched, giving the Shetland Sheepdog an elegant and proud appearance. This arch is a bit more pronounced in the British standard.
US
In the American standard, the neck is described as muscular and arched, with sufficient length to carry the head proudly. However, the American standard doesn’t emphasize the arch as much as the British standard does, keeping the description simpler.
Body
UK
The Shetland Sheepdog’s body should have a deep chest that reaches the point of the elbow. The ribs should be well sprung, tapering at the lower half to allow free movement of the forelegs and shoulders. The back should be level, and the croup should slope gradually to the rear, with a graceful sweep over the loins.
US
In the American standard, the body is similar but with some variations. The chest should also be deep, and the brisket should reach the point of the elbow. The ribs should be well sprung, but they are described as being flattened at the lower half to allow free play of the forelegs and shoulders. The back should be strongly muscled and level, with the croup sloping gradually to the rear. There is also a slight arch at the loins, which is a different way of expressing the same idea as the British standard’s graceful sweep. The abdomen should be moderately tucked up, and the pelvis should be at a 30-degree angle to the spine. Faults listed in the American standard include a back that is too long, swathed, or roached, barrel ribs, slab bond, narrow, or too shallow chest, and a croup that is higher than the withers or too straight.
Forequarters
The forequarters of the Shetland Sheepdog are crucial to its balance and agility. Both the UK and US standards require well-structured shoulders, forelegs, and pasterns to ensure that the dog moves with strength, flexibility, and grace. While the core principles are similar, the standards differ slightly in the specific details about shoulder angulation and foreleg bone structure.
UK
The forequarters of the Shetland Sheepdog should feature shoulders that are very well laid back, with the blades sloping outwards to accommodate the spring of ribs. The shoulder joint is well angled, and the upper arm and shoulder blade should be of equal length. The elbow should be equidistant from the ground and withers. The forelegs must be straight when viewed from the front, muscular, clean, and with strong, but not heavy, bone. The pasterns need to be both strong and flexible.
US
In the American standard, the shoulder blades are required to slope at a 45-degree angle, forward and downward to the shoulder joints. The shoulders are separated only by the vertebra at the withers, but the blades must slope outwards to accommodate the spring of ribs. The upper arm should join the shoulder blade at a right angle. The elbow should be equidistant from the ground and withers. The forelegs should be straight, muscular, and clean, with strong bone. The pasterns should be very strong, sinewy, and flexible. Additionally, dewclaws may be removed, and faults such as insufficient angulation, too short upper arms, or loose shoulders are undesirable.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters of the Shetland Sheepdog play a critical role in its movement and strength. Both the UK and US standards emphasize a muscular and broad thigh, with the thighbone set at a right angle to the pelvis. The stifle and hock joints are key to ensuring the dog can move with power and agility.
UK
The UK standard requires a broad, muscular thigh with the thighbones set into the pelvis at a right angle. The stifle joint has a distinct angle, and the hock joint should be clean cut, angular, and well let down with strong bone. The hocks must be straight when viewed from behind, contributing to the dog’s strong stance.
US
The US standard is more detailed, stating that the thighbone should align with the pelvis at a right angle, mirroring the angle of the shoulder blade and upper arm. The stifle should be at least as long as the thighbone, preferably slightly longer. The hocks should be sinewy, with good bone and strong ligamentation, and the metatarsus should be short and straight. Additionally, dewclaws may be removed. Faults include narrow thighs, cow-hocks, and poorly defined hock joints.
Feet And Tail
The feet and tail are key aspects of the Shetland Sheepdog’s conformation, with subtle but distinct differences between the UK and US standards. Both standards focus on ensuring the feet are oval, with tightly fitting toes, while the tail must meet specific requirements regarding length, set, and carriage.
UK
For the feet, the UK standard emphasizes well-padded soles and arched toes that are close together. The tail should be low set, with abundant hair and a slight upward sweep, and never kinked or curved over the back.
US
The feet in the US standard are described as oval and compact, with well-arched toes that fit tightly together. The tail should be sufficiently long to reach the hock joint and can be carried straight down or with a slight upward curve, with the caveat that it should never be curved forward over the back.
Gait
Both the UK and US standards emphasize a smooth, lithe, and graceful gait that demonstrates drive from the hindquarters and covers the maximum amount of ground with the minimum effort. Both standards also stress that the gait should be free from stiff, jerky, or up-and-down movements.
UK
The UK standard calls for a lithe, smooth, and graceful gait with drive from the hindquarters. It should cover the maximum amount of ground while requiring minimal effort. Any pacing, plaiting, or stiff movements are considered highly undesirable.
US
The US standard provides a more detailed description of the gait, stating that the movement should show effortless speed and smoothness with no jerkiness or choppy movement. The drive should come from the rear, while the reach of stride of the forelegs is dependent on correct angulation, musculation, and ligamentation of both the hindquarters and forequarters. It also warns against faults such as crossing feet, side-to-side weight shifting, or pacing gait.
Coat and Color
Both the UK and US standards accept sable, tricolour, blue merle, black & white, and black & tan as recognized colors. The UK standard provides more detailed descriptions of each color, specifying that sable can range from pale gold to deep mahogany and that blue merle should be clear silvery blue, marbled with black. The US standard, however, focuses more on faults, such as rustiness, washed-out colors, and more than 50 percent white, which leads to disqualification. Both standards allow white markings, but the UK standard is more specific about their placement, while the US standard mentions they should not be conspicuous.
UK
The UK standard requires a double coat, with the outer coat being long, straight, and harsh-textured, while the undercoat is soft, short, and close. The mane and frill should be very abundant, and the forelegs are to be well feathered. The hind legs should be profusely covered with hair above the hocks, while the area below the hocks should be fairly smooth. The coat must fit the body and should not detract from the overall outline of the dog. Smooth-coated Shelties are highly undesirable.
US
The US standard also calls for a double coat, with the outer coat being long, straight, and harsh, and the undercoat short, furry, and dense, creating a standoff effect. The mane and frill should be abundant, especially in males. The forelegs should be well feathered, and the hind legs should be heavily covered with hair above the hocks, while the coat below the hocks should remain smooth. Like the UK, the coat must fit the body and should not detract from the dog’s overall outline. Smooth-coated Shelties are also undesirable in the US standard.
Size and Proportions (UK Standard)
The UK standard for the Shetland Sheepdog sets a specific ideal height for dogs at 37 cms (14.5 ins) and for bitches at 35.5 cms (14 ins). A deviation of 2.5 cms (1 in) above or below these heights is considered highly undesirable. The body should appear moderately long, with the correct angulation and breadth of the shoulder and hindquarters playing a key role in the dog’s proportions. The back should remain relatively short, ensuring the overall proportions align with the ideal standards.
Size and Proportions (US Standard)
In the American standard, the Shetland Sheepdog is expected to stand between 13 to 16 ins (33.02 to 40.64 cms) at the shoulder. Unlike the UK standard, there is no distinction between dogs and bitches, both should fall within this range. The ideal body length should be measured from the shoulder joint to the ischium, but it should not result in an overly long back. Like the UK standard, dogs outside the size range are disqualified from shows, maintaining consistency in the breed’s proportions.
Faults in the Shetland Sheepdog (UK Standard)
Under the UK standard, any departure from the specified points in the breed standard should be regarded as a fault, with the seriousness determined by the degree of the fault and its impact on the health and welfare of the dog. The FCI standard also includes disqualifying faults like aggressive or overly shy behavior, or any physical or behavioral abnormalities. Additionally, for male animals, the standard requires that both testicles be fully descended into the scrotum.
Faults in the Shetland Sheepdog (US Standard)
The American standard is more detailed when listing faults, including heights that fall below or above the desired size range of 13-16 inches, which is considered a disqualification. Another major fault is the presence of brindle color. These specific faults are seen as highly undesirable and lead to the dog being disqualified from competitions. The US standard is strict in defining these faults, making the breed’s expectations more clear for breeders and judges.
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