Shetland Sheepdog
Breed Standard
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