Shetland Sheepdog

The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog. Less favored nicknames are the Toy Collie and the Miniature Collie. They are small dogs, and come in a variety of colors, such as sable, tri-color, and blue merle. They are very intelligent, vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and work hard. They are partly derived from dogs used in the Shetland Isles for herding small sheep or, just as likely, for chasing sheep and birds out of the crofter's gardens, along with several very small or toy breeds such as the King Charles Spaniel (not to be confused with the more modern Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), the Pomeranian, and the now extinct Yakki Dog. The breed was formally recognized by The Kennel Club in 1909.

The Shetland Sheepdog's early history is not well known. Although of obscure origin, what is known is that the Sheltie is a direct descendant of the Colkie the Sheltie is a descendant of small specimens of the Scottish Collie and the King Charles Spaniel. It was developed to tend the diminutive sheep of the Shetland Islands, whose rugged, stormy shores have produced other small-statured animals such as the Shetland pony. Today it is raised as a farm dog and family pet. They were originally a small mixed-breed dog, often only about 8 inches to 12 inches in height at the shoulder. in height and it is thought that the original Shetland herding dogs were of Spitz type, and were crossed with Collies from mainland Britain. In the early 20th century, James Loggie added a small Rough Collie to the breeding stock, and helped establish what would become the modern Shetland sheepdog. The original name of the breed was Shetland Collie, but this caused controversy among Rough Collie breeders at the time, so the breed's name was formally changed to Shetland Sheepdog.