Origin: Great Britain
AKC Group: Herding
Height: 13 - 16 inches (Male)
Weight: 14 - 18 pounds (Male)
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While the Shetland Sheepdog, known to his admirers as the Sheltie, may look like a miniaturized version of a rough Collie (or "mini Lassie") he's not - the breed has actually existed as a much-valued working dog for hundreds of years. Developed on Scotland's Shetland Islands, the sheep farmers there needed a smaller-type sheepdog who could withstand the harsh terrain and cold, damp weather. The original Shetland Collie (from whom the Sheltie is derived) was nimble footed, compact, highly intelligent and eager to please - traits that made him well suited as a herder of the smaller strains of livestock bred to forage the sparse landscape of that rugged place. This ancestor was intermixed with many other breeds, possibly including the Icelandic Sheepdog, Greenland Yaki, small spaniels and collies, including the Border Collie.
Once the breed was standardized in Britain, around 1908, it began to appear on American shores. At that time, American breeders began crossing Shelties with Collies, making for a slightly larger breed than in England and Scotland. Outcrossing eventually stopped, and the breed was standardized to the size seen today.
The first Shelties shown in England were known as "Shetland Collies," as they could be sold for more money to capitalize on the popularity of the Collie. After Collie breeders complained, the name was changed to "Shetland Sheepdog," around 1908.