Is my dog a Sheltie? Shetland Sheepdog signs
A lavish mane, a fine wedge-shaped head and ears that tip forward: the Sheltie looks like a Collie in miniature, but it is its own breed. Upload a photo to see how your dog compares.
Also known as: Sheltie, Shetland Collie
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About the Shetland Sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog comes from the Shetland Islands north of Scotland, where small, hardy dogs herded sheep on the crofts. It was later refined with Rough Collie and other small breeds, which explains the resemblance, but it is a separate breed rather than a miniature Collie. Shelties are bright, sensitive and eager to please, very attached to their family and often reserved with strangers. They tend to bark, and excel at obedience and agility.
At a glance
- Type
- Pedigree breed
- Size
- Small
- Adult weight
- 8–11 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–14 years
- Exercise
- Moderate
How to recognise a Shetland Sheepdog
- Long, straight, harsh outer coat over a dense, soft undercoat, with a full mane and frill, feathered legs and a well-furnished tail.
- Colours: sable (golden to mahogany), tricolour, blue merle, and black with white or with tan, usually with white on the collar, chest, legs and tail tip.
- Refined, long, wedge-shaped head with a flat skull, a slight stop and a rounded muzzle; almond-shaped eyes, blue allowed in merles.
- Small ears carried three-quarters erect, with the tips falling forward.
- Small, agile and slightly longer than tall, with the tail carried low and a slight upward sweep.
Photo tip. Take a side-on photo with something familiar in frame for scale, plus a face shot: size and the tipped ears are what separate a Sheltie from a Rough Collie.
Shetland Sheepdog or look-alike?
Rough Collie
The Collie has the same coat, colours and expression in a much larger frame. Size is the main difference, so a photo with something familiar for scale settles it.
Border Collie
Borders have a broader head with a definite stop, a less abundant coat without a big frill, and usually bold black and white patterning.
Pomeranian
The Pomeranian is far smaller, with a short, fox-like muzzle, small pricked ears and a tail carried flat over the back. A Sheltie’s muzzle is long and its tail hangs low.
Shetland Sheepdog mixes
Sheltie crosses with Poodles (“Sheltipoo”), Corgis, Border Collies and Pomeranians are the ones owners meet most. The tipped ears, the long narrow head and a sable or merle coat with a white collar tend to survive, though the mane is often reduced. On a photo, a Sheltie mix usually comes back as Shetland Sheepdog alongside the other parent, sometimes with Collie or Border Collie when the coat is long. A DNA test resolves which herding breeds are involved.
Health and care
- The MDR1 mutation is known in the breed; it makes common drugs such as ivermectin dangerous for dogs that carry it. A DNA test tells you, and your vet should always know the breed.
- Dermatomyositis, sometimes called Sheltie skin syndrome, causes skin lesions on the face, ears and legs and muscle loss. A DNA test is part of breed screening.
- Collie eye anomaly and von Willebrand disease type III are screened in the breed; ask for eye results and the vWD DNA test on both parents.
- Hypothyroidism, gallbladder mucoceles and epilepsy are known predispositions. Weight gain, a dull coat, vomiting or a seizure all deserve a vet check.
- Shelties gain weight easily, so portion food carefully. Brush the coat weekly and brush teeth often: small jaws crowd the teeth.