Breed Description
The Shetland Sheepdog is a nimble, strong and lightly-built breed of dog. These small dogs of great speed make quite a jumper. They are a combination of speed, endurance, intelligence and agility that turns out to be an excellent herder. These breed usually weighs around 14-18 pounds for males, and 12-16 pounds in females, while commonly standing around 13-15 inches tall for males, and reaching 12-14 inches tall for females.

Coat
The Shetland Sheepdog is a double coated breed with a long, harsh and straight outer coat and an inner coat that is short and furry. These dogs usually come in shades of black to sable to golden, or may come in mahogany with markings of white or tan in different sizes.

Activity
The Shetland Sheepdog has a strong herding instinct. They particularly enjoy chasing and herding things such as ducks, squirrels, and even children. They love having an opportunity to run in a wide open area. These dogs are highly active, and will require daily exercise to avoid behavioral problems.

Temperament
The gentle and affectionate Shetland Sheepdog makes an ideal companion. These eager, loving and intelligent dogs make great watchdog since they are wary of strangers. They generally get along great with children and other animals provided that they are properly socialized. These are very obedient dogs and are a pleasure to train.

Overview
The Shetland Sheepdog has stood guard for the farmers in Shetland Islands in Scotland, keeping hungry sheep and birds out of their garden. They have even been used as herding dogs, too. Now, they are great family companions and highly competent in dog sports.

Care
The Shetland Sheepdog doesn't require that much grooming. They would require brushing twice a week with a pin brush to get rid of hair from the top coat. While doing this, be careful not damage the inner coat. These dogs are moderate shedder, and usually blow their coats twice yearly.

Training
Due to the high intelligence of the Shetland Sheepdog, training is commonly successful and simple. It is even easier especially if training is started while they are still puppies. Not that it would be hard to train an older one. They would still be trainable, using the right training methods. They will do well in professional training classes where they can be socialized and trained at the same time. This can generally be a success as this breed is highly intelligent and will learn fast. Part of their general personality is their inherent willingness to obey quickly, which makes training exceptionally easy for this breed. This is mostly due to their strong herding instinct that has been born with these herding breeds.

Character
Loyal and devoted, the Shetland Sheepdog has a character that is full of life, with the eagerness to obey and please, thus making training easy. These are affectionate and loyal dogs that show their deep devotion to their family.