Shetland Shepherd
HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
Their ancestors were taken from these islands by traders, visitors and settlers. It is seen as the perfect miniature of the long-haired collie and, like its ancestor, has the same abilities. He is a shy and suspicious canine, born guard dog and sheep herder. It is said to be an excellent dog for the agility and proofs of obedience and flyball, as it is easily trainable and full of energy. Adaptable, it is a canine classified as ideal for young or sedentary families.
Country of Origin : Great Brittany.
GENERAL APPEARANCE L : Small long-haired working dog of great beauty, by no means rustic or coarse, flexible and graceful when in action. Symmetrical in outline, in such a way that no part of its body is disproportionate to the whole. Abundant coat, mane and ruffle, the well-sculpted head and the sweetness of expression in combination, represent the ideal Shetland Shepherd.
PRO IMPORTANT PORTIONS :
• Skull and muzzle of equal length, divided at the inner corner of the eyes.
• Slightly longer from point of shoulder to end of croup than height at withers.
BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT : Alert, kind, intelligent, strong and active. Affectionate and very receptive to its owner, reserved with strangers, never nervous.
HEAD : Refined and elegant, without exaggeration; when viewed from above or in profile, it forms an elongated and truncated wedge, tapering from the ear to the nose. The width and depth of the skull are proportional to its length and that of the muzzle. The set must be considered in relation to the size of the dog.
CRANIAL REGION
skull : Flat, moderately broad between the ears, without protuberance on the occipital crest. The upper lines of the skull and muzzle are parallel.
Stop : Smooth but defined.
FACIAL REGION
Truffle : Black
lips : Fair, with black outlines
Jaws and Teeth : Level, free and strong, with a well developed jaw. Healthy teeth with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite. A complete set of 42 correctly placed teeth is highly desirable.
eyes : Medium in size, obliquely set, almond-shaped and with black eyelids. Dark brown in color, except in the case of merles, where one or both may be blue or mottled with blue.
Ears : Small, moderately broad at the base, set very close together on top of the skull. At rest, facing backwards; when alert, they face forward and are carried semi-erect, with the tips bent in the same direction.
NECK : Muscular, well sprung, of sufficient length to hold the head proudly.
TRUNK
Back: Level, with a graceful curve over the loin.
Croup: Gradually lean back.
chest : Deep, reaching the level of the elbows. The ribs are well sprung, tapering in their lower half to allow free movement of the forelimbs and shoulders.
TAIL: Low insertion; the length of the tail reaches at least to the point of the hocks; with abundant coat and slightly curved upwards. In movement, it can be raised slightly, but never above the level of the back. Never tangled.
MEMBERS
PREVIOUS : Straight when viewed from the front, muscular and defined with strong but not heavy bone
Shoulders : Well leaned back. Scapulae separated only by the vertebrae at the withers, however, are drawn back downward to allow for optimal curvature of the ribs. Shoulder joint well angulated.
arms : The lengths of the arm and scapula are approximately equal.
Elbows : They are equidistant from the ground to the withers.
Metacarpals : Strong and flexible.
HINDQUARTERS : Strong, resistant, medium boned. Viewed from behind, straight and parallel; only moderately distant. Viewed in profile, well angled.
Hocks : Well-designed articulation; well let down, angulated and short, with a strong bone. Straight hocks when viewed from behind
Paws : ovals; cushions (cushions) well padded, toes arched and well closed.
DRIVE : Agile, smooth and graceful, with propulsion provided by the hindquarters, covering maximum ground with minimum effort. Camel stride, cross, waddling or rigid motion and bouncing motion are highly undesirable.
SKIN: No folds and wrinkles, dark pigmentation.
COAT
By : Pair; the covering coat is long, stiff in texture and straight. The undercoat is soft, short and close. The mane and frill are abundant, and the forelimbs are well feathered. The hindquarters also have very copious fur above the hocks, but below the hocks the fur is soft. Soft face. The coat must conform to the body and not influence or detract from the dog's contour. Shorthaired specimens are highly undesirable.
COLOR
“Sable” (Sable): Light or shaded; all shades are accepted, from pale gold to intense mahogany; in its nuances, the color should have a lively tone. The “sable” wolf and gray are undesirable.
Tricolor: It presents an intense black in the trunk; deep brown markings are preferred.
Blue Merle: Light blue silver, stained and marbled in black. Intense brown markings are preferred, but their absence should not be penalized. Big ones Black spots, a slate color or a shade of rust, whether on the coat or undercoat, are highly undesirable. The effect produced should be blue.
Black and white; and Black and Brown: They are also equally recognized colors. White markings may appear (except in black and brown) in the frontal furrow, around the neck and chest, "frill", limbs and tail end. White marks are preferred, in part or in full (except for black and brown), but the absence of such marks should not be penalized. White spots on the body are highly undesirable.
SIZE : Males: 37 cm
Females: 35.5 cm
FAULTS
Any deviation from the terms of this standard should be considered a fault and penalized in exact proportion to its severity and its effects on the health and well being of the dog.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
• Aggressiveness or excessive shyness.
• Any dog that shows any sign of physical or behavioral anomaly must be disqualified.
GRADES
• Males must have both testicles, of normal appearance, well let down and accommodated in the scrotum.
• Only clinically and functionally healthy dogs with typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.