The Scottish Shepherd is on the list of the most graceful, beautiful, elegant dogs. The appearance of the dogs was affected by the unfavorable, harsh climate of Scotland, which formed a long, thick, lush coat that would effectively protect the dog from the effects of low temperatures. There is an opinion that the old type of sheep-dogs of this breed was crossed with setters and greyhounds, thanks to which the dogs embellished their appearance and they became more rapid.
Historical reference
The Scottish sheepdog is sometimes called - Sheltie, refer this breed to shepherd dogs. In ancient times, Scottish cattle breeders successfully bred this breed of dogs for grazing sheep.
The breed of sheltie dogs to Scotland was imported from Iceland and despite the severe Scottish climate, it has perfectly taken root. This breed of dogs coped well with its task of grazing sheep, the dogs simplified the work of the shepherds by successfully knocking down the sheep that had lagged back into the herd. Very often the Scottish sheepdog is called a "collie", whereas the latter is an independent breed of dogs, although in those times both breeds showed themselves as the best shepherd dogs. Collies in their sizes differ from sheltie, they are much larger, and Scottish dogs even affectionately nicknamed the "Scottish pony."
As a separate breed, the Scottish Shepherd Dog was recognized in 1860 at the Dog Show, which was held every year in Scotland. Until now, dog breeders and cynologists have successfully managed to breed Scottish Shepherds with their good psychological qualities and acceptable appearance.
Main characteristics
The breed has a narrow, long head, in comparison with the sheepdogs of other breeds is very expressive. The bite of dogs of this breed is scissor-shaped, with strong, strong, but small teeth. Lips are solid, dark in color. The lower lip is covered by the upper lip. The lower lip is closely adjacent to the jaw.
The breed has obliquely arranged eyes. The eyes have the form of almonds. Most of the eyes are of a dark brown color, sometimes brown in color. The size of the eye is usually proportional to the size of the skull.
The ears of the breed are small in size, resembling a triangle in shape. The ears should be in a standing position, the tips of the ears should be slightly lowered forward, but should not fit snugly to the auricle.
The breed has a strong, muscular neck, smoothly passing into the withers. The breast is developed, deep, moderately broad. The line of the breast is placed at the level of the elbows from below. The breed has a well-tucked up stomach. Withers well developed, high. The back is strong, straight with a sinewy and short loin, which gradually turns into an elongated, moderately wide croup.
The forelimbs, when viewed from the front, are parallel. The humeroscopic articulations organize an angle of 120 °. Oval paws have closed fingers, straight forearms, pointing down claws, slightly inclined, not long pasterns. The hind legs, when viewed from the rear, are parallel to each other and look straight. The thighs of Shetland are muscular, well developed.
The tail reaches the hock, resembling the shape of a saber. When the dog is calm, the tail is lowered down, but it is worth the dog's excitement, as the tail rises above the back, but it does not fall over it.
Wool - long coarse hairs. The longest hair grows on the neck, withers, cheeks. On the croup the wool is the toughest. On the back edges of the hips a lush and long hair grows, forming "trousers". On the muzzle, front limbs, cheeks, forehead short hair, tightly fitting to the body.
The color of the breed is often black-pie or yellow-piebald, and, in general, the color of this breed differs a wide variety. There are dogs with a tri-color color with a white line on the head and with a pattern. The collar is white and broad, reaches the shoulders, and then passes into the chest and white limbs. The nose is always black. The tail has a white tip. You can meet a representative of this breed with a prevalence of white (75% or more) with a stroke of dark color around the eyes. Sometimes the wool can be of marble-piego color, the sheep-dogs of such color on the modern zoo market are very expensive.
Psychological picture
The Sheltie breed has a beautiful appearance, calm, peaceful, soft character, allowing to babysit with young children, that's why she won love for herself. Dogs of this breed are devoted and affectionate, they are extremely friendly towards the kids. Scottish Shepherds are characterized by sharp minds, high degree of dedication. Representatives of the breed are intelligent, their attention is always focused on objects that are interesting to them, that's why they became shepherd dogs. In the Far East at present, representatives of this breed are used as shepherds of spotted deer. Other types of sheepdogs can not cope with deer because of their caution and timidity.
Care and maintenance
Sheltie is a breed that can safely endure an apartment setting, but on condition of a regular walk in the fresh air. The Scottish Shepherd in care and eating is not whimsical. However, regular bathing and combing the dog will make the hair more lush.
Puppies and workouts
Sexual maturity of the sheep dog is reached after two years, the males grow up a bit later than the bitches. Puppies are recommended to be trained from an early age, as they grasp everything on the fly and are easily amenable to training. Do not force or force the puppy to perform commands, and during training you can not shout at dogs.
With good training Scottish shepherd can become a guard dog, though it will be inferior to some official breeds (dogs that are intended for guard duty).
Weight and dimensions
Growth in Scottish Shepherds average. Males at the withers - 33-38 centimeters, females - 30-35.5 centimeters. The Scottish sheepdogs have abundant lush wool because of what they seem to be larger. Weight of representatives of the breed varies between 8-11 kg. Sheltie weight is always proportional to the size of the body.