STANDARD SHETLAND SHEEPDOG

Shetland sheepdog, breed of small, agile working dog perfected in the Shetalnd Islands in the 19th cent.

It stands form 13 to 16 in. (33.o-40.6 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 15 lb (7 kg).

Its double coat  consosts of a very dense, furry underlayer and a long, straught, harsh outercoat.

It is usually colored a combination of black and tan markings.

Although of obscure origin, the sheltie is probabily a descendant of small speciemens of the Scottish collie and the king charles spaniel. It was developed to end the diminutive sheep  of the Shetland islands, whose rugged, stormy shores have produced other small-statured animals such as the Shetland pony.

Today it is raised as a farm dog and family pert.

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