All About the Shetland Sheepdog! Quiz

Answer: Herding

Shelties are herding dogs, and were originally bred to herd cattle. Even if your Sheltie has no cattle to herd, you may recognize some herding traits in your dog. They may run in circles and even nip at your heels to keep everyone in the same room.

Answer: False

Despite their similar appearances, Shelties were not developed by breeding collies for smaller sizes. The Sheltie was originally a mixed-breed dog, and is believed to have been a mix of the King Charles Cavalier, the Pomeranian, and the rough collie.

Answer: Physical exercise and mental exercise

Despite their small size, Shelties were originally bred to be herding dogs. Therefore, they need to exercise regularly. A short run or a long walk will make the Sheltie happy. In addition, Shelties are one of the smartest dog breeds, and need to be kept busy.

Answer: Cocker Spaniel

According to the AKC, Shelties should stand between 13 and 16 inches tall. A Sheltie's height is determined by measuring a line perpendicular to the ground from the top of the shoulder blades, when the dog is standing naturally. A dog with a height outside of the AKC range is disqualified from the show ring.

Answer: False

The average Sheltie is very vocal and especially reactive to outside stimuli. Because of this, a typical Sheltie makes a good guard dog.

Answer: 3

The three basic colors of a Shetland sheepdog, according to the AKC, are tri-color, blue merle, and sable. There are many color variations within these standards, however.

Answer: Scotland

The Sheltie originated in the Shetland Islands, a cold and rugged set of islands located closer to the Arctic Circle than to mainland UK. Today, there are enough Shelties living in the US to continue the breed without having to ship dogs in from Scotland. In fact, Shetland sheepdogs are now a rare breed in the Shetland Islands.

Answer: Agility, obedience, herding, and more

Because of their intelligence, Shelties can compete in any number of dog shows. Even if a Sheltie differs from the breed standard and is disqualified from the show ring, he or she can still compete in agility, obedience, and other events.

Answer: Top 10%

According to Dr. Coren's studies on the intelligence of 132 different dog breeds, Shelties ranked sixth in intelligence. In his tests, Shelties were able to understand a new command after being told it fewer than five times on average, and obeyed commands the first time they were given at least 95 percent of the time.

Answer: 1911

Although Shelties were first registered with England's Kennel Club in 1909, it was 1911 before the first Sheltie, Lord Scott, was registered by the American Kennel Club. U.S. breeders imported Shelties from England until the 1950s. Today, almost all Shetland Sheepdogs in the U.S. are descended from dogs that were imported from England between World Wars I and II.