Shetland Sheepdog gear

http://www.cafepress.com/offthewall5/9436908


The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog. They are small to
medium dogs, and come in a variety of colors, such as sable/white, tri-color, and blue merle. They
 are vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and work hard. They are
partly derived from dogs used in the Shetland Isles for herding and protecting sheep. The breed
was formally recognized by the Kennel Club in 1909.
The Shetland Sheepdog's early history is not well known. Although of obscure origin, the sheltie
is probably a descendant of small specimens of the Scottish collie and the King Charles spaniel.
It was developed to tend 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 pet.They were originally a small mixed-breed dog, often 10–13
inches (250–330 mm) in height and it is thought that the original Shetland herding dogs were of
Spitz type, and were crossed with collie-type sheepdogs from mainland Britain. In the early
20th century, James Loggie added a small Rough Collie to the breeding stock, and helped establish
what would become the modern Shetland sheepdog. The original name of the breed was "Shetland
Collie", but this caused controversy among Rough Collie breeders at the time, so the breed's name
was formally changed to Shetland Sheepdog.