My dog is called a Shetland sheepdog; she is like a miniature collie which is the type of dog that Lassie is (collie). They are often referred to by their nickname "sheltie". She originated from Shetland, an island just north-east of mainland Britain and they were used as herding dogs. Herding dogs are used still today to help keep animals such as sheep, cattle, and poultry guarded from theft and their predators. The dogs are able to move the animals by nipping at their ankles gently and running around them. This explains why my dog sometimes bites my ankles and loves to go zooming around in circles in the backyard. She is a very intelligent dog, ranked the 6th smartest dog in the world out of 132 breeds. My dog is very energetic and loves to play and go for walks. She is a very friendly breed, she does not bite (other than the odd ankle) and is very good with children. Shelties can be used as watch dogs because they're very smart and they can distinguish right from wrong. This type of dog ranges from 11-24 lb, but of course can be slightly more or less. For example, my dog weighs around 28 lb, the result of giving her too many treats :). The Shetland sheepdog has three different coat colors: sable (tan), tricolor (white, black and tan) , and bi-black (black and white). With these coat colors, there are some modifications that can happen depending on certain genes that the dog's parents contain.
All I knew about my dog before I did this little bit of research was that she came from a breeder in Wallaceburg, Ontario and that she was sable. I had no idea that she came from Shetland and that the breed was named after the island. I guess you learn something new everyday!
The little bit of research I did came from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland_Sheepdog
I would like to introduce you to my princess, Kahlua
