Toy Sheltie, Why breed them?
I belong to a group of breed enthusiasts, The Toy Sheltie Club of America, who feel that it is up to us to Work Together For a Better Future for our breed. Toy shelties are often referred to as undersized, unhealthy and inferior. A Toy Sheltie is a Shetland Sheepdog that other than being a very small Sheltie, is still a very correct sheltie. Why would we advocate the breeding of a dog that is believed to be inferior? Because these dogs are not inferior, history proves the smaller size was the original breed standard and was then changed after the Collie crosses were made. We are advocating the breeding of the true and correct Sheltie type in a toy size which cannot be disputed as the first Standard. Though not currently an accepted size variety by the American Kennel Club, we are working towards recognition of the Toy Sheltie as a breed in it's own right.
We feel there is a true need/desire for the smaller Sheltie. People are on the go like never before and many want their dogs to travel with them. Few breeds under 15-20lbs (airline max for carry-on dogs) are as beautiful, loving and devoted as the Sheltie. We also have more active retired people than ever before looking for the breeds they have grown to love but in packages that are easier to pick up and hande. Active families love the energy and trainability of the Sheltie, but the grooming commitment is immense. Toy/Mini Shelties do seem to have less matting undercoat and require less grooming than Standard size Shelties do. There is also the lower cost of groomers, heartworm prevention, food; thereis less hair shed in the house from a smaller dog. There is a new group of agility competitors who have found the dominance of the Sheltie agility dog in a height class below the other Shelties, is even greater! They smoke the other breeds in that class! I could go on and on, but we feel there is room for both sizes, neither being more important. We just desire a chance to demonstrate we have put much time, effort and inlligence into raising our dogs too! There are poor breeders in every size of every dog; there are some excellent beeders of toy-size Shelties, you may just need to really hunt for them.
Puppy Growth Charts - estimate the adult size several ways of your puppy!
A Letter to Our New/Expecting ParentsSheltie Coat Color Inheritance complete with calculator for litters