Shetland Sheepdog vs Collie
There are many types of Collie breeds and Shetland sheepdog is one of the distinguished dogs among them. Providing a clear understanding about the differentiation of Shetland sheepdog from other Collies is the main objective of this article. Their general characteristics are discussed with emphasis on differences between them.
Collie
Collie is a collection of dog breeds, developed as herding dogs, and originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies generally include small to medium sized lightly built dog breeds, but they are strong and active. Usually, they range from 10 to 20 kilograms in their bodyweights. They all have a characteristically pointed snout. however, the fur could be different depending on the type of the collie; it could be long, short, rough, or smooth. The characteristics of the tail would be important to consider, and it could be smooth, feathered, bushy, and sometimes docked. Collies have a range of colours and colourations, both among breeds and individuals of the same breed. Usually, they could be black, black-and-tan, red, red-and-tan, or sable with white bellies and shoulders. Australian cattle dog, Bordaussie, Beared collie, Rough collies, Smooth collies, Shetland sheepdogs, and Border collies are some of the major Collie types.
Shetland Sheepdog
Shetland sheepdog, aka Sheltie, is an important breed of Collies, and a small to medium sized herding dog originated in Scotland. They are usually available in various colourations including sable and white, tri colour, blue merle, and few more. These dogs are energetic and can work hard with a loud vocal, which is important in herding the sheep. Originally, they were small, but later the standards varied with countries, and the accepted heights at the withers in different countries range from 33 to 41 centimetres. However, their bodyweight ranges between five and fourteen kilograms. As in many collies, the coat is double-layered, the outer coat is rough, and the inner coat is smooth. Some of the Shetland sheepdogs have dark coloured eyes, while others have light coloured eyes. Usually, they keep their tail directing downwards and only lift it when they get excited. One of the important things about collies is that their slightly bent ears and it shows the real sheltie (same as Shetland pony) expression. They are very healthy and active dogs without many problems unless there is one with genetic disorders, and Shelties can live about 13 – 15 years.
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What is the difference between Collie and Shetland Sheepdog? · Collie is a group of breeds, while Shetland sheepdog is one of them. · Shetland sheepdog has a specific size, weight, and a coat appearance with colours, but collies have a diverse range of those features vary depending on the breed. · Collectively, Collies originated in the Northern England and Shetland. However, Shelties originated in Scotland. In fact, Sheltie originated from Rough collies. · Shetland sheepdog has a long outer coat, but it could be any of those coats for Collies as discussed above. · The ears of Collie could be semi-pricked, whereas those show the real sheltie expression in Shetland sheepdogs. · Shelties are small with a bodyweight starting from five kilograms, whereas Collies in general have a minimum weight at 10 kilograms.
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