JUDGING THE SHETLAND SHEEPDOG
Drawing by Jean D. Simmonds from her book, The Sheltie Guide
Note that while the Standard does not specifically call for full dentition, missing teeth are a fault. You may often find a premolar missing, but we are also seeing dogs with many missing teeth, hap- hazardly crooked teeth, tiny teeth, wry mouths, and other serious problems which should not be encouraged. While you are examining the dog on the table, you may find that you have a question as to its size. Please keep in mind that there is no preferred size in our Standard nor is there any size dif- ference between the sexes. Thus, a 16-inch bitch, if she is feminine, is just as correct as a smaller one, and a 14-inch dog, if masculine, is just as correct as a 15 ½-inch dog. In fact, it is more difficult to get a good-headed and well-made SMALL Sheltie, and such a one can be a valuable asset to the breed—the great majority of the Shelties in the ring are 14 ½ inches and up. If you have any reason to think a dog may not be in size—and almost without exception this will be a question of the upper size limit—do not hesitate to measure! Do NOT simply ignore the dog—measure it, and if it is within size, place it as far up as you like commensurate with its quality. Sheltie exhibitors quickly learn who will measure, and if you get that reputation you will find that few oversize dogs are shown to you, which will make your judging easier. The Sheltie’s structure is well described in the Standard. Please take the time to boldly go into the hair to determine the true underlying structure! Profuse coats and artful grooming can camouflage many inadequacies; shallow chests, slab sides or barrel ribs, long loins, thin thighs, long hocks, and more. Lack of artful grooming can hide a quite adequate neck or make a perfectly nice topline look rumpy. What of substance? Some Shelties in the ring today have too much substance and are heavy-boned, cloddy, cumbersome-look- ing dogs. It is true that the Standard faults light bone, but nowhere does it require heavy bone. When the Standard was written, light bone was seemingly perceived as a common problem—not so today. Moreover, Shelties now are generally much more heavily coated, on top of which the current fashion is to groom legs to look fat and fluffy. You will have to feel the legs, front and rear, to determine bone. Sheltie movement is a natural result of correct structure. Again, you can think of it on the same continuum between the gait of the Belgians and that of the German Shepherd. We want efficient and easy motion, adequate reach and drive with good rear follow through, and feet traveling close to the ground. The head is natu- rally carried somewhat forward, not up in the air or pitched back. The topline is firm and level. Tail carriage in motion is level or slightly raised. The macho male may at times raise the tail almost straight up when posturing, but tails should never curl towards the head or back. The Sheltie is preferably moved on a loose lead at a nice trot—you need not condone racing! The correct Sheltie coat is a low maintenance, weather-resistant one. The outer coat is described as “harsh” but should not be wiry, and at its best the hair feels lively, clean, and supple to the touch. The undercoat is soft and lighter in color. The quality of the coat is of greater importance than sheer abudance and does vary seasonally. Bitches frequently carry less.
Remember that it is possible to have too much coat, which not only obscures the outline of the dog but could be a hindrance in a working Sheltie. Exhibitors have become very clever at thinning and barbering body coat, a practice which is not condoned by the parent club, and you may penalize it. Excessive head trimming is also not to be encouraged. And as for coloring or gooey, glued together or stiff starch coats, there is no need to tolerate them. Markings are not important unless they are faulty, such as prominent body spots or more than 50 percent white. A full white collar is handsome but no more preferred than no collar or half a collar, and the same goes for white legs or colored legs, blazes or plain faces, or “split” faces on blues and bi-color blues. Here I would suggest that in blues especially, or other colors where the distribution of markings may mislead the eye, look at the dog from both sides, both the head in profile and the entire dog. This is sim- ple to do when the dog returns from its gaiting pattern. Shelties should not be expected to show on the table or to show non-stop on the ground. If you make a small noise to attract the dog’s attention, the Sheltie may ignore you or even look away—you are a stranger and haven’t been introduced! When assessing expression (which should be done when the dog is on the ground, not the table), the best angle may be from slightly behind the exhibitor’s shoulder so that you can see the dog’s face as it responds to its handler. Unlike Toy breeds, Shelties were for many years always exam- ined on the ground. Over time, and to the general relief of judges and exhibitors, using the table for examination became fairly stan- dard procedure. It allows the judge to gain an eye-level perspec- tive of the Sheltie’s overall balance and proportion, but once again, please remember that you should not try to evaluate expression on the table, nor encourage exhibitors to bait or show their dogs while on the table. “REMEMBER that it is POSSIBLE to have TOO MUCH COAT, which not only OBSCURES the OUTLINE of the DOG but could be a HINDRANCE IN A WORKING SHELTIE.”
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2024 | 185
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