D allas / Ft. Worth
Sheltie Rescue
24 Hour Voice Mail: 972-994-7848
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D allas / Ft. Worth Sheltie Rescue 24 Hour Voice Mail: 972-994-7848 | |
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The Shetland sheepdog really only has two "base" coat colors: black and sable. BUT, as I'm sure you have seen, when genes combine with others that influence the coat color and pattern, "variations" occur that we have given names to. The pattern that causes the variations in face and ruff markings is in fact a completely independent gene from that which causes the different colors, and so from that perspective any amount of white on the face and ruff is purely a matter of taste; and not a requirement in the standard (in other words, a full white collar is not mandatory, nor should it be considered an exceptional virtue to the show judge) With that in mind; be aware that the drawings below are considered only representative; in reality, the amount of white on the face, ruff, and legs may vary greatly from pup to pup, and in no way affects their quality. By the way; both boys and girls make equally great pets when neutered or spayed!
The base color most of us are familiar with is sable. This is a sable/white puppy. The sable coloring can run from a reddish brown through a dark mahogany color.
The second coat color is black. This is the most commonly seen black sheltie, the tri-color, named for the three distinct colors in their coat (black, tan accents, and white)
The more rarely seen black sheltie is the bi-black. In this picture, the lighter areas on the face, etc., were only added for contrast so that you could see them! This sheltie only has two colors: black and white.
Ah, the last of the black coated shelties. This may not look black to you, but a tri that is born with the addition of the "merling" gene produces a coat color known as the blue-merle. The "blue" patterning is completely random and they may have any number of black/blue patches and dots on their body, including a few face "freckles"! As a final note, the above pictured bi-black may also be merled to produce a bi-blue.
Are we done yet? NO: There are other coat color possibilities that are seen from time to time that have not been pictured here, as they normally are not seen in the show ring. Occasionally, a white sheltie is born that is in no way inferior to the others above; except that the standard for showing shelties states that they should not be more than 50% white to be competitive in the ring. In this case, most breeders will sell these dogs as lovely pets ; or some fulfill their destiny in the obedience, agility, or herding rings. A sable dog may also be born with the merling gene; known as a sable merle; these can vary GREATLY in their patterning from barely discernable to outright patches of sable and white on the body. As in the case of the white sheltie, this does not affect their suitability as a companion, and, in fact, many are attractive enough to be competitive in the show ring (although not commonly seen). 09/19/00
Used with permission from ASSA.org
Dallas/Ft. Worth Sheltie Rescue
P.O. Box 251
Merit, TX 75458
972-994-7848