Editing Shetland Sheepdog (section)

==History==
[[Image:Shetland Sheepdog from 1915.JPG|thumb|Photograph from 1915|alt=]]
Unlike many miniature breeds that resemble their larger counterparts, this breed was not developed simply by [[selective breeding|selectively breeding]] the [[Rough Collie]] for smaller and smaller size. The original sheepdog of [[Shetland]] was a [[Spitz]]-type dog, probably similar to the modern [[Icelandic Sheepdog]].{{cn|date=March 2024}} Strong evidence suggests that this dog was bred with the ''Yakki'', an Icelandic dog that accompanied [[whaler]]s from [[Greenland]] who landed in the ports of the island. The Yakki was about {{convert|14|in|cm}} in height and usually black with tan or white markings. Many of the early Shetlands were black and white or black and tan and this colouring can still be see in the muzzle of some sables dogs today whose muzzles are referred to as "smutty muzzles". Folk tales also mention a [[King Charles Spaniel]] that came from a yacht. [[Pomeranian dog]] ancestry is likely given the appearance of the breed. The first club for the breed called for a dog similar to the Rough Collie except in size, the standard called for dogs to be no taller than {{convert|15|in|cm}}. Other clubs called for similar standards with the breed to essentially be a miniature. These standards led to people adding in collie blood to the breed to achieve said type. The [[Kennel Club]] originally refused to recognise the breed but later agreed to on the condition the name was changed from Shetland Collie due to opposition from collie breed clubs.<ref name="herbert" /> The original Spitz-type working sheepdog of Shetland is now extinct, having been replaced for [[Herding dog|herding]] there by the Border Collie. Shetlands were used for herding until commercial livestock farming required larger breeds.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sheltie Talk|last1=McKinney|first1=Betty Jo|last2=Riesberg|first2=Barbara|publisher=Alpine Publications|year=1985|isbn=0-931866-17-0|location=Loveland, Colorado|page=2}}</ref>

When the breed was originally introduced breeders called them Shetland Collies, which upset Rough Collie breeders, so the name was changed to Shetland Sheepdog.<ref name="herbert" /><ref>{{cite book | last=McGowan | first=Charlotte Clem | title=The Shetland Sheepdog in America | publisher=Best Friends | year=1999}}</ref> During the early 20th century (up until the 1940s), additional crosses were made to Rough Collies to help retain the desired Rough Collie type – in fact, the first English Shetland champion's dam, Gesta, was a rough Collie.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bowlingsite.mcf.com/Colliecross.html |title=Collie Crosses behind Shetland Sheepdogs |last=Bowling |first=Sue Ann |website=bowlingsite.mcf.com |access-date=21 October 2021}}</ref> The year 1909 marked the initial recognition of the Shetland by the English Kennel Club, with the first registered Shetland being a female called Badenock Rose. The first Shetland to be registered by the [[American Kennel Club]] was "Lord Scott" in 1911.<ref name="history">{{cite web|url=http://bowlingsite.mcf.com/SheltieHistory.html |last=Bowling |first=Sue Ann |title=Shetland Sheepdog Breed History |website=bowlingsite.mcf.com |access-date=4 April 2011}}</ref>