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Animal register · DogIn the app

Shetland Sheepdog

Sheltie, Shetland Collie (former name)

The Shetland Sheepdog comes from Great Britain and is a small, long-haired working dog. The FCI standard describes an alert, gentle, intelligent, strong and active dog, affectionate and loyal to its owner and reserved towards strangers, with a head like a long, blunt wedge, small ears carried semi-erect with the tips falling forward and a double coat with a long, harsh outer coat; the colours are sable, tricolour, blue merle, black and white, and black and tan, and the ideal height is 37 cm for males and 35.5 cm for females. PetPrep draws it sable and white.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day and grooming every day, and gives its lifespan as over 10 years. The PDSA says Shelties are very gentle, playful, obedient dogs that often fit well into family life and get along happily with children, and that training and socialisation are very important at a young age. The AKC adds that they need regular mental and physical exercise, would fare best with older children because of their herding instincts, and are known to be very vocal.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Shetland Sheepdog — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S291
Adult weight
males 6.8–11.3 kg, females 6.8–11.3 kg — American Kennel Club S294
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S291
Brushing
every day — The Royal Kennel Club S291
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S291
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S291

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • family lifeS293
  • families with childrenS293

Keep in mind:

  • needs mental challengesS294
  • may “herd” children at playS294
  • needs brushing several times a weekS291S293
  • shedsS291

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S291

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S291

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S291

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • Height at the withers: males 37 cm, females 35.5 cm — FCI S290
  • Adult weight: males 6.8–11.3 kg, females 6.8–11.3 kg — American Kennel Club S294

Training

  • No. 6 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 88, group 1 (sheepdogs and cattle dogs); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S289

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Shetland Sheepdog need?

According to our sources, the Shetland Sheepdog needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S291.

How long does a Shetland Sheepdog live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Shetland Sheepdog is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S291.

How big does a Shetland Sheepdog get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Shetland Sheepdog, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S291; Adult weight: males 6.8–11.3 kg, females 6.8–11.3 kg — American Kennel Club S294.

How much grooming does a Shetland Sheepdog need?

Coat and grooming of the Shetland Sheepdog, according to our sources: Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S291; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S291; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S291.

Who is the Shetland Sheepdog a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Shetland Sheepdog as a good fit for: family life — PDSA S293; families with children — PDSA S293. Keep in mind: needs mental challenges — American Kennel Club S294; may “herd” children at play — American Kennel Club S294; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S291S293; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S291.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 90 (7.5 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.8× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 7 times a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S291

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Inherited eye diseases occur in the breed: collie eye anomaly, an abnormality at the back of the eye, and progressive retinal atrophy, which can slowly lead to blindness; eye testing and DNA tests are available. — PDSA S293
  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S293
  • Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S293
  • Some dogs of the breed have an inherited sensitivity to certain medicines (multi-drug sensitivity, MDR1) — if your dog is affected, tell your vet. — The Royal Kennel Club S291

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S291

Further tests for best practice

  • DNA test for collie eye anomaly (CEA/CH) — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • DNA test for multi-drug sensitivity (MDR1) — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (BBS2-PRA) — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (CNGA1-PRA) — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • DNA test for von Willebrand disease type 3 (vWD3), an inherited bleeding disorder — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S291
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S291

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S289FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — SHETLAND SHEEPDOG (88)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/SHETLAND-SHEEPDOG-88.html
  11. S290FCI — FCI-Standard N° 88 Shetland Sheepdog (PDF, valid standard 08.09.2026)https://WWW.FCI.BE/Nomenclature/Standards/088g01-en.pdf
  12. S291The Royal Kennel Club — Shetland Sheepdog — breed information page (Breeds A to Z)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/pastoral/shetland-sheepdog
  13. S293PDSA — Shetland Sheepdog breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/shetland-sheepdog
  14. S294American Kennel Club — Micaela Erickson (published 2026-04-22) — Is the Shetland Sheepdog a Good Fit for You?https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/shetland-sheepdog-right-for-you/
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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