Coloration
Several coat colors exist. There are three main acceptable show colors, sable
(ranging from golden through mahogany), tricolour (black, white, and tan) and
blue merle (grey, white, black, and
tan). Bi-Blues (grey, black, and some white) and bi-blacks (white and black) are
less common but still acceptable. The best-known color is the sable, which is
dominant over other colors. Shaded, or mahogany, sables can sometimes be
mistaken for tricolored Shelties due to the large amount of dark shading on
their coats. Another name for a shaded sable is a tri-factored sable and white.
This names comes from the breeding of a shaded sable, which is a tri-color to a
sable and white, or a tri-factored sable to another tri-factored sable.
Another acceptable color in the show ring, but much less seen, is the sable merle, which can often be hard to distinguish from regular sables after puppyhood. Double merles, the product of breeding two merle Shelties together, can be bred but have a higher incidence of deafness or blindness or retardation than the other coat colors.
There are few additional coat colors that are quite rare because they are unacceptable in the breed ring, such as color-headed white (majority of fur white, with the head 'normally' marked). There have been reports of a brindle Sheltie but many Sheltie enthusiasts agree that a cross sometime in the ancestry of that specific Sheltie could have produced a brindle coat.
Coat and grooming
Grooming
Shelties have a double coat. The topcoat consists of long, straight, water-repellent hair, which provides some protection from cold and the elements. The undercoat is short, furry, and very dense in order to help keep the dog warm. The Sheltie is usually a clean dog and should only need to be brushed once or twice a week (it is helpful to spray-mist with water when brushing). Mats can be commonly found behind the ears, under the elbow on each front leg, and in the fluffy fur on the hind legs (the "skirts").Although its coat might appear to be a time-consuming task, a once-weekly, but thorough, brushing is all that is needed, though more frequent groomings will contribute to a beautiful and tidy coat. Shelties 'blow' coat usually twice a year, often at spring and fall, and should be groomed more often at those times. A good brushing with an undercoat rake, which removes the dead and loose hair from its coat daily should reduce the amount of hair that is shed.
It is easiest to teach a dog to tolerate, or even enjoy, grooming if they are shown that it is a pleasurable thing from a young age. Breeders usually teach the dogs to lie on their side, be brushed, and then flip over to the other side.
Toenails and hair between the pads need to be trimmed every couple of weeks.
Show dogs may require more frequent brushing to keep their coats in top condition. Regular brushing encourages undercoat growth, distributes healthful oils produced by the skin, and prevents sores known as "hotspots" which can occur when dead undercoat is allowed to accumulate close to the skin.
Most Shelties learn to love the attention that grooming provides, if the routine is started when the dog is still young.
Size
The size of a Sheltie (at the withers) can range from being undersize (under 13 inches) to being oversize (over 16 inches.) The average height of a Sheltie is 14-15 inches.
