DOGS AND ALL ABOUT THEM Robert Leighton, Cassell And Company Ltd, London, GB, 1910

After the "larger and more expensive "New Book of The Dog" Robert Leighton wrote this "concise and practical handbook on matters canine". Interesting to read that "Two million dog licences were taken out in the British Isles in the course of 1909. In that year, too, as many as 906 separate dog shows were sanctioned by the Kennel Club and held in various parts of the United Kingdm." Mr. Leighton mentions the Sheltie in a special chapter called "MINIATURE BREEDS". There is no photo showing our breed in this book. The content is about the same as in the larger older book. Some of Mr. Leighton's remarks about the Sheltie sound strange, but one should remember that the book was written in 1909.

Page 309: "The diminutive Shetland Sheepdog has many recommendations as a pet. Like the sturdy little Shetland pony, this dog has not been made small by artificial selection. It is a Collie in miniature, no larger than a Pomeranian, and it is perfectly hardy, wonderfully sagacious, and decidedly beautiful. At first glance the dog might easily be mistaken for a Belgian Butterfly dog, for its ears are somewhat large and upstanding, with a good amount of feather about them; but upon closer aquaintance the Collie shape and nature become more pronounced.
The body is long and set low, on stout, short legs, which end in long-shaped, feathered feet. The tail is a substantial brush, beautifully carried, and the coat is long and inclined to silkiness, with a considerable neck-frill. The usual weight is from six to ten pounds, the dog being of smaller size than the bitch. The prettiest are all white, or white with rich sable markings, but many are black and tan or all black. The head is short and the face not so aquile as that of the large Collie. The eyes are well proportioned to the size of the head, and have a singularly soft round brightness, reminding one of the eye of a woodcock or a snipe.
The Shetlanders use them with the sheep, and they are excellent little workers, intelligent and very active, and as hardy as terriers. Dog lovers in search of novelty might do worse than take up this attractive and certainly genuine breed."

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