Known to much of the public for decades as a "toy Collie" or the "little Lassie dog," the Shetland Sheepdog has in recent years come into its own as a distinguished, popular breed — and, happily for its devoted fanciers, the public has moved beyond these inaccurate nicknames. Indeed, although the Shetland Sheepdog, or Sheltie, […]

Aficionado may not be a strong enough term to describe partisans of the Belgian Sheepdog. It takes the word appassionata to really convey the keen devotion of the breed's fanciers toward their dogs. The Belgian Sheepdog inspires such intense loyalty because they themselves live and love with such great passion. Their unique combination of intelligence […]

With their long, profuse double coat, the Old English Sheepdog (OES) is the quintessential shaggy dog. You can't help but know one when you see one. But what about the Bearded Collie (Beardie)? Can you recognize those as readily? In fact, it can be easy to confuse these two members of the Herding Group. You might be lucky enough to […]

The Icelandic Sheepdog's roots go back more than a thousand years. About 1,100 years ago, Norse settlers sailed west across the Norwegian Sea to Iceland. These seafaring pioneers set about creating a new Scandinavian country on the otherwise uninhabited island. Among the cultural touchstones they brought from Norway were the Nordic language and a taste […]

As a child with a passion for dogs, constantly bringing home the strays that crossed her path, Sylvia Calderwood read every book written by Albert Payson Terhune, the beloved author who was also a renowned Collie breeder. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that her heart was eventually captured by the Shetland […]

For decades, Lassie has been the star of books, movies, and television shows. This brave and intelligent dog character is a rough-coated Collie, and her incredible personality mirrors the breed's typical characteristics. Thanks to Lassie, Collies are beloved and admired. They are also effortlessly recognizable. But did you know there's a similar breed often mistaken […]

Linda Brady has been involved in dog training since 1978 but nothing quite prepared her for what she dealt with in early December. A resident of Oxford, Michigan (population 3,586), she was alerted shortly after the shootings at the town high school on November 30. “You always think something like this is never going to […]

The Puli is a serious herding breed with a history that may date back to A.D. 900 and a place in the hearts of Hungarians to this day.

This is not just another shaggy-dog story. Also known as the Polski Owczarek Nizinny, or PON for those of us who are Slavicly-challenged, the hearty Polish Lowland Sheepdog joined the Herding Group and became AKC-recognized in 2001. On the cuteness scale alone, it was no surprise that this dog stirred up a lot of enthusiasm […]

The shaggy Old English Sheepdog is a lovable pet, but they're also a hard worker and smart companion. Here are some facts you may not know about the breed.