GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 35.5-37cm (14”-14½”).
Colour: Tricolours; sables; or blue merles with a white blaze, collar, chest, legs and tail tip.
Coat: Outer coat is long, harsh and straight with a short soft undercoat. Short hair on head, ears, front and lower legs.
Gait: Graceful and lithe with fore and hind legs moving straight.
Showing activity, elegance and grace, this breed is not dissimilar to a small Rough Coated Collie. The wedge shaped head is refined and clean cut, the almond shaped eyes are obliquely placed, and the small ears are semi erect.
The arched neck carries the head proudly and runs into sloping shoulders with the elbows set beneath the withers. The body slightly longer than shoulder height, has a graceful sweep to the low set profusely feathered tail.
The forelegs are straight and clean and the well angulated hindquarters finish with arched oval feet.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
These little sheepdogs are extremely intelligent, easily trained, and ideally suited to obedience training. In the domestic environment, they make first class pets being both affectionate and biddable. Not being over friendly with unknown people, makes the Sheltie an excellent watchdog. The coat needs regular grooming using a brush with pins or bristles which reach right through to the undercoat.
HISTORY
Originally known as the Toonie dog, this breed is believed to have evolved from old hill collies and Yakki dogs, and arrived in the Hebridean Islands off the west coast of Scotland, with the Iceland fishermen. Like many things in this area (trees, ponies and sheep), a diminutive variety of sheepdog was evolved. Kept purely for utilitarian purposes and ability rather than beauty, the local crofters and farmers found these smaller sheepdogs better suited for the job of looking after their smaller sheep. Held in high esteem, these little sheep dogs always shared their owners’ home.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 35.5-41.5cm (14”-15¾”).
Colour: Black, brindle, red, black/tan and grey.
Coat: Outer coat - harsh and straight. Undercoat - soft and dense.
Gait: Light and brisk.
This sturdy muscular little dog has a well defined stop and a slight furrow up the broad skull. The short muzzle is moderately thick. The small slightly triangular eyes are set well apart, and the small erect ears incline forward in a hooded manner. A thick neck runs into high set withers and a short straight back with a chest that reaches to the elbows. The high set tail is carried over to one side of the back. Moderate angulation of fore and hindquarter assemblies.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
These little members of the spitz family are bright, active companions and due to their faithfulness make excellent pets. Their alertness means they will be aware of who are friends and should be accepted into the family group. An ideal size for apartments but not too small to enjoy free runs in the park, they make excellent pets for children. Coat care is minimal but, regular grooming will enhance the tone of the skin and keep the coat healthy.
HISTORY
Three national breeds were evolved in Japan from the Arctic Spitz group and all with the affix ‘lnu’, which means dog in Japanese. The Akita Inu is the largest and the best known of the three and also, the Japanese National Dog; then the middle sized member (43-53cm or 17”-21”) who is known either as the Nippon Inu or the Hokkaido Inu, and finally the smallest member, the Shiba Inu (‘shiba’ meaning small in Japanese). These breeds were bred in different areas of Japan for hunting and other purposes, and as a result developed different characteristics. Being ancient in origin, the Shiba Inu is an adaptable little dog, and used either for hunting small game or merely for companionship.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: Not to exceed 26.7cm (10½”). 
Colour: Whole or parti-colours - white blaze and tail tip is desirable on parti-colours.
Coat: Outercoat - long and dense, straight or slightly wavy.
Soft undercoat. Topknot is tied in a bow.
Gait: Free flowing with a proud head carriage and hind legs showing the hind pads from the rear.
Abundantly coated, the Shih Tzu always attracts attention with it’s proud arrogant carriage. The broad round skull has a distinct stop and the square muzzle is about one - quarter the length of the head. There should be a massive topknot with good beard, whiskers, well feathered ears and tail. Noses should be black, except liver is permitted in liver coloured dogs. The well spaced large round eyes should show no white in the corners, the arched neck runs into a body slightly longer than shoulder height, and the tip of the high set tail curls over the back. Muscular hindlegs finish in round feet.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE 
Pronounced ‘shid-zoo’, these spunky little dogs with their arrogant bearing retain a sense of humour well beyond puppyhood. They give the appearance of being no-one’s fool and expect certain privileges from their owners in return for an abundance of love. Regular grooming with a pin brush that reaches right through the coat is essential to keep the skin healthy and the coat free of knots - this breed does not shed coat seasonally. It is advisable to tie their topknot up in a band or bow to keep the hair out of their eyes.
HISTORY
Little dogs similar to the Shih Tzu have been found in artifacts dating back to 624 AD. However, as the Shih Tzu, Pekingese and Lhasa Apso were all known as Little Lion Dogs, it is not unnatural to presume they all have the same ancestry. Like the Pekingese, these dogs were highly respected in the Chinese Courts and around 1930, Lady Brownrigg succeeded in taking some back to England and thus the breed gradually became established in the Western world.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 51-60cm (20”-23½”).
Colour: All colours and varieties of markings, including whole white.
Coat: Outercoat - straight with guard hairs lying flat. “
Undercoat - soft and dense and of sufficient length.
Gait: Quick, light sand effortless. Single tracking when trotting at speed.
This medium sized sled dog is a member of the spitz family and the body should be moderately compact and powerful. The skull is relatively broad and the defined stop is set mid way on the head. The muzzle is tapering, and the nose colour either follows the colour of the coat or is a shade darker. The obliquely placed eyes can be blue or brown, or may be one of each colour. The triangular ears are slightly arched at the back and carried erect. The proudly arched neck runs into a strong backline and the deep chest should reach to the elbows. The pasterns slope slightly and the stifles must be well angulated. The oval feet are well furred between the toes and pads.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
These extremely friendly dogs rarely bark, and as such, do not make good watch dogs. Being one of the more friendlyof the Arctic Spitz family, they thoroughly enjoy exercising with their owners and are considerably faster than their taller cousins the Alaskan Malamute. Hardy, adaptable and friendly, they make ideal family pets; but due to their gregarious natures, are better not left on their own all day. The coat requires periodic grooming, particularly during seasonal shedding.
HISTORY
Like their Eskimo owners, much of this breed’s history is unknown. However it is fairly certain that for centuries these dogs remained pure with no outcrosses. One theory for the Siberian Husky’s outstanding endurance is that the Chukchis Eskimos in their continual search for food, had to develop a sled dog capable of travelling great distances. Early explorers were full of admiration for the Huskies and during a diphtheria epidemic in 1925 a team of Siberian Huskies carried the life saving anti-toxins through the snow to the Alaskan city of Nome.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 23-26cm (9”-10”).
Colour: Black, grey, fawn and cream with black points.
Coat: Outercoat - long, hard, straight and flat. Undercoat - short, close, soft and woolly.
Gait: Free with strong hind propulsion.
These short legged, long bodied terriers with their flowing coats are the picture of elegance. The skull and muzzle are long and strong with a slight stop. The close set eyes are preferably dark brown, and are covered with a veil of hair falling forward from the forehead. The ears may be either prick or dropped - the pricked variety must be well feathered and the inner edges must slant towards each other. The slightly crested neck runs into the long body and a deep chest. The muscular legs are well boned and the feet point forward. The gracefully feathered tail may hang down in a slight curve, or be carried straight out.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
The Skye is not a dog for everyone, he is a one person dog and often distrustful of strangers. Often sensitive, only a strong verbal reprimand is needed to make them understand what is right or wrong. Their loyalty to their master is all encompassing and often difficult to break. Weekly care of the coat is necessary in order to see that the woolly undercoat does not knot up with the outercoat.
HISTORY
One of the earliest terriers in Britain, Skye Terriers take their name from the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland. It is believed they arrived there from the Mediterranean area with the early Phoenician traders over 20 centuries ago. The breed adapted themselves well as working terriers; their long coats protecting them from the rough edges of rocky crevices, while the facial fringes protected their eyes. Queen Victoria took a fancy to this breed and owned a pair of them. In fact, their popularity was far greater in the late 19th century and at the 1902 Manchester show in England, the breed drew an entry of 110 exhibits.