As a Puppy--- Determining how big or small your Sheltie puppy will grow to is nothing more than a guess.    We know what the standard calls for in the "Show Ring".... however that does not mean that all Shelties will only grow to this size.   Size is hard to control and predict even for the best of breeders.   Many good breeders who have been breeding Shelties a long time have tried hard to  "breed out" the wrong size in their dogs.   But even then, there is no guarantee that all puppies will stay "in-size" as adults.   Two very "small" parents can and do produce very large shelties.   There is just no way to control it.

 If you are dead set on a certain size Sheltie..... adopt an adult dog.  

Miniature??    There is NO such breed as a "Miniature Collie"  OR a  "Miniature Sheltie".   Period.   If anyone tells you differently, they do NOT know what they are talking about and CERTAINLY should not be breeding Shelties!!!!!

Since  "Miniature" anything often brings a higher price............many "Mom and Pop" breeders will try and breed very small Shelties.   But that is all they are; "small shelties".     Usually a breeder like this is more interested in the financial profit from the puppies than the quality of the puppies.     So... ..our advice?   RUN the other way. 

Large Sheltie or Collie??    A large sheltie is often mistaken for a Collie.   There are many large Shelties, some can be just as big as a Collie.  So how can you tell the difference?  It is hard but not impossible for a Collie or Sheltie person.   A Collie has a different face, different eye-set, different ear-set, and proportionately is not the same as a Sheltie.   Sometimes only a "Collie or Sheltie Person" can truly tell the difference.   But the fact still remains that there are many OVERSIZED purebred shelties out there, and they are just as sweet as their "in-size" counterparts.