I'm very sad

Barb, personally I think it is a matter of taste. Some breeders seem to like more "bone" and a stockier look while others like them to look more European and fine-boned. Buffy's very fine-boned and small for her line, but even so, she didn't look out of place among the breeder's 30 or so Shelties when we had a reunion.

Some Shelties are more lanky looking (the Laureate line) while others look more tall or square (like Buffy's line). My auntie's line looked like collies because that's her first love, but I think there was something about Abby that was uniquely Sheltie as well; she was very slight and had that Sheltie stop and build. I'm not an expert or anything, but I think you want that magical happy medium. It seems to me I have seen non-sables with healthy snouts but that's just me. The size of the snout is what makes the dog look masculine or feminine to me. With both Buffy and Abby there was something about their expressions that looked "girly."

I think Indy looks more like a show dog than Bacca, but they are both beautiful. I love the soft look in Bacca's eyes. You can tell he is a sweetie.

 

I would be worried about him at that age too. I generally would say 1/4" drop at maximum could be probable. I am the type though that doesn't begin to breath a bit easy until they reach a year. Gilly measured in at 15" at seven months... at that point I stopped measuring and decided to hold my breath and wait and see what happens. At a year, he's 15 3/4".
When I first started in shelties, I really liked to see a good deal of bone. But the further I've gone the less I like to see it. My Chance is considerably over blessed with it. He's also 16" and I feel that it has hurt him in the ring at times.

 

I would take Porter in a flash, since he is Zak's long lost twin. Would be fun to see people figure out who is who. LOL

 

How heartbreaking if he goes, and stays over. You deserve the very best!

i am the fabulously lucky recepient of two great sheltie boys who are too tall, but fit my life just fine. . I spent several months in anticipation that a certain young lad would go over, and I was keenly disappointed when he didnt and was retained by his breeder. Sigh. It isnt nice to pray for oversize... And I didn't, really. However, now i've got my moose size sheltie boy puppy, 16" at 16 weeks, and who knows or cares if he will fit in the crate, the car, or the backyard. He's my boy boy and I loves him.

Didnt I see a call for DNA samples to be sent in an effort to figure out the genes that control growth? Might have been dreaming...