The Shetland Goose is a breed of geese originating from the Shetland Isles of Scotland.

The Shetland Goose looks like most other geese, but, like many of the animals originating from the Shetland Isles, is smaller in stature than a typical goose, weighing between five and six kilograms. It is thought that the geese adapted to this size, to better cope with living with the conditions of the isles. Along with the smaller size, the Shetland Goose is a good forager, not needing any extra feed if kept in captivity.

The Shetland Goose is sexually dimorphic, meaning that both sexes are discernable by their feathers alone, and at only one day old. The male goose (gander) is always white, while the females have grey highlights on their head, neck and upper body. They mate for life, and are capable of producing 15-20 white eggs per year. They also produce a prized, “gamey” carcass. The Shetland Goose is also a beneficial bird to have for its foraging capabilities, which can improve the general health of the land that it frequents.

Physically, the Shetland Goose has a well rounded breast with no sign of a keel, and an proportionally rounded back. Good specimens of the bird also have strong legs. Their bills are shorter than other types of geese, which is a product of their foraging capabilities.

The Shetland Goose is not found in large numbers outside of Scotland. They were first imported into the United States in 1997, and the American livestock Breeds Conservatory currently classes them as being in critical status.

Season's Greetings

Christmas is here once again and we wish to take this opportunity to extend our best wishes to you.

The holiday season has traditionally been a time of retrospection and gratefulness. In this spirit, we would like to thank you for your support and interest throughout the year.

We wish you only the best for the upcoming year, and hope you throughly enjoy your Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations.

The Grice is an extinct species of Scottish swine.

The Grice was predominantly found in the Shetland Isles of Scotland. The species is said to have gained its name from the Scandanavian word “gris”, which translates to “young pig”. The grice population is recorded to have been in heavy decline in the 1800s, and be completely extinct by the 1930s.

There are no known witnesses of a living grice. Though through utilizing descriptions, archeological discoveries and images, an estimated replica of the animal was created in late 2006 by the team of Dr Ian Tait, Angus Johnson and David Hollingworth.

By most accounts, the Grice was a relatively small swine with an arched back, tusks, stiff dark bristles down its back covering a coat of dark wool. The animal eventually reduced in size and became more hardy, to cope with the harsh conditions of its habitat. By all accounts it was a fierce animal and would regularly kill lambs within its vicinity. Though at the peak of its popularity a grice was owned by most crofts in the the Shetland Isles, its ferocity led to it being replaced by more placid and easy to handle species.

The Sleuth Hound was a breed of dog found in literature concerning Scotland, it is suspected of being closely related to the Bloodhound.

The primary use for the Sleuth Hound was for its famed ability to track a scent. Unlike the English, Scots used their Sleuth Hounds predominantly for tracking of thieves and other criminals, no mention is mad for its use in hunting.

The earliest written records of the Sleuth Hound are in poems describing them chasing the historic figure of Robert the Bruce and also in a separate account, William Wallace. According to the tale, Robert the Bruce was only able to escape y crossing through passing water. William Wallace on the other hand slew a man in his party, who he had suspected of treachery. The dead man threw of the Sleuth Hounds attention.

Differences between the original Sleuth Hounds and English Bloodhounds are hard to find. Some records claim that he bloodhound was somewhat bigger than the Sleuth Hound. Also, while the Sleuth Hound could only be seen in black or red, the bloodhound was reputed to have a much wider array of coats. By the 1700s differences between the breeds were in essence null, the term bloodhound came to be used even by Scots authors. No discernable trace of Sleuth Hounds are left today.

The Smooth Collie is a short-coated version of the Rough Collie. The breed originates in Scotland.

The Smooth Collie is thought to have descendant from shepherd dogs brought to the Scottish area by Romans, sometime in the 5th century, though this is down to speculation. Even the origins of the name of the breed are uncertain. Some contest that it stems from the Anglo-Saxon term for useful. Other ideas relate to the fact that the dog was used to herd sheep and a breed called "Colley" used to be plentiful in Scotland.

The modern popularity of the Smooth Collie derives from Queen Victoria's purchase of several Smooth Collie dogs for her kennel. The popularity for the breed that ensued was the cause of it no longer being considered purely as a farm dog, but one of wider appeal, even into the realm of conformation shows.

Depending on the country, the Rough Collie could be classified as the same breed as a Smooth Collie. The United States and Canada are two such examples, the United Kingdom and Australia are the opposite, with the two collies being regarded as different breeds.

Visually, the Smooth Collie is similar to the Rough Collie. It stands at least 60 centimeters high and upwards of 10 kilograms in weight. It coat is a soft but dense undercoat, with wiry guard hairs. Typically, sable, blue merle, and tri-color are the typical coats for the Smooth Collie.

Scottish Sword Dances

Scottish Sword Dances are a form of traditional dance in Scottish tradition that involves swords.

Scottish Sword Dances can be either a display of dancing ability around a laid down sword, or a more competitive affair. While it is common to the former at a contemporary display of Scottish dance and tradition, there are many records of the latter.

One of the first written instances of Scottish Sword Dances is found in "Scotichronicon" which was compiled by Walter Bower in the 1440s. The passage referrers to the marriage precession o f Alexander III on October 14th 1285. It said that within the precession, behind the bag-pipers, there was "others" who were doing a "war-dance with intricate weaving in-and-out". It talked also of a dancer so performing so deftly that some thought o him as an apparition.

In 1573, it is thought that Scottish Sword Dances almost led to the death of John III, the Swedish King at the time. The belief says that a group of Scottish mercenaries danced in front of the king. The nature of Scottish Sword Dances allowed them to approach the king with weapons drawn. Though in the end no signal was given to the dancers to commence with the assassination. In a similar, yet more friendly manner, it is thought that many traditional highland dances are derived from various forms of Scottish Sword Dances, though they are now practiced without weapons.

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is the most senior Scottish regiment in the British Army.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards were formed on the 2nd of July 1971. The regiment is comprised of The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) and the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards). Having the link to the Royal Scots Greys has made the Royal Scots Dragoons the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards uses the same motto as the Order of the Thistle and the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland, "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit". This translates to "no one touches me with impunity". The motto "second to none" is also used by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. They wear the Prince of Wale's feathers for their arm badge and their tartan is the Royal Stewart (http://scottish-heirloom.com/stewart_clan/index.html) design. Their cap badge is that of an eagle, with the word "Waterloo" underneath it. This is worn in remembrance of the capturing of the French Eagle at Waterloo by the Royal Scots Greys.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is one of the five Type 58 armored regiments in the Royal Armored Corps. The Guards consist of three armored Saber Squadrons. These each consist of Challenger 2 MBTs. There is also a slew of support vehicles like medics and fitters. The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards also have eight CVR(T) Scimitars for its Close Reconnaissance Troop.

The Rough Collie is a herding dog originated from Scotland.

The Rough Collie is best described as the "Lassie" dog, as made famous by the books and television works of Albert Payson Terhune. Those for whom the image is unfamiliar might recognize the Rough Collie's resemblance to a Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog) (http://scottish-heirloom.com/scottish-blog/index.php/2008/01/26/shetland_sheepdog).

Typically, the Rough Collie breed stands up to 66 centimeters in height. They weight upwards of ten kilograms. The head is shaped like blunted wedge, with a somewhat pointed, never square, muzzle. The Rough Collie has two coats, the downy soft undercoat and a rough but long overcoat. There is considerable roughage around the neck of the dog. Officially, the breed can be in one of three colors. The first of these is sable and white, where the sable aspect can be anywhere between pale tan and mahogany. Blue merle is a mottled grey. The last color is tricolor, which primarily consists of black edged in tan.

The Rough Collie holds its origins in Scotland and Wales. Though technically the two dogs were very similar, the Scottish was a larger, stronger and more aggressive specimen. They were used exclusively for herding dogs. The Rough Collie spread the rough the United Kingdom when the English saw the breed at markets, and eventually interbred it with some of their own dogs.

The Paisley Terrier is a now extinct breed of dog originating from Scotland.

The Paisley Terrier gets its name from the place of its original breeding, Paisley, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. The breed was also sometimes referred to as the Clydesdale Terrier, as it was sometimes bred there also.

In appearance, the Paisley Terrier is similar to the Skye Terrier. An average dog in the breed weighed approximately 7kgs. It was of a shorter stature, both in length and height, to the Skye Terrier. The coat of the Paisley Terrier was said to be long, straight, silky and typically blue or tan in color. Its breed standard described the coat is being completely straight and free of curls, waves and undercoat.

The Paisley Terrier breed was not suitable as a work dog due to the nature of its coat. The Paisley Terrier was described in "A History and Description of the Modern Dogs of Great Britain and Ireland," as being an excellent house dog, perfect for a lady seeking something more substantial than a toy dog. As a show dog it excelled, as it was shown against the Skye Terrier. Eventual turmoil arose between Skye and Paisley Terrier breeders, and the Paisley was moved into its own class. This led to its demise in popularity.

Ghillies are a type of shoe worn in some forms of Scottish dance.

Ghillies are used by men in Scottish Country Dance and by both men and women in Highland Dance. Simply put, they are very similar to ballet shows, and in-fact, many who start Highland or Scottish Country Dancing will initially use ballet shoes instead of Ghillies.

While their function is the same, Ghillies and ballet shoes do differ somewhat in appearance. Typically, ballet shoes will be fastened with elastic near the ankle, Ghillies on the other hand are typically laced over the top of the foot. Variations do exist, with some lacing around the bottom of the foot also, or their ankles. Elastic is also sometimes used, though this is restricted in dance competition. Both ballet shoes and ghillies are made of soft leather to conform to the foot.

Ghillies, unlike ballet shoes, are sometimes decorated. Colors other than black do exist for the shoes, but this is not typical. Coloring of the eyelets and stitching is common. It also has potential for similarity to clan colors. Highland Dance ghillies are bigger than their Scottish Country Dance counterparts, this is due mainly to the difference in socks worn between the two styles.