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Shetland Sheepdog | Sheltie Dog Breed Introduction
Shetland Sheepdog ( popularly known as Sheltie) is a herding dog that originated from Scotland in the Shetland Islands. Shelties look like miniature Collies. Initially, they were known as Shetland Collie. However, this caused discourse among Collie breeders of the time. Therefore, the name was changed to Shetland Sheepdog. Shelties are vocal, intelligent, willing to please, and excitable.
Shetland Sheepdog Origin | History
Shelties were developed on the rocky Shetland Islands in Scotland. They were used by farmers to herd poultry, sheep, and ponies. Some believe that these dogs were created by selectively breeding the Rough Collie for a smaller size. This is because Shelties eat small amounts of food as compared to Collies and other large herding dogs. Breeding Collies to a smaller size was an important consideration in the harsh cold climate of Shetland Islands where food can be scarce.
Although, there are people who believe Shelties were a Spitz-type of dog that was crossed with mainland working collies brought to the islands. These dogs were further crossed with Rough Collie and other breeds probably the King Charles Spaniel, Greenland Yakki, Pomeranian, and possibly the Border Collie after they were brought to England. The Kennel Club of England first recognized Shelties in 1909. The American Kennel Club registered its first Sheltie in 1911.
Shetland Sheepdog Lifespan
A Sheltie is a relatively long-lived breed that has a lifespan of 12 to 14 years. However, some may live up to the age of 18 years.
Sheltie Grooming | Shetland Sheepdog Grooming
A Sheltie has a profuse double coat that sheds all-year round at moderate levels and heavily during Spring and Fall. Sheltie dams often shed a lot right before or after giving birth. Neutering or spaying may alter the coat texture making it softer, more profuse, and even more prone to matting. The coat needs twice a week brushing and daily brushing during the heavy shedding seasons to remove the loose hair before it drifts all over the house. Regular brushing helps to confine the dead hair in the brush that would otherwise spread around the house.
Always spritz the coat with a spray conditioner or a detangling spray while brushing to prevent hair breakage. While brushing the coat, pay special attention to the area behind the ears, fluffy fur on the hind legs, under the elbow of each leg, around the collar, and in the pants ( under the tail) which are prone to matting and tangling. The profuse coat is likely to pick up seeds and grass burrs after an outdoor activity. Brush the coat to remove the foreign materials. Work on the mats using a slicker brush and a stiff-bristle brush to work on the rest of the coat.
Shelties need an occasional bath every 6 to 8 weeks unless they roll into something stinky. Always brush the coat before bathing the dog to remove mats that get messier when wet. Use a hypoallergenic shampoo designed for double profuse coat to bath your dog and conditioner to moisturize the coat. After a bath, thoroughly rinse off the cleaning products from the skin to prevent skin irritation. Dry off the coat before line brushing it to prevent mats and tangles. Clean the eye corners using a damp clean cloth or friendly canine wipes.
Trim the nails fortnightly using nail trimmers to prevent overgrowth, splitting, and cracking if the nails do not get worn out naturally. Brush the teeth of a Sheltie at least twice a week if not daily to remove excess tartar buildup using a dog-formulated toothpaste and toothbrush. Clean the ears on a weekly basis to remove dirt, debris, and excess wax using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls. While cleaning the ears, check out for a dark discharge, redness, or odor. These are symptoms manifested by a dog that is suffering from an ear infection.
Sheltie Haircut | Grooming Styles
Parents and groomers are cautioned against shaving the coat of a Sheltie. The profuse double coat protects the dog against heat and sunburn as well as cold. However, pet owners may trim the hair between paw pads and under the hocks for a neater appearance as well as the rear end for sanitary purposes.
Sheltie Grooming Tools
To fully groom a Sheltie, the owner utilizes the following grooming tools: a slicker brush, grooming table, a stiff-bristle brush, a detangling spray or a spray conditioner, hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner for double coated dogs, a dry towel, lukewarm water, damp clean washcloth or canine wipes, ear cleanser solution, cotton balls, nail clippers, dog-formulated toothpaste, pet scissors, and toothbrush.
Shetland Sheepdog | Sheltie Shedding
A Sheltie sheds all-year round at moderate levels and heavily when experiencing seasonal change in Spring and Fall. Although, Sheltie dams shed right before or after giving birth.
Sheltie Shedding Season
Shelties shed throughout the year at moderate levels and heavily in Spring and Fall when experiencing seasonal change.
Sheltie Hair | Coat | Coat Type
A Sheltie has a profuse double coat consisting of a top coat and an undercoat. The top coat has rough guard hairs that are water repellant while the undercoat is soft and thick providing relief from both high and low temperatures. The frill and mane should be abundant and especially impressive in males.
Shetland Sheepdog | Sheltie Hypoallergenic
Shelties shed all-year round at moderate levels and heavily in spring and fall. Shedding releases dander and hair into the environment triggering allergic reactions. Apart from Sheltie’s dander and hair, the urine, mucus, and saliva contain a protein allergen that aggravates allergies.
Sheltie Training | Shetland Sheepdog Training | How To Train A Sheltie
A Sheltie is an intelligent dog that is willing to please making it easily trainable. Naturally, a Sheltie is a herding dog that loves to herd anything that is in motion including birds, cars, and bicycles. Therefore, train this breed in safely secured yard that is free of moving objects to avoid distraction. Shelties also need early socialization to avoid shyness and being afraid of anything outside their homes. This training enables the owner to raise a well-mannered, well adjusted Sheltie. Socialization training starts from the age of 3 weeks while the Sheltie puppy is with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks after it has already settled in its new home.
Usually, owners take their pets home from the age of 8 weeks. Socialization may still continue after the age of 8 weeks to ensure the dog matures to have an all-rounded temperament. To socialize a Sheltie, expose it to a wide variety of people, places, situations, sights, smell, surfaces, experiences, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, whistles, and sirens. Enrolling a Sheltie in a puppy class will also serve as a form of socialization. These classes create a controlled environment where canines get to interact.
Puppy classes also empowers the pet parents to not only identify and correct bad habits but also have access to training information and assistance. Keep the training sessions short for a span of 5 minutes distributed throughout the day. The training sessions should be fun and challenging to avoid boredom and distraction. Shelties respond well to a gentle hand and use of positive training methods such as petting, play time, treats, toys, and verbal praise. These are sensitive dogs that will shut down during training if negative correction methods are used such as yelling, shoving, kicking, and beating.
Start teaching basic command words such as come, sit, lie down, stay, leave it, heel, speak, quiet, etc. one at a time until the Sheltie is well-acquainted before proceeding to the next command word. Avoid issuing a command word while too excited or frustrated since it will not sound the same to your pooch. According to Dr. Stanley, a Sheltie understands a new command in fewer than five repetitions. These dogs also obey a command the first time it was given 95% of the time or even better. Shelties are vocal breeds that express their happiness with barking. Teaching them the quiet command is crucial to train the pet to stop barking when desired.
Fully housebreak a Sheltie by creating a feeding schedule, potty training, and crate training. A crate is an invaluable device while potty training. It enables the Sheltie parent to closely monitor the dog for signs that it wants to eliminate such as whining, squatting, circling, sniffing, restlessness, and trying to lift a leg against the crate door. Get positive outcomes when potty training by taking the pet to the delegated toilet area immediately it comes home from the breeder, first thing when it wakes up in the morning, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, after naptime, every 2 to 3 hours, following an exciting activity, and before bedtime. The bladder and bowel muscles of a puppy strengthens as the dog matures. Therefore, after the age of 8 months, a Sheltie should go for potty breaks every 6 hours.
Shetland Sheepdog Temperament | Sheltie Temperament | Traits
- Intelligent.
- Vocal.
- Willing to please.
- Affectionate.
- Sensitive.
- Obedient.
- Quick.
- Active.
- Agile.
- Reserved towards strangers.
- Diligent.
- Excitable.
- Playful.
- Lively.
- Gentle.
- Sweet-natured.
- Athletic.
- Energetic.
Shetland Sheepdog Exercise Needs
This is an athletic and active dog that requires moderate amount of exercise everyday in form of daily walks and romping in a secured yard. Shelties are also adaptable to their family’s way of life. They may also reside in an apartment as long as the owners provide sufficient exercise. These dogs thrive on outings with their people that will exercise their mind and body. Shelties may be mentally and physically stimulated by participating in canines events such as herding, agility, obedience, and tracking.
Shetland Sheepdog Barking | Do Shelties Bark A Lot
A Sheltie is a vocal breed that is reserved towards strangers and barks to alert the owner when they are approaching. This dog also expresses it happiness by barking. Pet parents should teach the dog the quiet command to train a Sheltie to stop barking when desired.
Sheltie Height
Both female and male Shelties have a height of 13 to 16 inches ( approx. 33 to 41 cm ).
Sheltie Weight
Adult Shetlands have a weight of 15 to 25 pounds ( approx. 6.8 to 11.3 kg ).
Sheltie Size
A Sheltie is a small-sized herding dogs that has a height of 13 to 16 inches ( approx. 33 to 41 cm ) and a weight of 15 to 25 pounds ( approx. 6.8 to 11.3 kg ).
Shetland Sheepdog Aggressive
Although Shelties are reserved with strangers, they are neither aggressive or timid if they are properly socialized from an early age.
Sheltie Hair Loss
A Sheltie experiences the normal hair loss at moderate levels throughout the year and heavily during spring and fall in a process known as shedding. However, the dog may experience excessive hair loss due to hypothyroidism, alopecia, mange, allergies, stress, and hormonal changes such as increase in estrogen levels that causes thinning of the coat during the heat season.
Sheltie Eye Problems
Shelties are affected by hereditary malformation and eye diseases. Some of the eye problems that a Sheltie suffers from include:
Progressive retinal atrophy – This is an eye problem that is caused by a group of degenerative diseases that affect photoreceptors in the long run causing blindness.
Collie eye anomaly – This is a hereditary eye disease that causes improper development of the eye and possible blindness.
Sheltie Health Issues
A Sheltie is a generally health breed. However, it is affected by certain health issues including hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, eye disorders like PRA and Collie eye anomaly, epilepsy, gallbladder mucocele, von Willebrand’s disease, dermatomyositis, skin allergies, and transitional cell carcinoma.
Sheltie Names
A Sheltie owner may find a name for the puppy while it still living with the breeder or a few days after the pup joins them home to understand better the personality of a particular dog. Most owners get name inspirations from the profuse coat of the dog, personality, the Scottish heritage, celebrity Shelties, movies, songs, books, food, historical figures, and nature.
Regardless of where you source your inspiration, owners should ensure the name chosen will not make them embarrassed when uttered out loud in the public places such as malls and parks. Shelties and other dog breeds better understand names that have vowels.
If a pet has a long name, the parent should find a cute nickname for the dog. Avoid giving a Sheltie a name that rhymes with the command word. If a Sheltie shares a name with any family member or guests who frequent the home, it may cause unnecessary confusion.
Female Sheltie Names
- Molly.
- Daisy.
- Sadie.
- Abby.
- Ginger.
- Lily.
- Ace.
- Lola.
- Sassy.
- Chloe.
- Kaya.
- Samantha.
- Isla, etc.
Sheltie Seizures
A Sheltie is prone to seizures( also known as fits or convulsions. They refer to the disturbance of the normal functioning of the brain that is normally accompanied with uncontrollable muscle activity. Causes of seizures are categorized into three; primary, secondary, and reactive. Primary seizures are hereditary even though the cause is unknown. They usually start manifesting between the age of six months to three years. They are also referred to as idiopathic epilepsy.
Secondary seizures are caused by stroke, trauma to the brain, and brain tumor. Reactive seizures occur once the brain detects a problem with metabolism due to low blood sugar, organ failure, and toxins. The intensity of the seizures are categorized into two: focal seizures and grand mal seizures. A Sheltie that is experiencing a focal seizure is conscious since it affects one part of the brain. Symptoms of focal seizures include biting at the air, dilated pupils, specific muscles contract and relax, balance problems, and involuntary movements.
On the other hand Grand mal seizures affect both parts of the brain causing unconsciousness. Other symptoms include urination and defecation, foaming mouth, and stiffening muscles. When a dog is experiencing seizure, put nothing in its mouth for the safety of the dog and the owner.
Male Sheltie Names
- Bear.
- Kiwi.
- Snickers.
- Iris.
- Panda.
- Beacon.
- Oakley.
- Max.
- Winston.
- Leo.
- Gus.
- Jasper, etc.
Sheltie Collar
A Sheltie is a herding dog that has a habit of running after moving objects. Therefore, it should go for walks on a leash that is either attached to a collar or harness. A collar is the preferred accessory for a dog that has proper leash manners and less likely to pull while walking. Whereas a harness is the best choice for pulling dogs to avoid exerting the pressure on the neck and trachea. This accessory evenly distributes the pressure on the back and shoulders.
Sheltie Feeding Chart | Food
The amount of food that a Sheltie feeds on depends on its age, activity level, metabolism, size, and body build. Puppies tend to eat small portions of food 3 or 4 times a day due to high metabolism rates from when they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Shelties feed on two meals a day.
A Sheltie may feed on dry food, wet food, home made, or a raw diet depending on the budget and time of the pet parent. Regardless of the food type, parents should ensure that the dog feeds on a balanced diet to maintain a good health eventually allowing it to develop cognitively and physically. If a Sheltie parent decides to feed the pet with the commercial dry or wet food, he or she should ensure the first three ingredients are proteins from a known source.
The commercial dog food should neither contain preservatives, chemicals, additives, meat by-products, generic meat products, nor fillers. The same goes to the snacks. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for small sized puppies, adults, and senior depending on the age your Sheltie. Check the physique of your pet to tell whether it is overweight or underweight.
If you can see the ribs, chances are the dog is underweight. Although, if the ribs are not visible but can be felt without pressing hard, a Sheltie has an ideal weight. If the ribs can’t be felt, the pet is overweight and should be exercised. Owners who want to switch to another quality food should gradually do this over a period of four weeks by mixing both new food and old food. As the weeks progresses, the amount of old food reduces as the new food increases until the Sheltie is only feeding on new food during the fourth week.
Apart from Shelties, other dog breeds include:
Sheltie Colors
A Sheltie may have a blue merle, black, or sable coat color.
Sheltie Allergies
A Sheltie is susceptible to various forms of allergies as discussed below:
Skin allergies – A Sheltie may suffer from skin allergies due to food, contact, and environmental allergies that manifest on the skin. Food allergies cause hives, sores, dermatitis, lesions, and pruritus while environmental allergies cause atopic dermatitis. This pooch may also suffer from dermatomyositis which causes a rough appearance due to the hail falling out on the ears, head, and front legs. Vets often misdiagnose the condition treating for skin allergies or mange to no avail.
Food allergies – Although rare, a Sheltie may suffer from a true food allergy that causes an immune response. It is usually accompanied with a wide range of symptoms varying from skin issues such as hives, lesions, pruritus, sores, and dermatitis to gastrointestinal stress including acute vomiting and diarrhea as well as weight loss and bloating. Apart from food allergies, a Sheltie may be affected by food intolerance. This is the gradual response to an offending ingredient in the diet of the Sheltie. Some of the food ingredients that cause intolerance include preservatives, chemicals, flavors, soy, corn, fillers, wheat, chicken, lamb, fish, pork, beef, turkey, milk, eggs, etc.
Contact allergies – This allergy causes inflammation to the skin of a Sheltie once it comes in contact with the allergen. Some of the contact allergens that affect Shelties include plastics, lawn chemicals, latex, bed linens, chemicals, carpet cleaning detergents, and grooming products.
Environmental allergies – One of environmental allergies that affect Shelties include flea. This parasite causes flea allergy dermatitis that normally affects the back legs and underneath the tail causing intensive scratching and biting until the skin around the bite area is raw. Other allergens that affect Shelties include mites, grass, pollen, ragweed, trees, dust and dust mites, and house molds. Symptoms of environmental allergies include sneezing, congestion, nasal discharge, and itchiness on various body parts including paws, feet, groin, around the eyes, ears, belly sides, between the toes, and muzzle.
Sheltie Eyes
A Sheltie has almond shaped eyes that are dark in color.
Sheltie Ears
Shelties have small and flexible ears that are carried three-fourths erect with their tips breaking forward.
Sheltie Tail
A Sheltie has a long tail that reaches the hock. The tail is always carried down low and it is only lifted when the dog is alert. However, it never curls over the back.
Sheltie Teeth
During birth, a Sheltie is born with no teeth. However, the deciduous teeth start growing in from the age of 2 weeks until the dog has a total of 28 milk teeth at the age of 6 to 8 weeks. The pup starts loosing its milk teeth from the age of 12 months as the permanent teeth erupt beneath them. At the age of 6 to 8 months, a Sheltie should have a total of 42 adult teeth.
Sheltie Nose
A Sheltie has a black nose. Although, a White Sheltie may have a nose with pink spots.
Sheltie Vs Collie
Both Shelties and Collie are herding dogs that were developed in Scotland. The two breeds look similar in appearance. However, Shelties are smaller in size as compared to Collies.
Are Shelties Hypoallergenic
No. Shelties have a moulting coat that sheds moderately all-year round and heavily when experiencing seasonal change in Spring and Fall. Shedding allows hair and dander to spread around the house aggravating allergies.
Are Shelties Aggressive
No. Shelties are neither aggressive or fearful if they are properly socialized. However, they are wary of strangers.
Are Shelties Smart
Yes. Shelties are smart dogs that ranked sixth out of 138 breeds tested on the level of intelligence by Dr. Stanley Coren.
Are Shelties Good Family Dogs
Yes. Shelties are intelligent, affectionate, sweet-natured, lively, playful, sensitive, gentle, excitable, and willing to please.
What Do Shelties Die From
Shelties are prone to Von Willebrand disease and Dermatomyositis. Shelties affected by Von Willebrand disease don’t live long. Dermatomyositis manifest itself as alopecia on the top of the head and when it progresses to a more damaging form, it affects the autonomic nervous system and the dog may have to be euthanized.
Do Shelties Shed
Yes. Shelties shed throughout the year at moderate levels and heavily while experiencing seasonal change in spring and fall.
Do Shelties Like To Cuddle
Yes. Sheltie are affectionate dogs that love to cuddle in your lap and enjoy hours of bell rubs and stroking.
Shelties Quick Facts
- They look like the mini version of Rough Collies.
- Blue merle Shelties may have heterochromia where one eye is blue and the other eye is brown. Although some may have both blue eyes.
- A Sheltie is an intelligent dog that excels in almost everything that it tries.
