How to Care for a Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)
If you didn't know any better and saw a Shetland Sheepdog or "Sheltie" walking down the street, you might mistake it for a Collie that hasn't hit a growth spurt yet. However, Shelties are a separate breed, which like the Collie, traces its roots to the Border Collie of Scotland. A gentle and highly intelligent dog, Shelties have a long life expectancy of 12 to 15 years, with some living even longer. The following steps will help your Sheltie to not be an exception.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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Spay or neuter your Sheltie. Spaying your female before the first heat will prevent breast cancer and help eliminate uterine infections. Neutering your male before age four will eliminate the chance of testicular cancer, reduce the risk of prostate problems and curb aggression.
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Take your Sheltie for regular medical checkups, including eye exams; the breed has a genetic tendency toward certain eye disorders. You can also do a monthly home exam of the skin, eyes, ears, nose, teeth and gums.
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Keep your Sheltie's vaccinations up to date and keep current on flea and heartworm preventative.
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Have your Sheltie's teeth professionally cleaned and scaled at least once a year.
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Feed your Sheltie a quality dog food with meat listed as the first ingredient and the proper balance of protein, carbs, fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals or a homemade diet. Don't overfeed, because aside from making it more difficult to exercise, excess weight causes heat intolerance, which can be even more critical in a long- coated breed.
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Make sure your Sheltie has some quality running time. A house with a yard is ideal for a Sheltie, however an apartment and regular exercise will do. Off-leash dog parks are ideal for Shelties.
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Brush and comb your Sheltie's double coat regularly. Misting lightly with water helps with tangles. The undercoat is shed twice yearly in the spring and fall. Since their coat readily sheds dirt and Shelties are quite hygienic, a bath about every three to four months should normally suffice.
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Tips & Warnings
Shelties have a strong instinct to please and are very sensitive. They respond best to gentle, but consistent training.
You won't find a more loyal family dog than the Sheltie. They are socially inclined and like to be around people. That's why a larger family is perfect for a Sheltie. However, they tend to be on the shy and nervous side around strangers.
The breed has a genetic tendency toward hypothyroidism and displaced kneecaps.
Shelties have a strong herding instinct and love to chase things, including cars.
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Comments
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Our sheltie, Spencer was put down in October 2011...he had hip dysplaysia and had developed large tumors inside and outside. He was very good with our grandchildren, as we have pictures of each of them either sitting on him or having their hands all over him. He only barked when someone came to the door. He never chased any other animals; actually afraid the bunnies in the yard were watching him.. LOL... very well behaved only took about 3 weeks to potty train him when we got him. Very, very smart animals. Very loyal too. They do tend to have separation anxiety, though.....sad. The day we put him down was the hardest day in our life. His ashes were put in a nice wooden box with a small statue of a sheltie dog sitting on top. We think of him all of the time and even though we have had other dogs in our years, he was the best of the best. I tell everyone this is the BEST type of dog to have as a pet, friend, companion.....PEACE....
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I had a shelty for 12 yrs she was the best rest in pease meme.
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I have a sheltie who is almost 7 years old and to this day when a person leaves the house he goes absoultly crazy, barking, running, jumpin at the window and sometimes he sounds a little ficious.What should I do or is there anything you can do?
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Melissa Maroff
Jan 16, 2010
Slpaulsen, did the vet give you any idea? The average life span for a sheltie is 10-15 years, so 13 is an advanced age and sounds like his organs just shut down. But the vet should be able to give you the exact diagnosis regarding what actually caused it. I'm so sorry for your loss. Losing a beloved pet is one of the toughest things. Soon it will just be happy memories, though. Melissa -
pixyexy
Jan 16, 2010
I lost mine when he was 14 1/2 suddenly as well. Actually mine had been vomitting on and off for a few months, but the blood tests were normal. I am convinced now that an x-ray would have detected the problem. Towards the end, we had many tests done (in 1 day so he would not suffer too long) and they found a mass which they suspected was malignant. And do long story short, he may have had it for some time and it simply spread quickly at the end..
