Breed: Herding
Weight: Male 16-20 lbs
Female 16-20 lbs
Height: Male 13-16 inches
Female 13-16 inches
Colors: sable, mahogany sable, shaded sable, tri-colored, bi-black, bi-blue, blue merle, bi-blue merle, sable merle, color headed white, double merle
SHETLAND SHEEPDOG BREED INFORMATION
The Shetland Sheepdog, small to medium dogs also known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dogs. They come in a variety of colors as already mentioned above. They are hard working dogs who are always willing to please their owners. Their early history is not well known but it is thought that they were derived from dogs that were used for herding and protecting sheeps in Shetland Isles. The original Shetland sheepdog was 8-10 inches in height and was crossed with collie-type sheepdogs from mainland Britain.
It resembles a miniature Rough Collie. It is a small double coated, working dog, agile and strong. All the Shetland Sheepdogs have dark colored eyes except for the Blue merle and white Shelties which have blue eyes. They are alert and carry a loving expression along with reserved nature. They are devoted dogs, showing devotion and affection to their owners but are wary of strangers. Hence for this very reason they must be socialized. They get along with children provided they are brought up with them from an early age; however supervision is necessary because the child may incidentally injure these small dogs.
Shelties love to chase and herd things including small animals such as the squirrels, ducks and children and sometimes even cars. They love running in open areas and hence require a sensitive observant owner. Shelties need to be exercised and if its exercise is neglected then it may lead to excessive barking, phobias and nervousness.
The herding instinct is strong in many Shelties. They love to chase and herd things, including squirrels, ducks, children, and if an owner is not watchful, cars. Shelties love to run in wide-open areas. They do well with a sensitive, attentive owner. Neglecting a Sheltie's need for exercise and intellectual stimulation can result in undesirable behaviors, including excessive barking, phobias, and nervousness. Fortunately, the reverse is also true; annoying behaviors can be lessened greatly by an hour of exercise that engages the dog with its owner. Their intelligence level is extremely high and they rank number 6th out of the 132 breeds tested so far.
SHETLAND SHEEPDOG HEALTH AND DISEASES
They are very athletic and lively healthy breeds with an average life span of 10-15 years. However, they may suffer from the following:
- Eye problems
- Epilepsy
- Hip dysplasia
- Hypothyroidism
- Skin problems
- Obesity
- Von Willebrand disease
