Shetland Shepherd
The Shetland Shepherd or Sheltie is a beautiful and very intelligent puppy, very similar to the collie of long hair but smaller size, originally born as a shepherd dog, because this dog is a tireless worker but, nowadays, it is highly appreciated as a pet for its beauty and small size.
- If you want to know more.
- Read this peritoAnimal article and discover its history.
- Its most striking physical characteristics.
- Basic care.
- Personality.
- How to educate it properly and the possible health problems you may have.
Although the exact origin of this breed of dog is uncertain, the recorded data show that the Shetland Shepherd was first recognized on the island of the same name, Scotland.The breed was officially recognized in 1908, but documents have been declared since 1800.
The Shetland Shepherd is the result of the crossing of several Collie-type dogs, so it can be said that the present Collie and the Shetland Shepherd have common ancestors, so they are so physically similar and in terms of personality.The green environment of the Scottish islands made it difficult to survive large animals and small dogs were favored as they ate less food.For this reason, Sheltie was more sought after than large dogs and was used to guide and protect sheep from dwarf breeds, ponies.and even chickens. For these same reasons, the Shepherd of Shetland is a strong dog, strong and very intelligent; however, and for its beauty, it quickly began to be adopted as a pet, as it is called today.
In the early 20th century, Shetland’s shepherds first appeared in a dog show under the name Shetland Collies, but collie lovers changed their name to Shetland Sheepdog.
The Shepherd of Shetland is a small dog, with great fur and exuberant beauty, the body is slightly wider than tall, although well proportioned and has a deep breast, the legs are strong and muscular, like all other shepherd dogs.The head of this dog is very similar to that of a collie but on a smaller scale, it is elegant and in the form of a truncated corner, the nose is black and the snout round, the eyes are oblique, medium, almond and dark brown.except for mirle blue specimens, an eye may be blue.The ears are small, large and wide at the base.
The tail of the shepherd of Shetland is placed low and wide, reaching at least to the hock.It has an abundant coat, with double layer, being the long outer layer, rough and smooth, the inner layer is smooth, dry and dense.accepted colors are:
The ideal height for men crossing is 37 centimeters, while for women it is 36 centimeters.The weight is not indicated in the standard of the breed, but the shepherd of Shetland usually weighs about 8 kilos.
In general, Shetland’s shepherds are dogs with a quiet, faithful, intelligent and very affectionate personality with the human family, however, they tend to be more shy with strangers and have a strong instinct for grazing, which can cause conflict if they do not receive a proper education For this, it is fundamental to socialize from a puppy both to reduce shyness with strangers and to establish relationships with other animals.
The fur of this dog should be brushed once or twice a week.Despite being a breed of long-haired dog, Shetland’s shepherds tend to be clean and have a fur that doesn’t bother as easily as it seems.
Despite being small dogs, shelties are shepherd dogs that need a lot of physical and mental exercise, you can do many daily walks and a play session, but you can also practice canine sports like breeding and canine freestyle, agility can be a good choice if the dog has no joint problems, such as hip dysplasia , on the other hand, as mentioned, mental exercises are essential to stimulate the animal and avoid a possible condition of stress or anxiety from boredom, for this we recommend you to see some tips in our article on how to stimulate the intelligence of the dog.
Because of their size, these dogs can live well in the apartment as long as they do the necessary physical exercise, however, they tend to bark excessively and this can generate conflicts with the neighbors, in addition you should keep in mind that these dogs can withstand cold climates., but it is not recommended to isolate them in the garden as they need the company of their relatives.
As mentioned above, Shelties are very intelligent dogs, they learn the basic commands easily and quickly, however, this does not mean that you have to use traditional training methods, since the best results are obtained through positive training, traditional training and negative training can trigger behavioral problems such as fear and insecurities that end up generating conflicts between the dog and people , ending the good bond you can build.
Among the most common behavioral problems in this breed are the behaviors caused by a strong breeding instinct.On the one hand, they are usually dogs that bark a lot and tend to “group” moving individuals (adults, children, dogs or any other pet).) biting them in the ankles. These behaviors cannot be stopped because they have a very strong genetic basis, but they can be channeled through non-damaging activities or games that are not harmful.
Shetland shepherds can be great pets when tutors provide all the necessary care.They usually get along well with children, but because they are small dogs, they can be easily hurt.
This breed of dog has a certain predisposition to hereditary diseases, among which stand out:
Hip dysplasia in dogs is a more common disease in large breeds of dogs, due to the continuous process of years of trying to obtain the breed we are currently experiencing, but it is also very common in the Shetland Shepherd.By detecting any of the above diseases in time, it is essential that you regularly consult a veterinarian, as well as vaccinate and deworm your Sheltie.