"I don't want to be interesting. I want to be good."Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
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3 tips for being prepared for emergencies with your Dog
Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog - or another dog - ever suffer a serious, life-threatening injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or a bee sting? It's great to know your vet's phone number, but what if ...
Dental Care For Dogs
Some people don't realize that dental hygiene is as important for dogs as it is for human beings. Just like in people, dogs' teeth can gather plaque after eating. When plaque builds up and hardens it becomes a coarse brown substance called tartar. As ...
Pet finder for dog lovers
Julie is one of the many dog lovers in USA. She was passionate about offering only the best to her dog pet proving her friendship every day just like dog lovers do. Her life changed when her dog died. She got very depressed and her family wanted to make ...
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History
The Shetland Sheepdog can be traced back many years to the Shetland Isles, where they were bred as a herding dog.
Smaller, hardier animals were required to survive the harsh conditions in the Shetland Isles and thus, the Shetland Sheepdog was developed. No official records exist, but it is believed that Sheltie's probably derived from Scottish Collies, which were smaller than today's Collies.
Appearance
Shelties are very pretty little dogs with almond shaped eyes, giving them a very sweet expression.
Shelties should stand at approximately 36 cm tall for females and 37 cm tall for males.
They have very long, thick coats and come in a wide variety of colours; Sable, Tri-coloured, Black and White, Black and Tan and Blue Merle, with many variations inbetween.
Temperament
Sheltie's have wonderful affectionate, gentle temperaments with their owners, but can be a little reserved with strangers. They are certainly not 'lap-dogs', but make wonderful pets because of their kind nature. They have wonderful characters, with an endearing stubbornness that makes them a pleasure to own.
Their strength and intelligence mean that these hardy little dogs excel in many competitive fields, such as obedience and agility.
Grooming
They do require a considerable amount of grooming because of the thickness and length of their coats.
Exercise
Sheltie's are very active little dogs, and are described by many as almost tireless. They enjoy being outdoors and do require a moderate amount of exercise.
Health Problems
The breed is largely free of any major health problems, however Collies and Shelties are known to suffer from some hereditary eye conditions, namely Progressive Retinal Atrophy (P.R.A) and Collie Eye Anomaly (C.E.A).
P.R.A is a rare but serious disease which inevitably leads to total blindness. It is unlikely to be detected until the dog is approximately 2 years of age and although nothing can be done to stop the progression of this disease, responsible breeders are careful to have breeding animals tested so that new litters are not produced from affected parents.
C.E.A is much less serious; statistics suggest that up to 75% of Shelties are affected to some degree, however it is unlikely that the condition will worsen in most cases and a mild affliction will not cause great inconvenience to the dog.
About the author:
Stephanie has written many articles on dogs, which can be found at the Kennel Corner website.
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