Sheltie

The Sheltie comes from the Shetland Islands and was used there to help farmers keep the sheep together. It is a strong dog that becomes very attached to its owner. They tend to keep strangers at distance until they see that their owner does. The Sheltie is a real family dog and is therefore very suitable to keep indoors. He/she will always protect his family and is very watchful, sometimes with a little too much barking. Fortunately, this breed is very intelligent and he will be able to unlearn this quickly.

Characteristics

Country of origin: Shetland Islands

Also known as: Shetland Sheepdog

Body build: Small and graceful

Weight: 6,4 - 12 kg

Height: 35,5 - 37 cm

Health risks: Hip dysplasia, eye problems

Colour

The Sheltie’s coat is very long and tangles easily. It is important to take good care of the coat every week. The colours are usually: Sable (solid warm tone or with black tips), Tricolor, Blue Merle (silver blue with black spots), black and white or black and brown.

Appearance

Body

The Sheltie is a small, but graceful dog because of its long hair. They have a deep chest, a straight back and a long tail. When the Sheltie is alert, the triangular ears stand up and the tip of the ear falls forward.

Average weight

The weight of the Sheltie is between 6.4 and 12 kg.

Height at withers

The height at the withers of the male is ± 37 cm and that of the female is ± 35.5 cm.

Approach to training

The Sheltie is an intelligent breed and likes to learn new things. When training he needs to be encouraged and rewarded otherwise he will get nervous. Do this in a consistent manner. It is important to pay a lot of attention to the dog, otherwise he might wander off or behavioral problems may arise.

Common Symptoms

As with other Collies, it is possible that the Sheltie doesn’t have the MDR1 gene. If this is not present, it means that the dog is more sensitive to drugs. It is important to have this checked by a vet. This is done with a genetic test. It’s important to check this as quickly as possible before it gets dangerous. Other common conditions include hip dysplasia (misshaped hip) and eye problems.