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Shetland Sheepdog
Description The Shetland Sheepdog originated in the Shetland Isles to help the farmers look after and guard their stock and homestead. Refined in the twentieth century after the export of these dogs to mainland Scotland, these small shepherds were found to be very gentle when herding stock and were seen as extremely smart and willing workers. Being first recognized in England in 1909, and because of their kindly disposition, this breed has become one of todays most popular companion dogs. Some of their talents include: tracking, herding, watchdog, guarding, agility, competitive obedience, and performing tricks.
Temperament These very loyal and loving dogs are dedicated to their families and are very good with children. Their intelligence makes them easy to train and they get on great with other dogs and cats. You may find that they can be a bit reserved with strangers and do make quite good watchdogs.
Appearance
Height:
33-40.6 cm (13-16in) They look like a miniature version of "Lassie" only much smaller. Their colours range from sable (from pale gold through to shaded sable), Tricolour (predominately black body colour) and Blue merle (a silver blue with black marbling through the blue coat).
Grooming The Shetland Sheepdog has a harsh outer double coat that repels water and dirt which makes them quite an easy little dog to maintain. All that will be needed is a 15 to 20 minute grooming once a week however, if they are dropping their coat they may need a little more grooming to brush the undercoat out so this does not matt and become a problem. If you don't have the time to bath or groom your dog, your local dog grooming salon provides these services.
Life Expectancy 10-14 Years
Health Concerns There is a tendency toward inherited malformation and disease of the eyes and it is recommended that each individual puppy should have his eyes examined by a qualified veterinary ophthalmologist. This breed can also be affected by displacement of the patella (kneecap), which is thought to be inherited. Apart from ensuring you do not over-feed the Sheltie, they have very few other health problems.
Suitability Shetland Sheepdogs are equally great with children, the elderly, or anyone alone at home who wants a calm canine companion. They also make great pets for those of us with a quiet lifestyle or those perhaps interested in dog sports. They don't demand much space and make wonderful watchdogs. Litters are usually small from one to four pups, so interested owners can expect to wait up to six months for a pup. Shetland Sheepdog - Back to Top
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