The Shetland Sheepdog was a popular breed of dog used by farmers in England for herding sheep. Its name speaks for itself – almost everybody can tell that it was bred for that purpose even without research. The farmers chose this pooch for the job because of its willingness to learn and be taught. Very cooperative and obedient makes the task of training way too easy. It’s smart too, learning commands quickly. It’s mild natured and always looking forward to pleasing the boss. Keeping a pooch with long beautiful hair in a muddy and dusty farm was hard for the farmers; grooming the dog must have been done daily.
Despite the difficulty, they felt that the sacrifice was well worth it. It’s excellent in controlling the crowds of animals, it did its job well and has every right to the name it was given. Shetland Sheepdogs have long double coats that comes in many colors. It’s very beautiful, but its beauty does come with a price. The long strands of hair can get easily matted and tangled, therefore the owner of this breed will be required to brush the coat daily. Use gentle strokes – some people found out that tugging too hard causes it to shed a lot faster.
The build of this pet is medium and slender. It can stand anywhere from 13 to 16 inches. A very athletic dog with superb agility and reflexes. Some say that it’s gifted with a good sense of smell as well. You can see this breed in many competitions such as the obedience rings. Aside from herding animals or performing in dog competitions, the Shetland Sheepdog makes an outstanding family pet. It is affectionate and always looking to please. This pet loves children as well. It doesn’t exactly treat them as its herd, where it would be barking and running around them, trying to scare them back into place like it would do to a pack of livestock, but it does have a protective nature over the members of the family.
It has the tendency to try and lead the children back from going away too far, keeping them safe. It is loyal and will enjoy spending time with you just for playing. The average citizen will most definitely have an easier time training this pooch as compared to the other breeds. Socialization plays a big part in its behavior. Setting schedules for it to meet your friends and their pets is crucial in its development. Take it out with you sometimes, whether for exercise or just taking walks, which is also a good form of exercise. Don’t let it sleep all day or have it locked up inside the house.
This will trigger some behavioral problems and make it restless. It has loads of energy and stamina that will need to be burned. Always remember to keep it on a leash when outdoors – if not trained properly, it might run after anything running, whether its another animal or on wheels. Shetland Sheepdogs have a lot of potential and will be one of the best choices for anybody looking for a pet.
The author of this article, Alex De La Cruz, is a Dog Expert who has been successful for many years. Because most people think that Arthritis is a humans-only disease Alex now informs dog owners with his Ebook on how to discover this disease and let their dogs live as pain-free as possible.
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Shetland Sheepdogs have LOTS of hair. If you are going to have a sheltie, be prepared to groom and groom. Shelties can also be quite noisy. If you need a quiet dog, don’t get a sheltie.