Shetland Sheepdog - Fundamental Things You Ought To Understand

The Shetland Sheepdog, also called the "Sheltie",
is a herding breed. They have a coat that comes
in many colors and an appearance that resembles
the Rough Collie. It was in the 1700s the breed
is believed to have first originated. They were
first used for herding smaller livestock. Today
they're popular as a competitor in agility or a
family companion. Attributes like their high
intelligence and Collie-like appearance are what
they are characterized by. They're believed to
have originated in the Shetland Islands of
Scotland and their breeding lineage includes the
Rough Collie and Pomeranian.

They're identified as a small to medium sized
dog. The recommended male and female guidelines
are 13-16 inches tall and a weight of 14-27
pounds. The breed is well-known for their loyal,
affectionate and obedient personality. They're
generally reserved (though can bark a lot)
towards strangers, and this makes them mostly
unsuitable as a guard dog. They are known to be
extremely smart, and scores 6th in comparison
with every other dog when being trained to learn
new things.

They're excellent towards children, which means
they are highly suitable as a family pet. They
do get along well with other pets such as other
dogs and small animals. Grooming them is a
fairly simple chore. They demand proper grooming
every 6 to 8 weeks, and regular brushing of their
coat once every second day. They enjoy having a
small (but unlike most herding breeds doesn't
need one) yard that gives them space to run
around, but can be suitable for living in an
apartment.

As with the majority of small to medium sized
dogs, they're primarily longer-lived and have a
life expectancy of 12-14 years. They can be
vulnerable to hip dysplasia, PRA and
hypothyroidism, but their most worrying health
issue is Collie Eye Anomaly. Activities such as
agility, herding, flyball and running will
provide them with hours of fun. They have a
medium to high amount of energy, and that calls
for moderate walks every day to avoid the
development of bad behavior.

You ought to be able to give them plenty of
mental challenges and companionship if you
choose to buy the Shetland Sheepdog. They're
ideal for families or active owners who have
time to spend with a dog, but less suitable for
people with less time to look after a dog. One
of the more attractive characteristics in
regards to this particular breed is seen in that
it has the intelligence and character of a
herding breed but isn't too fussy about where it
lives.


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about origins of the Shetland Sheepdog and other
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website:
http://heartmydog.com/shetland-sheepdog/


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