Sheltie

Shelties are a breed of dogs that are not often met on the street, but they always arouse great interest. Possessing the appearance of larger collies, they are distinguished by elegance and modest dimensions. But, in fact, few people know where these charming little dogs come from and what are their features.

Breed origin

Looking at the sheltie, it may seem that this is a decorative dog. But, in fact, it is absolutely not so - this breed of Scottish shepherd was used once for grazing. By the way, this is the smallest shepherd's breed in the world. It was used for small herds, but when the number of livestock increased, they were replaced by other, larger and more resilient herding dogs. Sheltie lovers rescued the breed from extinction. They took up selection work, which had a positive effect on the appearance of these animals.

As far as origin is concerned, not everything is clear here. Experts agree on one thing - the ancestors of the sheltie are Scandinavian dogs that look like Spitz and shepherd’s breeds from Iceland. In the beginning, dogs appreciated their working qualities more than their appearance. But dog handlers paid attention to this aspect, as a result, the pets acquired the appearance inherent in modern sheltie.

If we consider the similarity with the collie, then here, most likely, one habitat is the decisive factor, rather than family ties. Crossings were present, but the main material was not long-haired, but border collie.

Description of the sheltie breed

Representatives of the breed - beautiful, small dogs, devoid of clumsiness. They are folded in proportion, have fluffy hair, which forms a chic collar and feathering on the limbs. Shelties are vigilant, but they are intelligent and restrained. Sheltie looks deserves attention:

The dog of this breed has an elongated, wedge-shaped head , significantly narrowing from the ears to the nose. The skull is flattened, moderately wide between the auricles, the tubercle on the nape is not visible. Muzzle rounded, with flat cheeks. Nose and lips are black pigmented.
The jaws are flat, set symmetrically, the chin line is well defined. Lips closed tightly. Teeth are distinguished by snow-white enamel, create a scissor bite. A full dentition (42 teeth) is desirable.
The eyes are small, slightly slanting, almond-shaped, with a dark brown iris. The exceptions are individuals with the color "merle", in this case, the eye color may be blue or there is heterochromia - blue and brown eyes, blue iris may have specks. Look attentive, interested.
The ears are small, wide in the base area, close together. When the dog is calm, slightly tilted back, in the case of anxiety, they are sent forward. They have a semi-standing position, the corners are bent down.
The neck is strong, with an elegant bend, long, gives the dog a proud, aristocratic look. Limbs are proportional, with strong joints, set straight, with strong, flexible metacarpals.
Thorax deep, goes down to the elbow joints. The ribs have a good arch, the back creates a straight line, goes into the convex lower back.
The tail is slightly bent up, set low, length reaches to the hock. Abundantly covered with wool. When the dog is moving, it may slightly lift, but not higher than the back. Fracture is considered a vice. Shelties move smoothly, gracefully, pushing with their hind legs.

The coat of these dogs is rich, consisting of long, hard, straight guard hair and a soft, dense undercoat. The pride of the representatives of this breed is a luxurious mane and collar. Chic edge is present on the front and rear limbs. In the area of the muzzle the coat is short.

The ideal height for Sheltie males is 37 cm, for bitches - 35.5 cm. Any deviation of more than 2.5 cm is a very undesirable sign.

Colors

In addition to the beautiful wool, nature has bestowed on these dogs amazing colors:

tricolor - the main color of the wool is black, spots of brownish-red shades;
Blue Merle - blue hair with a silvery sheen, on which black specks and divorces are located;
sable color - varies from light golden hues to bright makagoni, it is desirable to have pronounced tones, without grayness.
black and white color or black with brown-red spots.

In any color, white markings on the forehead, chest, paws and tail are desirable, but not mandatory. Exceptions are dogs with the color “black with brown-red markings”.

Character

The nature of the sheltie allows you to call them ideal companions - gentle, loyal and intelligent. They fit perfectly into any family, find a common language with small owners, as they differ in goodwill and activity.

Such a pet is suspicious of strangers, so it gives a vote if a stranger approaches a dwelling. It is worth noting that with timely socialization, the dog will know when strangers can enter the house, and when they should not be allowed to do it.

Many people believe that Shelties are “netherlands”, capable of giving voice at any rustle and barking to frenzy. But education is of great importance here. Doggie can be trained to bark several times, warning about the invasion, and then wait until the owner fits.

Shelties are charming and loving, they really need attention and care. If the owners will have no time to engage in a four-legged friend, then it is worth considering other breeds. After all, the sheltie will not “quietly” get bored, but will begin to perform destructive actions, and signs of destructive behavior will appear very soon in this little dog.

Shelties love to communicate, and their emotions are expressed quite actively. A host who has come home, even if he has been absent for 15 minutes, will receive a portion of delight and emotion. The main orientation in the behavior of dogs of this breed is to please their owners.

The dog needs a close-knit family, as squabbling and tense atmosphere negatively affects its psyche. As for the noise, if it is associated with fun, the dog is not only not embarrassed, he will be fully happy with everyone. Pet loves to be cuddled, zaskannym and dwell with his family. But, acquiring a pedigree puppy, it is worth considering their natural timidity:

doggie can get stress from previously unknown phenomena (sudden traffic, loud music, etc.);
reacts painfully to criticism during training.

Of course, not all members of the breed have such qualities, but this is a typical behavior. It is also worth assessing the positive aspects of the nature of the shepherd dogs from Scotland:

have high intelligence and knowledge - this allows them to quickly master teams of varying complexity;
physically active and very positive;
have a high adaptive ability - they are not too stressful when traveling, moving and other changes.
due to sensitivity, they perfectly fit into the family and quickly become its integral part.

Given their past, one should not be surprised at their excellent defensive reflexes. Suspicion of strangers in dogs of this breed is at the level of instincts. Therefore, from the pet can get a great watchdog. Without training, they will also begin to show guard qualities, but will avoid conflict situations.

Shelties coexist well with other animals and their own kind. But it is still better if the dog enters the company of cats and other pets, being still a puppy. This ensures 100% peaceful dwelling in one territory.

Education and training

Teaching sheltie is a pretty easy task. From the process of pleasure, both the owner and the pet. The mind and obedience of dogs allows even children to entrust this matter. But for comfortable training should take into account a number of nuances. For example, rudeness and physical abuse is unacceptable in dealing with a pet. The basis of fruitful interaction is soft conviction and verbal praise.

Shelties are able to understand the command from the first time, from the second - ideally fulfill. However, it is important not to forget about securing the material. Given their timidity, they should start training without the presence of external stimuli, gradually including them. You can use various methods of attracting attention - toys, treats, affection. A positive animal is unlikely to refuse to execute commands, of course, if it is completely healthy.

If the dog begins to "play about", then you should not immediately apply the punishment, it is enough to ignore these manifestations, and the dog will quickly understand that with this behavior, he will not be able to see the promotion. Sheltie puppies quite actively study the environment and often allow entry of teeth. It can not be so easy to lower, but physically not worth it. In this case, it will be enough to spoil the pet's pleasure, for example, by spraying a special tool on the gnawed object.

Pet Care

The main care is attention to the dog's coat. It should be regularly combed and bathed. It is advisable to have a few special combs and brushes:

metal with rare teeth;
metal with frequent teeth;
massages;
brush with bristles;
puhoderku for long wool.

Carefully combing the dog will have 2-3 times a month, and during periods of seasonal molting much more often - daily. Otherwise, dense mats will start to form on the coat. But to wash the dog should not be so often, just once every 1-2 months. It is recommended to use special products, but not to apply them in pure form on the coat, and dilute with water and water or spray them on the wool.

If we talk about the health of the sheltie, then the dwelling in the harsh climate made them very strong. They live about 20 years and almost all the time remain very charismatic. Also need regular inspection and cleaning of the ears and eyes. For dental health, it is sufficient to regularly give the pet large bones or special treats that can be purchased at the pet store.

How to feed the sheltie

As is the case with other breeds, shelties can be fed either with natural food or with industrial feed. In the second case, it is worth choosing premium and super premium class rations from ranges suitable for small breeds.

If the owner decides to feed the dog "naturalka", then 50% of the diet should consist of meat products - beef, veal, turkey, rabbit, lean lamb and by-products. Undesirable are pork and liver. Meat is given raw, pre-scalded with boiling water, offal must be boiled.

Porridge is also useful for dogs - rice, buckwheat, oatmeal is well boiled soft in broths - meat, fish, vegetables. It is recommended to season the dish with vegetable oil, as well as add chopped fresh herbs - a source of vitamins. Shelties must be given fresh chicken or quail yolks - 2-3 times a week, but boiled yolk and white can be given.

Generally, shelties love to eat, so they can be given fresh fruits, berries, vegetables, which most of these pets eat with pleasure. You can also cook vegetable stews and other dishes. Milk is not recommended for adult dogs, but fermented milk products must be present in the diet. Dried fruits can be an excellent treat for sheltie. Given the cute appearance of dogs, it is worth excluding situations when they are treated to the table, if not the owners themselves, then the "compassionate" guests.

Sheltie Photos

Sheltie Video

How much is a sheltie puppy

It is worth noting that today this breed is rather rare, but at the same time it is impossible to call it the most expensive:

A dog of show class, with the prospects of breeding and show career from a good nursery, costs about 28,000-45,000 rubles. Sometimes the price tag may still be slightly higher.
Breed class - dogs, which are most often chosen for further breeding, cost from 17,000 to 23,000 rubles. In general, these are excellent puppies, but some minor nuances will not allow them to get high marks at shows.
Pet-class puppies - the offspring, which can only act as a pet, costs much less - from 8000 rubles.

Being a shepherd's dog for a long time, today the Shelties perfectly fulfill the role of companion. They are active, inquisitive and friendly. It is these qualities that a dog must possess in order to fully fit into the family.