Shelties in Australia

 

This page will give an owner's perception of the sheltie, answer questions of whether the sheltie might be suited to you, info on health care, diet and grooming, info on the colours and history of shelties as well as give advice on how to find a sheltie suited for you.

An Owner's perception of the Sheltie:
The Sheltie, or Shetland Sheepdog, is an extraordinary companion. Shelties are keenly loyal and wonderfully affectionate, mine are real smoochers. They have an above average intelligence (in fact they have been rated as the sixth most intelligent breed) coupled with a desire to please you. They excel in obedience, agility, and even in tracking. When I first started obedience with my dog, there were only two shelties at the club, in two years that has grown to around 12, all of which are excellent obedience dogs. They are always willing to obey your every wish and are ecstatic at the praise they receive. Kept as a pet, the sheltie will adapt to family life quickly and surely, settling into whatever routine is set. Their indiosyncracies will be a constant endearment, causing you to laugh out loud, making you smile. Watching my new puppie do lappies around the living room, using different pieces of furniture (and people) as challenge obstacles in a flurry of fur is entertainment with a capital E. If you want to read more about the characteristics of my shelties see Harrisonhill-About Shelties. If you are interested in reading stories from other sheltie-owners about their ever-endearing fur-kids see Kimmi's Grand Adventures and the Fluff n Stuff site.  There is also a great site with info on what's good and what's bad about shelties. There is a great article on how shelties and their owners are alike that actually tells you quite alot about the sheltie character too. DogWorld also have a breed spotlight that sums up the sheltie.
So if you are interested in the breed take a closer look, go meet some shelties and their owners. Just remember, many shelties can be a bit standoffish with strangers but usually they are not unfriendly. With a little time and reassurance from their owner, the sheltie will accept your attentions.  Most certainly as a guard dog, they are not intimidating (way too cute); however they will alert you to strangers. In all, they are a pleasure to live with and a delight to own. A sheltie has the special magic to make your life a whole lot more liveable. As their owners will tell you time and time again. Shelties are companions extraordinaire!

 

Is a sheltie suited to you?
Despite all their positive qualities, there is no breed of dog that will suit everybody. The Sheltie is a long-coated breed that requires care; your average sheltie pet would need to be groomed 1-2 times weekly taking around 1/2 an hour to complete. They can also be quite timid, as such they  should be well socialised as puppies. They have been labelled as barkers, though this tends to occur more when there are several dogs and/or when exercise is lacking. I have three shelties, and no barking problems; but I do have a big yard, give regular exercise, and (thank Goodness) have no neigbours with barkers. 
Even though they are a small dog, shelties are a working breed, and will require this exercise, whether it be throwing the ball in the backyard or walking around the block. But why not consider doing obedience or agility with your sheltie. They enjoy nothing more than getting to work and spend time with you. The double reward is that you will have a much closer bond with your dog. Whatever form of exercise you choose though, shelties will simply adore the time they get to spend with you. For more info on the diet, health and general care for shelties click here.
Medical problems in this breed include Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Central PRA, Collie Eye Anomaly (also called Sheltie Eye Syndrome), Corneal Dystrophy, von Willebrand's Disease, Hip dysplasia and Thyroid problems. Most breeders will inform you of their testing. For info on these problems look to this Medical Conditions Page.

If you are still uncertain whether the breed is for you, try the PetNet Selectadog Breed Selector to help determine which dogs complement your lifestyle.

What colour are shelties?
Shelties come in a wide variety of coat colour variations. Though these variations stem from two basic colours, the sable and the black. Sable is certainly the most prolific colour in Australia, but even in sables we see great variation from golden through red to mahogany. Most shelties also have some white on them; sables in particular often have a large white collar as well as white feet, sometimes a white blaze and a white tip on the tail. The colouring that probably confuses most people is the blue merle, a colour similar to what we see in many blue cattle dogs but softer, which often leads to questions from people unfamiliar with shelties as to whether it is a cross-breed. But rather than labour on describing the most common coat colours I will direct you to a wonderful site on the Shelties technicolour dreamcoat that provides simple descriptions and clear photos.
How do I find a sheltie for me?
So you have decided a sheltie is for you. Next step, finding a reputable breeder. Many people will tell you their dogs are purebred, but unless the breeder has an established breeding program that is aimed at improving the breed and enhancing the temperament of their dogs, you should steer clear. The first step in the right direction is if the breeder is registered with the State Canine Kennel/Control Council. You will know when you have found a responsible breeder when the breeder makes you prove you are the right type of person to own one of his/her puppies. I remember when we were first considering a sheltie puppy- we got the third degree in a major way. Breeders often consider their pups their "Children" and will want only the best homes for them. The responsible breeder will also explain total breed care, show you how to groom, explain their diet, supply shot records, pedigrees, and genetic test results, tell you when their next shots are due, and how to help them settle in to a new home. They will introduce you to the pup's sire and bitch, and other dogs in the breeding line. They will encourage you to desex your puppy if you do not intend to show, and many breeders will encourage you to return the puppy to them at any age, if for any reason you decide not to keep it. In short they are more concerned about the health and well-being of their dogs and the breed than they are about the cheque (this doesn't mean it won't cost you a few hundred dollars for a quality pup though).

Finding a responsible sheltie breeder can start from the state kennel association; more often than not your state will host a shetland sheepdog club in some shape or form, and you should be able to obtain details on the secretary of that club from your state kennel association. You should then be able to obtain from the sheltie secretary information on breeders in your area and any who may have litters due. Alternatively, you can attend a local dog show or obedience/agility trial and seek out sheltie owners; these people are often a wealth of knowledge and could know breeders in the area.  An abreviated list of Australian sheltie breeders that are on-line can be found at our sheltie breeders page.

Once you have identified breeders there are several questions you should ask, other than those puppy care issues already discussed.  Responsible breeders will be happy to answer. 

  1. Do you test the bitch, sire and other relatives within the line  for any possible genetic defects/diseases applicable to this particular breed? 
  2. Ask if there have been any other  problems in the dog’s bloodlines such as seizures, thyroid or immune problems, skin, eyes and/or ear problems? 
  3. May I see the bitch (and/or sire)? This will give you a good idea of the temperament as well as the appearance of your  potential puppy once they reach maturity. Ask about dam’s temperament and the sire’s temperament.  Similarly ask if there are other progeny by the dam and/or sire that you can see and meet. 
  4. How did they choose the sire? Why?  Reputable kennels are constantly striving to improve their breed of dogs — selecting the best specimens for breeding in order to produce strong, healthy, happy dogs. 
  5. Ask about how they socialize their dogs and puppies. Are they around kids? Other dogs? Cats? Strange noises? 
  6. Do they plan on keeping a puppy from this litter? If yes, how did they choose it and why? If no, how come? 
  7. What faults do the dam/sire have? There are always certain faults in each dog. The breeder should be willing to discuss them with you. 
  8. Do they show their own dogs? This also shows a serious interest in their dogs. There is a greater possibility that they only breed quality animals; ones that are bred for sound health and temperaments. 
  9. Ask what health defects the puppy has  been examined and guaranteed for and if any of the puppies in the litter have had any health problems? 
  10. Ask for references from previous purchasers and be sure to call them.
     
So Where do Shelties come from?

Shelties originated from the Shetland Isles near Scotland. Like many of the shetland breeds they were bred smaller and hardier to suit the conditions. They were a working dog and primarily herded and protected the livestock. The Shetland Sheepdog used to be called the "Toonie", a name taken from "tun", the Norwegian word for farm. You will often see this reflected in kennel names for shelties throughout the world. The Shetland Sheepdog and the larger herding Collie probably have a common ancestor, a herding dog bred in the British Highlands, believed to be similar to today's Border Collie. The dogs that remained on the Scottish mainland eventually developed into the Rough Collie; those that were taken to the Shetland Isles were down-sized to meet the needs of the island and developed into the Shetland Sheepdog. The English Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1909, the name given was the Shetland Collie, and in 1914, the Shetland Collie became known as the Shetland Sheepdog, a completely separate breed. Since then shelties have been dispersed around the world from Europe and Scandanavia to the US and to the "colonies" including Australia, NewZealand, South Africa, India, Hong Kong and Canada. The United States have changed their breed standard away from that of England's which is adopted elsewhere around the world. This is why you tend to see quite different types of shelties between the US and Australia.

For information on the early history of the breed:

  • For early pictures of the development of the English sheltie see Debbie and Charles' page (from the Netherlands).
  • For development of the US sheltie see Sue Ann Bowling's page, it also includes some great info on colour genetics.

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