Chances are that you chose to share your home with a Shetland Sheepdog because you expected her to have certain traits that would fit your lifestyle:. Shetland Sheepdogs originated in Scotland and are descendants of the Collie. Shelties have held many jobs including herding, protecting, and tracking.
They are well known for their intelligence and their seemingly human understanding of their companions. Shelties thrive in competition and love to be useful.
We know that because you care so much about your dog , you want to take good care of her. That is why we have summarized the health concerns we will be discussing with you over the life of your Sheltie. By knowing about health concerns specific to Shetland Sheepdogs, we can tailor a preventive health plan to watch for and hopefully prevent some predictable risks.
That does not mean your dog will have these problems; it just means that she is more at risk than other dogs. We will describe the most common issues seen in Shetland Sheepdogs to give you an idea of what may come up in her future. This guide contains general health information important to all canines as well as the most important genetic predispositions for Shetland Sheepdogs. At the end of the article, we have also included a description of what you can do at home to keep your Sheltie looking and feeling her best.
Unfortunately, your Shetland Sheepdog is more likely than other dogs to have problems with her teeth. Dental disease starts with tartar build-up on the teeth and progresses to infection of the gums and roots of the teeth.
In fact, your Sheltie's life span may even be cut short by one to three years! Shetland Sheepdogs are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections — the same ones that all dogs can get — such as parvo, rabies, and distemper. Many of these infections are preventable through vaccination , which we will recommend based on her age, the diseases we see in our area, and other factors.
Obesity can be a significant health problem in Shetland Sheepdogs. It is a serious disease that may cause or worsen joint problems, metabolic and digestive disorders, back pain, and heart disease.
Instead, give her a hug, brush her fur or teeth, play a game with her, or perhaps take her for a walk. All kinds of worms and bugs can invade your Sheltie's body, inside and out. Everything from fleas and ticks to ear mites can infest her skin and ears. Hookworms, roundworms, heartworms , and whipworms can get into her system in a number of ways: drinking unclean water, walking on contaminated soil, or being bitten by an infected mosquito. Some of these parasites can be transmitted to you or a family member and are a serious concern for everyone.
One of the best things you can do for your Sheltie is to have her spayed neutered for males. In females, this means we surgically remove the ovaries and usually the uterus, and in males, it means we surgically remove the testicles.
Spaying or neutering decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers and eliminates the possibility of your pet becoming pregnant or fathering unwanted puppies. Performing this surgery also gives us a chance, while your pet is under anesthesia, to identify and address some of the diseases your dog is likely to develop. Routine blood testing prior to surgery also helps us to identify and take precautions against common problems that increase anesthetic or surgical risk.
Multidrug resistance is a genetic defect in a gene called MDR1. If your Shetland Sheepdog has this mutation, it can affect the way his body processes different drugs, including substances commonly used to treat parasites, diarrhea, and even cancer. For years, veterinarians simply avoided using ivermectin in herding breeds, but now there is a DNA test that can specifically identify dogs who are at risk for side effects from certain medications.
Testing your pet early in life can prevent drug-related toxicity. Shelties are susceptible to a condition called patent ductus arteriosus, or PDA, in which a small vessel that carries blood between two parts of the heart does not close as it should shortly after birth. This results in too much blood being carried to the lungs, causing fluid build-up and strain on the heart. Outward signs may be mild or severe, including coughing, fatigue during exercise, weight loss, shortness of breath, and weakness in the hind limbs.
If your pal has this condition, we may recommend surgery to close the problematic vessel. There are several types of inherited bleeding disorders that occur in dogs. They range in severity from very mild to very severe. Many times a pet seems normal until a serious injury occurs or surgery is performed, and then severe bleeding can result.
Shelties are particularly prone to some relatively rare diseases of the blood. Not many things have as dramatic an impact on your dog's quality of life as the proper functioning of his eyes. Unfortunately, Shetland Sheepdogs can inherit or develop a number of different eye conditions, some of which may cause blindness if not treated right away, and most of which can be extremely painful! We will evaluate his eyes at every examination to look for any signs for concern. Systemic lupus erythematosus is a fairly rare autoimmune disease in which the dog's immune system attacks itself.
This disorder results in chronic inflammation of the skin, joints, and internal organs, sometimes even leading to death in severe cases. Shelties are more commonly affected than other breeds. Symptoms usually begin between three to seven years of age. There is no cure for lupus, but medications can help manage symptoms. Sunlight can cause flare-ups, so avoiding sunlight exposure and using a dog-safe sunscreen on sensitive parts like ears and noses can help.
There are three types of seizures in dogs: reactive, secondary, and primary. Reactive seizures are caused by the brain's reaction to a metabolic problem like low blood sugar, organ failure, or a toxin.
Secondary seizures are the result of a brain tumor, stroke, or trauma. If no other cause can be found, the disease is called primary or idiopathic epilepsy. Oh boy, Shelties are smart dogs! While each individual varies, they all seem to have this attentiveness that's unmatched by most other breeds. Shelties are the sixth most intelligent dog breed overall , and the 1 smartest amongst small dog breeds. So what does this mean for your relationship with your Sheltie?
It means they can learn new commands in as little as five repetitions and excel at performing tricks and agility. Training your Sheltie as a puppy can be very rewarding and heaps of fun. Many other breeds will seem out-of-tune once you've had a good conversation with a Sheltie. Having a smart Sheltie dog comes with responsibility, though. It means you need to keep him busy: daily walks with lots of smells, time off the leash, socializing with other dogs and humans and games around the house.
Sheltie games can be tricky because they don't tend to play fetch like most dogs. However, they love to herd. We soon came to realize Howard would herd a rolling rock along the beach if suitably hyped up. Piper, meanwhile, looks at you like you're an idiot.
I guess every Sheltie has this thing. Feeling rambunctious? Their working dog history on the Shetland Islands means Shelties were selectively bred for certain traits.
These include attentiveness, intelligence, keen eyes and barking which all make a very driven alarm dog. These traits live on today in pet Shelties. They're compelled to protect their homes from potential dangers; including unfamiliar house guests, neighbor dogs, prowling cats and, of course, the mailman. The Sheltie isn't guard dog—so he won't attack anyone. Alarm dogs simply raise your awareness startlingly so!
He'll continue to sound the alarm for some time unless you give the all clear. The magic word is a short, sharp, authoritative "SHHH! To alleviate his need to alarm you for every speck of dust that floats past the window, try giving him alternative types of mental stimulation.
Getting out and about at the start of the day is excellent. Giving him edible chews and play chews are also a good distraction. Be creative and see what "jobs" you can train your Sheltie to do at home, lest he assign himself Watcher of Cats and Listener of All Noises, resulting in copious and shrill barking. Besides their strong desire to alarm bark, Shelties also communicate through various noises that sound to us like singing, talking and yowling.
What makes it even more endearing is that it's almost always aimed in your general direction, leaving you with no doubt that your dog is actually trying to talk to you. Some Shelties are more vocal than others. By Sheltie standards, Howard is the strong, silent type. Meanwhile, Piper is our vocal artist. He long ago decided he needs to howl when the answer machine goes off, lest we miss an important phone call.
He also sings when he yawns, and has been known so say such words as "rowl", "rarr", and "yah". Don't believe me? Watch this. Because of its beauty and kindness, the Sheltie has become a popular companion dog. Do not allow this dog to believe he needs to run your home, or many behavior problems will start to develop. They can become suspicious with strangers, especially with children. They may not allow themselves to be touched by strangers and will display noisy persistent barking, as they tell the humans to leave them alone.
This can lead to guarding , snapping and even biting. They may hide behind something, barking persistently when company arrives. The dog needs to be told this is not an acceptable behavior.
These negative traits are not Sheltie traits, but rather Small Dog Syndrome , human induced behaviors where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. Varying degrees of negative behaviors result when a dog feels it is the leader of a human pack and must keep ITS humans in line. These negative traits will subside as soon as the humans around the dog start to display the proper leadership, along with daily pack walks to relieve mental and physical energy.
Like the Rough Collie, there is a tendency toward inherited malformation and disease of the eyes. Some lines may be prone to hypothyroidism and displacement of the patella kneecap , which is thought to be inherited. Do not overfeed; gains weight easily. Some herding dogs carry a MDR1 gene which makes them sensitive to certain drugs that are otherwise okay to give another dog, but if tested positive for this gene can kill them.
The Sheltie will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard. This active, graceful dog needs lots of exercise, which includes a daily walk or jog. They will also enjoy running free, but be sure the dog is in a safe area.
The coat is easier to care for than you might expect, but regular brushing is important. Mist the coat lightly with water before you begin and tease out the mats before they get bad, but use the comb sparingly.
This breed is a seasonally heavy shedder. The dense undercoat is shed twice a year: in the spring and fall. The coat readily sheds dirt and mud and Shelties are quite fastidious about their cleanliness. Bathe or dry shampoo only when absolutely necessary. The Border Collies were brought to the Scottish island of Shetland and crossed with the Icelandic Yakkin, a small island dog which is now extinct.
By , the Sheltie was completely developed.
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