Sheltie - breed description and character of the dog

Representatives of Sheltie dogs are also called Scottish Sheepdogs. They belong to the shepherd's breeds, which became famous in the 18th century. Some identify it with a dwarf if that is not entirely correct. Its homeland is the Shetland Islands. Huskies, who were brought to the islands by fishermen from Greenland, had a great influence on the formation of the rock.

Small dogs were necessary for the shepherds, from which an element of working qualities was invested. The dogs looked after the sheep, not letting them leave the flock, and the shepherds themselves were not bored with them. Most likely, such dogs acquired high intellectual abilities as a result of close contact with a person in isolation from other dogs.

History reference

Dogs are somewhat similar to chanterelles, although they have never been friends with them. But to protect the chicken coop from this guest, they could, of course. At first glance, the Sheltie may seem like a miniature replica of a collie. There is, of course, a certain amount of truth in this, but this is far from the case. The blood of the Scottish shepherd in the veins of the Sheltie may well flow, but this became possible only towards the end of the 19th century. The breed itself appeared much earlier.

Where the North Sea borders the Atlantic Ocean, there is one archipelago. All its shores are entirely covered with formations that represent the deep gorges. Trees on the islands are almost absent due to the fact that they are not allowed to get stronger the constant presence of strong winds. But the hilly plain is completely covered with stiff grass. Such places are free for plump sheep and shaggy ponies.

More than half a year the sky is covered with clouds, and fog and humidity are eternal satellites of the local climate. These islands were once the bottom of the ocean. Subsequently, they were raised, and they began to rise above sea level. Animals in these places were almost completely absent.Then they appeared here simply because they were imported from the mainland. For the same reason, the ancestors of the Scottish shepherd began to appear in these harsh places.

"Tuni"
Sheltie was entrusted with an honorary duty. They had to guard the house and chicken coops. Sensing the danger, they began to bark loudly, thereby warning that uninvited guests had come. The owners of these dogs were not placed in kennels, but in the house. At the same time they awarded them another honorary title. They began to be called "Tuni", which in translation sounds like a kennel.

Four-legged friend in the role of manager
For many centuries, the locals were engaged in breeding goats, sheep, and some other animals. It was not necessary to protect the herd, since various predators were present on the island only in small numbers. But help in monitoring the herd, of course, was required. It is clear that the sheep themselves could easily fight off the herd. Shepherds acquired such a reliable assistant in the face of Sheltie. I must say that the dogs perfectly fulfilled their task.

The dogs were short and coped well with the function of herd management.It was not at all difficult for them to run between the sheep. In order to warn the sheep of imminent danger, they began to squeak their teeth loudly. If the grazing was delayed for an indefinite number of days, they could independently feed themselves. Their prey became rodents and representatives of the bird kingdom.

Then the current situation has undergone significant changes. Huge farms for the keeping of sheep began to appear. Such small dogs were no longer able to keep up with a large number of sheep. Then they were replaced by large shepherd dogs and Shelties were out of work. This breed generally ceased to do. There was even a moment when representatives of this breed were on the verge of extinction.

As they say, the world is not without good people. This breed managed to gain a large number of fans. They were not professionals, but were active promoters of Sheltie. Their efforts were supported by the sincere belief that such dogs are ideal for keeping home. The ancestors of this breed are represented by dogs from Icelandic Scandinavian countries. Fans crossed these pets with many other breeds.By the end of the last century, the Sheltie was somehow reminiscent of the Scottish Collie.
In 1914, the breed found its standard. In it, on the external characteristics of Sheltie was equated to the Colley. But by the middle of the century the difference had become pronounced and the term “Scottish Sheepdog” had disappeared altogether from the description.

The existence of a harsh climate in the Shetland Islands led to the limited nature of the food supply. Naturally, it was much easier to feed a small dog. This fully applies to Sheltie. And the world saw another beautiful representatives from these places. This is a charming Scottish pony. These horses have a small height and look very attractive. Entourage favorably complements the magnificent shaggy mane.

Breed characteristic

1. Sheltie can not be counted among the dwarf rocks. Dogs can reach a height of 38 cm, and in weight - almost 10 kg. Some representative may reach larger sizes. This possibility is present due to the fact that quite large breeds took part in the crossing.But the standard does not allow deviation from the approved parameters by more than 2.5 cm.
2. The almond-shaped eye has an incredibly expressive character. They have brown, sometimes blue.
3. The ears and head have the appearance that gives the impression of constant dog alertness. But at the same time, the pet has a gentle, soft and intelligent look.
4. The tail is slightly raised when moving.
5. The body is covered with long, hard and straight hair. But on the muzzle short hair. The updated standard (in its description) contains many complimentary epithets for these dogs. Despite the fact that this document was adopted at the end of the 19th century, it is still valid today.

Representatives of this breed are owners of a trichromatic color. Under the fur is a short and soft undercoat. In the past, it was not just a decoration, but served as a defense against cold winds. The presence of a long mane contributes to giving the dog a special charm. The image pleasantly complements the presence of a fluffy tail and lowered front paws. The dog is covered with a luxurious fur coat, and this, in combination with a smart wedge-shaped muzzle, will impress any dogman. But sometimes the dog can take a rather formidable look.This is a legacy of past times when Sheltie was shepherding sheep. It is not hard to guess what it would be like with a sheep at the sight of a good-natured dog. They would just run away.

When moving, the dog is distinguished by its grace and flexibility. Sheltie can run fast and jump very well. With a general perception, the dog looks beautiful, with elements of intelligence and the presence of high intelligence.

Traits

The dog has a friendly and gentle disposition. There is marked attachment to his master. At the same time, she is not without self-esteem and will not tolerate being treated rudely. In the family, she acts as an excellent companion. To outsiders shows a pronounced restraint, but the nervousness does not show.

Self-worth is her innate feeling. It is also characterized by the presence of a sense of independence and delicacy. If the owner is busy, she will be tactful and will not bother him. It is not necessary to persuade to play. She is ready to join the game at any time. More prefers to participate in collective games.The dog will listen only to one owner. Characteristically, Sheltie is able to coexist peacefully even with cats.

Sheltie belongs to the breeds that are easy to train. If there are any other animals in the house, she will easily get along with them. In relation to children shows affection and care. Such a dog can easily get both a lonely and a family man. Representatives of this breed have an amazing variety of their language. His arsenal includes many variations of the canine "conversational genre" - from whining to barking. If necessary, it can be weaned off easily from barking.

They hate the approach of strangers to them, but they themselves can walk up to a stranger easily if they see a friendly attitude. It is impossible to conduct hard trainings with such dogs. It is enough for her if they show the difference between how to behave correctly and how not to do it.

Note! In no case can physical methods be applied to dogs. This may result in damage to the character. In this case, the animal becomes vicious and stubborn. The other side of this moment is that the dog becomes clogged, showing pronounced cowardice.

In the past, the Shelties were excellent farm guards.But they were able to cope only with small animals. Large animals were beyond their power. They notified the owners about their approach only with loud barking. Despite the fact that such a dog shows a pronounced vigilance towards a stranger, a full-fledged defender will not leave it. Social adaptation of the representative of this breed should be given due attention.

These dogs love to talk. You can often hear a barking or growling. Preservation of this habit is due to the fact that in the past they herded sheep. If necessary, excessive talkativeness is limited. It is enough for the dog to submit the appropriate command, as the gratuitous barking will stop immediately.

Currently Sheltie does not shepherd sheep and does not serve as a guard. But it can be easily maintained in the apartment. Even the mobility of the breed allows it. This is facilitated by her good learning ability. The dog is fairly easy to train.

Important! The presence of sports activities, long walks are a must when keeping dogs of this breed. Natural addition of the dog suggests the need for physical exertion.

Since Sheltie was constantly surrounded by people and animals, she clearly does not welcome loneliness. When she remains alone, she becomes, to put it mildly, uncomfortable. If the owner is at work a lot of time, then it is better not to start Sheltie at all. If a dog is not endowed with human attention, presence in games, it becomes such that it is very difficult to control it.

Content tips

Since the dog has a long coat, this circumstance leaves a certain imprint on the conditions of its content.

1. It is good if a real arsenal of different combs is prepared. In the set there must be a massage hygienic tool and a metal comb, bristle brushes. Every 10 days you must carefully comb the dog. This will prevent or minimize the formation of tangles.
2. Bathing is carried out once a month. Often this should not be done. This becomes most relevant when the dog begins to molt. With the help of water accelerates the process of changing hair hair. At a time when the dog is bathed, in no case should you pour the shampoo directly onto the dog's skin. It is pre-diluted in the pelvis.
3. When molting occurs, the pet requires daily combing. But to cut such dogs is impossible, because this may disrupt the hormonal balance.

Those who are impressed by dogs without pronounced aggression, but with a high degree of vigilance, it is well suited this breed. It will suit those who do not like large dogs.

Fact! Pet loves the space when walking, loves those places where you can run a lot. When walking, she will not bother the owner and she will find something to do for physical exertion.

These dogs have good communication skills in relation to adults and children. The dog feels quite comfortable if the family is friendly and there are no constant conflicts in it.

Health

Dogs of this breed have good health. This contributed to the harsh Scottish climate. He let the dogs harden well. This explains the fact that such dogs have a fairly strong immunity. Some representatives live to even 20 years. A characteristic feature is that the liveliness of character is not lost over the years as they grow up.

Despite the fact that these dogs have good health, they have inherited some diseases and eye defects. In dogs of this breed, the patella is often displaced and hypothyroidism occurs.

Nutrition

You can feed your dog dry food and natural products. The right of choice remains for the owner. If the choice falls on feeding with dry feed, then they should be only of high quality. Do not buy cheap samples, while saving on the health of the dog. You should always remember that in the composition of such feed may include various additives. This is done to create their greater attractiveness, but for the health of the dog they are far from always beneficial.

Sheltie can not be overfed in any case, as animals tend to become obese and gain weight fairly quickly. If the dog is sick and has been prescribed certain medications, it is necessary to check the sensitivity of the animal to them. The fact is that many dogs do not show any reactions when using drugs, and they act on Sheltie in a completely different way. In some cases, they can even be fatal.

Advice to those who take a puppy for the first time

1. The best for buying a puppy is the age from 1.5 to 4 months. At too early age it is not worth buying a baby. Psychologically, the puppy is not yet prepared for the fact that mom is not around.
2. For a puppy stand a cozy quiet place. There he will feel comfortable. It should prepare for the fact that the puppy at first will be unnecessarily "whining." This will manifest itself most intensely on the first night after appearing in a new place.
3. Up to 4 months, a character is formed, certain habits appear. It is necessary to pay great attention to this time range. In the future it will be very difficult to fix anything. It is necessary that communication with the animal was confidential.

If the puppy, which first appears in the house, is more than 16 weeks old, then it will be necessary to be ready for the fact that you will have to face certain difficulties. For a puppy, it will take significantly more time to adapt to new conditions.

Video: Sheltie Dog Breed