Are Shelties (Shetland Sheepdog) good for first-time owners

Are you considering getting a canine and 1 of nan breeds that person piqued your liking is nan Shetland Sheepdog, besides known arsenic nan Sheltie? If you person ne'er owned a canine earlier aliases person had dogs but ne'er a Sheltie it is important that you cognize if this is simply a breed that is suitable for you. It is arsenic important that you cognize if you are nan correct proprietor for a Sheltie.

Doing your investigation now will debar heartbreak later if it doesn’t activity retired and you request to rehome nan puppy aliases dog. If you do person erstwhile canine ownership acquisition you will already person a batch of knowledge. However, each breed is different and has its ain traits. It is basal that you study arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable astir everything Sheltie-related.

If you person ne'er owned a dog, you person a batch to study astir canine ownership successful wide arsenic good arsenic astir nan Sheltie breed. Dog ownership is simply a large work and comes pinch its positives and negatives. You will make mistakes arsenic a caller owner, but nan much prepared you are nan better.

Is a Sheltie a bully first dog?

The Shetland Sheepdog, aliases Sheltie, is a friendly, affectionate, and highly intelligent canine that would beryllium good for nan RIGHT first-time owner. Shelties are champion suited to owners that tin supply capable workout and intelligence stimulation for this progressive breed. They are besides very group orientated and require companionship and a batch of clip spent pinch them. Due to their intelligence and eagerness to please they are easy to train.

What type of first-time proprietor would beryllium champion for a Sheltie?

As an progressive breed that requires tons of quality interaction, a Sheltie would beryllium champion pinch an proprietor that has nan clip to dedicate to their needs. Someone who useful agelong hours aliases has galore different commitments that support them distant from spending clip pinch a canine would not beryllium suitable for this breed.

An perfect business would beryllium personification who useful from location aliases spends a batch of clip astatine home. A family would beryllium cleanable arsenic Shelties emotion quality relationship and are bully pinch kids.

Shelties are besides bully pinch different dogs and usually cats arsenic well, truthful a location pinch different pets would beryllium fine.

Things astir Shelties first-time owners must beryllium alert of

The mobility is not only conscionable astir whether a Sheltie would beryllium a suitable canine for a first-time owner. A much important mobility is are you a suitable proprietor for a Sheltie who tin supply for their needs? If you are not capable to beryllium nan proprietor of an progressive and intelligent breed for illustration nan Sheltie and person nan clip to springiness to them you whitethorn person superior problems. Some important things you request to return into information are –

Shelties are progressive dogs

Shelties are champion suited for owners that tin supply nan measurement of workout they need. A patient big Sheltie requires astatine slightest 1 hr a time of mean to aggravated workout to pain pent-up power but much would beryllium better. For a full guide to exercise for a Sheltie pinch suggestions see here.

Failure to springiness them capable workout tin consequence in serious behavior issues such as nuisance barking and destructive behavior. They tin besides beryllium prone to becoming overweight aliases obese without capable exercise.

The workout needs of a Sheltie will alteration depending connected their age. A puppy has different workout needs than an adult. See present for how to exercise a Sheltie puppy. As a Sheltie gets into their elder years (from 7 aliases 8 years old) location will beryllium a simplification successful their power levels. However, they do enactment comparatively progressive their full lives. For the exercise needs of a elder Sheltie see here.

A Sheltie that is under-exercised and under-stimulated tin go hyperactive. For tips on how to calm a hyper Sheltie see here.

It is important to retrieve that Shelties were primitively bred arsenic herding dogs. They person a reasonable level of endurance. If you are wanting a canine to spell moving pinch they are up for it. A Sheltie tin easy tally  3 to 4 miles (around 5 to 6.5 km) successful a convention aliases overmuch further pinch training and conditioning. For more on running pinch a Sheltie see here.

The bottommost statement erstwhile it comes to Sheltie workout needs is that they require a reasonable measurement of regular accordant exercise. They are not thigh dogs though are happy to cuddle up connected your lap. If you don’t consciousness you tin supply for this important request a Sheltie is not for you.

Shelties are highly smart

Shelties are an highly smart and intelligent breed. To learn just really smart a Sheltie is spot here.
Working breeds for illustration nan Sheltie not only request plentifulness of beingness exercise. They request intelligence stimulation and enrichment to situation and tyre their minds.

If Shelties are not fixed nan opportunity to situation their brains they tin go saturated and under-stimulated. Boredom tin beryllium 1 of nan main causes of behavior issues such arsenic destructive behaviour and chewing, barking, and digging. To study much about providing mental stimulation for a Sheltie see here.

Shelties require plentifulness of relationship and companionship

Shelties emotion to walk each their clip pinch their owners and family members. They thrive connected quality companionship. They are often referred to arsenic a velcro breed – a breed that sticks to your broadside for illustration velcro.

They are not a breed that likes to beryllium near location unsocial each nan time. If you person a engaged manner and are distant from nan location for agelong periods of clip a Sheltie whitethorn not beryllium suitable. Some Shelties tin beryllium prone to separation anxiety.

Many Sheltie owners activity full-time jobs and are capable to time off their Shelties unsocial while astatine work. It takes training to thatch them to beryllium comfortable pinch being near location alone. For a guide to leaving a Sheltie location unsocial see here.

Shelties besides are bully pinch different dogs. Many Sheltie owners person much than 1 Sheltie aliases moreover different dog. This gives their Sheltie nan companionship they desire. 

Shelties require consistency successful training and socialization

Shelties tin beryllium comparatively easy to train. They are very people-orientated and emotion moving pinch their owners making them consenting to learn. Along pinch their intelligence, they are mostly capable to prime up caller commands quickly.

Toileting training a Sheltie puppy is usually easier than a batch of breeds and arsenic agelong arsenic you are accordant and minimize mishaps they will prime it up quickly. Shelties are besides a breed that is mostly bully off-leash and has fantabulous recall. This is owed to their beardown quality focus. However, if they spot a distraction they whitethorn return chase.

They are besides tin beryllium very delicate and don’t respond good to harsh training methods. Positive reinforcement pinch plentifulness of rewards is acold much effective erstwhile training a Sheltie.

Sheltie behaviour problems

Shelties mostly don’t get a batch of behaviour issues arsenic agelong arsenic they person nan correct training and exercise, beingness and mental, they need. Failure to supply training on pinch capable exercise, some beingness and intelligence tin consequence successful behaviour issues developing. For much connected Sheltie’s behaviour problems see here.

The 1 behaviour problem that galore Sheltie owners study is barking. They are a breed that is much prone to becoming a nuisance barker. Nuisance barking behaviour tin create if they are saturated aliases understimulated. For much connected fixing nuisance barking successful Shelties see here.

Shelties pinch kids

Shelties are friends and playful and tin make an fantabulous pets for children. However, they are high-energy and tin beryllium boisterous. Shelties are not typically fierce but they are not bully pinch unsmooth handling. It is important that they beryllium well-socialized and taught nan correct behaviour pinch children. They tin beryllium aggressive, fearful, aliases snappy if not socialized properly.

It is besides important that children are taught nan correct measurement to grip and interact pinch a Sheltie.

Shelties are dense shedders requiring regular brushing

If you don’t want canine fur successful your location aliases connected nan furniture, a Sheltie whitethorn not beryllium for you. Shelties are a dense shedding breed and shedding is constant. This shedding process gets worst successful nan Spring and Fall (Autumn) but they do still shed astatine each times – 365 days a year. 

Shelties require a batch of brushing and grooming. Ideally, it should beryllium regular during dense shedding times and 2 aliases 3 times a week astatine different times. If you don’t want a canine that will require regular brushing, you will request to return them to a master canine groomer regularly.

Health issues successful Shelties

Overall, nan Sheltie is simply a robust canine that is usually successful bully health. They person a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. However, arsenic pinch each breeds, location are immoderate wellness issues that whitethorn occur.

Obesity tin beryllium a problem pinch Sheltie that tin lead to different issues. It is important that they person capable workout and a patient diet. For much on Sheltie weight issues see here.

Shelties are besides prone to a information called hypothyroidism. This is erstwhile nan assemblage doesn’t make capable thyroid hormone. Symptoms tin see barren tegument and coat, hairsbreadth loss, tegument diseases, behavioral changes, and weight gain. 

They tin beryllium prone to hep dysplasia. This is simply a familial rumor and nan consequence tin beryllium minimized if you bargain from a reputable breeder who has had nan parents tested for these issues.

Summary – Are Shelties bully for first-time owners

If you considering a Sheltie and person ne'er owned this breed aliases a canine earlier it is important to make judge it is simply a bully fit. Shelties are progressive small dogs and require a reasonable magnitude of regular exercise. They besides request plentifulness of intelligence stimulation to situation their smart minds.

Shelties are champion suited for owners that tin besides supply nan clip and companionship they need. They are not suited for owners that will request to time off them astatine location unsocial a batch of nan time.

Shelties besides require a adjacent magnitude of grooming and brushing. They are a dense shedder and you tin expect your carpet and furnishings to beryllium covered successful hair. Shedding tin beryllium reduced arsenic agelong arsenic you meet their grooming needs.