Ever thought of getting a Shetland Sheepdog?

The Shetland Sheepdog is a great little dog. The breed originates from the Shetland Islands off the North coast of Scotland.

The breed is thought to have been the result of crosses between Scottish collies, the “Yakki” dogs of Greenland whalers, and the Spitz.

Some others believe that the Shetland Sheepdog has descended from the King Charles Spaniel. Called Sheltie for short this breed looks like a miniature, long haired Collie.

The Sheltie is active, alert, happy, easy going and a very gentle and nice natured dog. The Sheltie is easy to train and can be very outgoing, however can sometimes be cautious of strangers, but never fearful. This cute little dog can be very vocal at times.

All dogs enjoy being trained and there is something to suit everyone. It is said that training a dog can be more beneficial than a short lead walk as it uses their brain a lot more. There are all kinds of training that can be done and just because a sheltie is a small breed doesn’t mean that they cannot train like the larger dogs. They are just as keen and able to learn.

One discipline that can be done that can help in everyday life is obedience training. This can be fun training where you can teach the dog to sit, stay, lie down, stand all sorts but it is classed as obedience training. This will help when it comes to crossing the road etc. and you need control with the dog.

Other sports you can do with your pet is agility and Flyball. Both these sports are high energy sports and as well as training the dog to do the sport they will also get a lot of energy out and so will gain a lot of exercise. Flyball is a team sport where they are between four and six dogs to a team. The idea is that the first dog runs through the time beam and then over the jumps to the box. When they are at the box the ball comes out and they have to run back and the next dog crosses and goes to do the same. This continues until all the dogs have run and the course is complete.

Agility is more of a one on one sport. When it comes to competing it will be just you and your dog in the ring. The idea of agility is that the dog completes a course designed by the judge and the dog that has gone round the course clear in the fastest time wins. Again this is another great sport for you and your dog to bond doing as well as great exercise for you and your dog.

As with many long haired dogs, the coat takes a lot of care and attention and needs to be groomed at least twice a week. Dog grooming can be time consuming but will keep the coat in good condition.


The Sheltie makes a great family pet but as with all other breeds they do need exercise and ideally need at least two walks a day.

Some Shelties are small and others can be classed as medium size, so you need their food to be in-keeping with their size. You can buy small sized dog food such as Iams dog food who offer a range for small breed, which would be suitable for the smaller breeds but you can also buy Eukanuba Medium Adult dog food which would suit the larger of the breed.

As with all dogs the Sheltie loves dog treats and chews but you will have to keep an eye on their weight as they can be prone to putting weight on, if this is the case then you would need to look at lighter food such as Baker's Weight Control dog food.

About the author
Karren Newton is a pet advisor for Swell Pets, one of the UK’s leading online pet supplies retailers, including ranges of dog food such as Arden Grange and IAMS dog food, Eukanuba Dog Food