Health and History of Shetland Sheepdogs

Like the Rough Collie, there is a tendency toward inherited malformation and disease of the eyes. Each individual puppy should have his eyes examined by a qualified veterinary ophthalmologist. Some lines may be prone to hypothyroidism, epilepsy, or skin allergies.

As with all dog breeds, diet should be monitered and adjusted as needed as many nonworking Shelties can overeat and easily become obese.
 

Although its coat might appear to be a time-consuming task, a once-weekly, but thorough, brushing is all that is needed, though more frequent groomings will contribute to a beautiful and tidy coat. Shelties 'blow' coat usually twice a year, often at spring and fall, and should be groomed more often at those times.

Eyes

The two basic forms of inherited eye problems in shelties are SES (Sheltie Eye Syndrome) and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

SES can be detected in young puppies by a certified ophthalmologist. The disease involves all three layers of the posterior eyeball. Mild SES can result in a blind spot, while severe cases will lead to complete blindness.
PRA can not be detected until later in life, as it is a "progressive" disease. Affected dogs often begin with night vision problems, progressing to loss of day vision and total blindness.
Currently, there is no treatment for either disease.

Note that merles commonly have at least one blue eye and that Shelties are one of the few dog breeds for which this is normal; for many dogs this is considered a defect.

 

Dermatomyositis (Sheltie Syndrome)

Dermatomyositis may occur at the age of 4 to 6 months, and is frequently misdiagnosed by general practice veterinarians as sarcoptic or demodectic mange. The disease manifests itself as alopecia on the top of the head, supra- and suborbital area and forearms as well as the tip of the tail. If the disease progresses to its more damaging form, it could affect the autonomic nervous system and the dog may have to be euthanized. This disease is generation-skipping and genetically transmitted, with breeders having no clear methodology for screening except clear bloodline records. Deep tissue biopsies are required to definitively diagnose dermatomyositis.
 

Ears

Shelties' ears are required to bend slightly or "tip" at the top to be qualified to show in AKC shows. If a dog's ears are not bent (referred to as prick ears) it is acceptable to help the ears along to the desired position by bracing them into the correct position and leaving them on for several weeks. Wideset ears can also be a problem, often breaking too low down (referred to as 'hound' ears). These are often harder to correct than prick ears, and must be braced early and consistently throughout the first year. It is easiest to train a dog's ears when the dog is in its first year and the cartilage has not stiffened much.
 

Von Willebrand Disease (vWD)

Von Willebrand disease is an inherited bleeding disorder. In Shelties, affected dogs as a general rule are not viable and do not live long.

 

Thyroid problems

Hypothyroidism (under-functioning of the thyroid) is being observed more frequently in Shelties. Clinical symptoms include hair loss or lack of coat, over or under-weight, and listlessness. Research is currently ongoing to further understand the thyroid.
 

[ Sable and white shelties at one and half years and at 6 months. Professional grooming typically gives a fluffier coat than these. The puppy has a transitional "puppy fuzz" coat. ]

History

The Sheltie came from the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland. Unlike many miniature breeds that resemble their larger counterparts, this breed was not developed by selectively breeding the Rough Collie for smaller and smaller sizes. Rather, it is the result of the intermingling of Border Collies and possibly several other herding breeds over the past several centuries.

Its exact origins are not known, but the most-often cited ancestors of the breed include the Border Collie (or its ancestors), the Yakki (also Yakkie or Yakkin) dog (a dog kept and bred by Greenland whalers), and the Icelandic sheepdog. During the 19th century, the appeal of small, fluffy dogs became clear, and there are mentions of cross-breedings with Pomeranians (which were larger then than they are today) and with the now-extinct (?) Prince Charles Spaniel or possibly a King Charles Spaniel. Some Shelties in the early 20th century had brindle coats, which could have come from a terrier or Corgi breed. Note: the "mentions" of cross-breedings with Pomeranians is largely seen as a myth by most Sheltie experts.

The year 1909 marked the initial recognition of the Sheltie by the English Kennel Club and the first Sheltie to be registered by the American Kennel Club was "Lord Scott" in 1911.
 

Shetland Sheepdog Breed Information and Pictures

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Shetland Sheepdog".