Blue Ridge Shetland Sheepdog Club
Sheltie Information
Are You Ready for a Sheltie?
Before you dash out and grab the first cute Sheltie you see, please take the time to consider whether or not you are prepared to commit to the next 12 - 16 years to another life. Here are some things to ponder while you make this big decision. The life you bring into your home could depend on it!
1) Time Commitment - Not only does this mean for the long term life of the Sheltie, but also the day to day time commitment. Shelties love to be with their people. Puppies require lots of attention. Housebreaking and socializing properly cannot be done when you work long days. If you work full time and must have a puppy, you need to employ either sitters or day care to assist you. But they do not adequately replace having someone home to guide and teach. If you work a long day, reconsider getting a dog. And if you must, be responsible and hire someone to help with the dog when you are not home. Granted, you may only work 9 - 5 but then there is commuting time. This can easily turn and eight hour work day into ten or even twelve! Shelties are high energy. A few minutes ball playing is not enough exercise. Many Shelties need a couple hours exercise each day. Walk, playing fetch, training time, classes, practicing a sport - a bored Sheltie with too much energy is not good! Dogs just shoved in the back yard does not constitute proper exercise.
2) Affording a Sheltie - Whether you go to a breeder or a rescue, the price of the Sheltie is the cheap part! Many people forget that it is the day-to-day expenses that add up in the long run. There are food, medical care (and do not forget that emergencies can crop up), training classes, food, grooming supplies, toys, treats and other things that add up to far more than you paid for your Sheltie. Yes, the initial cost for a Sheltie is there, but can you afford the dog long-term?
3) Your Future - Life brings changes to us all. Have you considered how you will handle them and keep your dog in mind? Each year thousands of dogs are given up due to a new baby, move, marriage, divorce, death, etc.
4) Good and Bad - People have this Hollywood image of pet ownership. Often this is a skewed view. Puppies and dogs are work. Even the bright little Sheltie is not born trained. Are you prepared to handle housebreaking, teaching manners, socializing, etc.? Are you set for adolescence when that cute pup is now testing limits? It is amazing how many adolescent dogs are in shelters because owners cannot handle or will not handle the natural testing of limit. What if you dog develops a health condition? Even if the breeder tests and screen, things can still crop up. And then there is aging. Can you handle giving your dog a happy golden time? Sadly, some dogs are given up when they get old and can no longer keep up with an active family.
5) Purpose of the dog - Are you looking for a friend and companion to share your days with? Do you want a working partner or a dog to compete in sports with? Are you getting the dog to stop your kids from hassling you?
6) Full Agreement of family/roomates - Another thing causing dogs to be discarded is the whole family not being in agreement of the dog. A spouse brings home a pet without discussing it with the other one. A few months later, dog is gone or ends up neglected. There is also agreement on the breed. You may want a Sheltie but your spouse or partner does not.
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