# Thinking about buying a Sheltie...



## hamlin69 (May 12, 2011)

My girlfriend and I just bought a house(we move in tomorrow) and we are thinking about buying a sheltie maybe in june/july. We have one son (4) and have a couple questions..

1. Our son is mildly allergic to her parents black lab, do shelties have the same type of hair? or is it more "human" like a shih ztu/poodle?

2. I work 8-4, she works 7-3. I can come home at lunch and take dog out but it will be alone for the longest..4 hours. Is that ok for a sheltie? (possible put the dog in a playpen/crate.

3. We live near a lake and it has a bike path/wlaking path around the entire lake for walks. Can a sheltie run with me (5km) without needing a break?

4. Would the dog be ok with being inside for the winter? I live in Canada and it can get quite cold in jan/feb.

5. Is it ok to cut a shelties hair relatively short(not shave)?


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

For more info about shelties... Who do shed... Alot & esp in the spring & fall when they 'blow' their coats to make room for the winter/summer coat, much like a horse sheds its winter hair in spring. Shelties are heeding dogs & I generally do not recommend them for a family with small kids. I would prefer if you wait until your son is at least 6 yrs old or better, I believe that 4 yrs for the most part is too young to understand that the dog isn't a big stuffed toy, lol. No offence meant against your son, whom I do not know personally. I just want everyone, both dog & child to be safe & have fun with dog ownership & its many joys.

Have you entertained the thought if rescuing an older dog from a shelter? There are many shelter dogs that are great with kids & are just owner surrenders due to moves, no time, etc. The shelter staff will often be able to help you choose a new friend & your fee will go to help other animals in need that are brought into the shelter... Plus its tax deductible .
Here are a few sites that might help you:
www.petfinder.com
www.adoptapet.com
You can also get on Google & search for breed rescues, they carry a wealth of info on their breed so you can decide if a sheltie is for you.

For pure bred info:
www.akc.org
www.dogbreedinfo.com
www.dogstar.com


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## giantbrain12521 (Mar 17, 2011)

There are breeds that combine traits that might make one of them ideal for your family. What I mean is a breed that has a hypo allergenic coat, thrives indoors, reasonably low maintenance, intelligent, generally healthy with long life spans. Among others, the toy, miniature and standard poodles, the bichon frise, the miniature, standard and giant schnauzers, westies and yorkies all fill the bill! A good site for this kind of breed-specific info is www.dogbreedinfo.com/allergy.htm. And by all means, check the shelters and rescues first! Good luck.


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## Pynzie (Jan 15, 2010)

hamlin69 said:


> 4. Would the dog be ok with being inside for the winter? I live in Canada and it can get quite cold in jan/feb.
> 
> 5. Is it ok to cut a shelties hair relatively short(not shave)?


I don't know too much about shelties so I will let someone else chime in on some of your other questions.

For the "will the dog be ok inside for the winter question" - yes, the dog SHOULD be inside, but for the whole year, not just the winter. Herding breeds especially are very people oriented so being separated from their people is stressful for them. I don't think you should get any dog if you are going to keep it outside all the time, but this is especially important for very people oriented breeds. 

No, you should not be cutting the coat. The double coat is used for insulation in the winter as well as insulation from the hot weather in summer. Cutting the coat will actually make the dog hotter and more susceptible to the heat. 

I agree with the age of 4 being a bit young, especially since shelties will tend to nip and herd young children. You would have to be aware of this and ready to put in a lot of effort to working with your dog and child. 

Shelties are very smart dogs and they require a lot of time and effort into training them and keeping them mentally stimulated. Are you ready for this significant commitment?


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Ack, I missed this! I had shelties longer than any other breed in my life. They are wonderful wonderful dogs and I miss all mine dearly. I will have another one day. That said, shelties are absolutely NOT the dog for everyone. And for good reason. Research and meet some!

There is also a pretty good sheltie forum you can find too that I am a member of. 



hamlin69 said:


> My girlfriend and I just bought a house(we move in tomorrow) and we are thinking about buying a sheltie maybe in june/july. We have one son (4) and have a couple questions..
> 
> 1. Our son is mildly allergic to her parents black lab, do shelties have the same type of hair? or is it more "human" like a shih ztu/poodle?


Shelties have fur, not hair like a poodle or a shih tzu at all. They shed a LOT although some people I've heard say their hair doesn't bother them like shorter haired dogs do. 



> 2. I work 8-4, she works 7-3. I can come home at lunch and take dog out but it will be alone for the longest..4 hours. Is that ok for a sheltie? (possible put the dog in a playpen/crate.


Sure. Crate or pen the dog and make sure when you ARE home, your dog gets some meaningful interaction. They're not a breed that will lie down all day long and be happy with that lifestyle. 



> 3. We live near a lake and it has a bike path/wlaking path around the entire lake for walks. Can a sheltie run with me (5km) without needing a break?


Depends. I used to bike with mine and she did fine. You need to build up to that and watch the warmer months (though we lived in houston with them and it was fine)



> 4. Would the dog be ok with being inside for the winter? I live in Canada and it can get quite cold in jan/feb.


Honestly, shelties will need to be indoors all year. They're the kind of dog that really really needs to be with their people. A sheltie left alone in the yard will almost absolutely be a nuisance barking. They are extremely extremely vocal dogs and will alert to absolutely everything. This can often cause issues with neighbors. I would not leave one outside while I couldn't hear if it was barking. 



> 5. Is it ok to cut a shelties hair relatively short(not shave)?


You'll get mixed opinions on this but personally I wouldn't cut a double coated breed's hair short.


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## SheltiePuppies75 (Jun 20, 2011)

Get a sheltie only if you have a backyard - shelties (puppies and older) need regular exercise!


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

Im not going to bother with the OPs questions, since its pretty much not needed


SheltiePuppies75 said:


> Get a sheltie only if you have a backyard - shelties (puppies and older) need regular exercise!


A backyard is not enough excersise for a dog, let alone a sheltie.


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## SheltiePuppies75 (Jun 20, 2011)

I couldn't agree more. I was just saying that it's quite impossible to own a sheltie if you don't have a backyard. Of course, you'll need much more than a backyard, especially for a Shetland sheepdog, who needs a mental exercise and a physical one. The sheltie is quite smart, and he needs a stimulating environment, as well described in this nice sheltie blog. All I'm saying - a backyard is just the first thing you need. If you don't have a backyard - please don't bring a sheltie


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## Maggie Girl (Feb 27, 2011)

We had a Sheltie once and while I loved her to pieces and thought she was wonderful, she was not partial to young children. She wasn't mean, just what above posters said "nippy and herded" little ones (my niece and nephew).


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