Sheltie Nation

Seizures and Heartworm Medications in Shelties

Thank goodness seizures in Shelties is not a common problem.  However, as responsible Sheltie owners, we should be aware of the things that can CAUSE seizures in Shelties:

- Sudden high fever.
- Certain illnesses.
- The ingredient in some Heartworm Medications.

If you own a Sheltie, you probably know by now that this is a very sensitive breed.   Things that wouldn't normally affect most dogs can affect a Sheltie.   Ivermectin, the ingredient in Heartguard is one of those things that MAY cause seizures in a Sheltie.

Heartguard is a wonderful and very effective product that has saved countless dogs from getting heartworm.  However some Shelties and Collies react very adversely to Heartguard.    If you are using Heartguard and you notice your Sheltie having seizure(s) every month, this may be the culprit.

If your Sheltie's seizures are caused by the Ivermectin in Heartguard, most often switching to a different Heartworm Preventative will solve the problem.  Intercepter or Sentinal are both good alternatives.

Heartworm Preventative is VITAL in protecting your Sheltie from a deadly heartworm infestation, and should not be discontinued under any circumstances.   If you suspect your Sheltie may be experiencing monthly seizures that coincide with your monthly heartworm pill, please talk to your vet and ask him/her to work with you on checking out this possibility. 

It is also important to note that several years ago, the formula in Heartguard was changed and relabeled as "now safe for Shelties and Collies".   And while the new formula did help matters considerably, Shelties still CAN react to it.

The information on this page is solely intended to help owners who are struggling with seizures in their Shelties.  It is NOT intended in any way to discourage the use of Heartguard in other dog breeds, or in Shelties who are not having seizures.  (If your Sheltie has been using Heartguard and has not had a problem with seizures, there is no reason to switch medications.  Trevor uses it every month without a problem!)

Thanks again to Angie of the All Shelties store for the use of little Shelby's photo!

I was thinking of breeding my Sheltie. Should I?

Yes, Sheltie puppies are super cute.  I'm sure many folks have considered breeding their Sheltie for "fun & profit".  But one should really give it serious thought before committing to it.  You should also seriously critique your female.  Is she close to the breed standard?  Is she healthy, of sound mind & of appropriate age? 

What it all boils down to is this: do not breed unless you are totally committed to the care and well being of your dog and her puppies. You should have at least $4000 in you bank account and should have a backup plan if the puppies do not sell.

ESTIMATED COSTS OF BREEDING A LITTER OF PUPPIES:

Necessary for the health of the mother and her litter a trip to the veterinarian for the following:

• Health check., worming, and fresh shots for mom, brucellosis test....$160.00

• Stud service fee (depending on breeder & quality of dog)...$500 to $1500

After breeding:

• Top quality food...$48.00
• Whelping pen...$125

At birth:

• Vet check & cleanout shot ...$65.00
• Tails and dew claws...$120.00

As puppies grow:

• Misc. expenses (trash bags, extra heat, papers, paper towels heating pads)...$130.00
• Vet visit 6 weeks for 1st shots and worming (distemper measles & parvo) ...$200.00
• Vet visit 8 weeks for 2nd shots & worming (DHPP)...$200.00
• Vet visit 10 weeks for 3rd shots (Parvo)...$150.00
• Vet visit 12 weeks for 4th shot (DHPP)...$200.00
• Advertising for min 4 weeks (1 week per pup)...$416.00
• Puppy food...$48.00
• Exercise Pen...$90.00
• Toys...$32.00
• Breeders license &unaltered fee...$200.00
• Litter registration...$33.00 AKC
• Micro chip or Tattoo now required ID on AKC litter record...$200.00 

HIDDEN COSTS, PROBLEMS AND SLOW TO SELL:

• You have to be present when your female is in labor and you are out one or two days worth of wages or vacation time. Include your lost wages/vacation in the price of your puppies.
• If you are going to sell your puppies check with your homeowners insurance to see if you are covered if a person is injured (or heaven forbid, bitten) while looking at you puppies. Most homeowners will not pay the claim as you are conducting a commercial activity.  Add fee for additional commercial insurance to the puppy's selling price.
• Your puppies don't sell in four ads. You must continue advertising at $84 per week. (Cheap ads do not work & just eat up valuable selling time.)
• You must license the puppies at 4 months & if you have more than three dogs you could be in violation of city dog limit laws.   

POSSIBLE MEDICAL PROBLEMS:

• C-Section... $600 - $1400+
• Mastitis eclampsia pymetria...$150 - $500
• Supplement for puppies if mother dies or cannot nurse...$5.00+ per day.
• All pups get Parvo...$1200 up

The above does not include time off work to care for orphan or weak pups, cost of your time or genetic screening required in some breeds  (OFA CERF etc.).

Still not convinced & want to breed your dog? 

Well, note these lovely facts:

• IRS WILL WANT PART OF YOUR SELLING PRICE.
• As a responsible breeder, I am sure that you plan to take back any puppy that doesn't work out for the life of the dog - because that is what responsible breeders do.
• If you are breeding to show your children the "miracle of life" they will probably see death also. Pups can be born stillborn, some are deformed, and most litters will have at least one fading puppy. There is a chance the mother may also die.
• If you are breeding to get a companion for your dog. I am sure she would much rather have you just buy one or adopt one for her. Once she is bred she will have a 40% chance of breast cancer before she is 10 yrs of age. She is also at risk for pymetria, and uterine and cervical cancer.

If you are breeding to get your money back from the purchase of your dog, take the $4000 and go to Vegas and play the slot machines. Your odds are probably just as good and you would have much more fun.

Thanks to Cadie of Acadia Shelties for the uber cute photo of Genna & her little Sheltie puppy bottoms!

Where did YOUR puppy come from?

Puppy mills are nothing new, but they continue to be a problem because unsuspecting consumers keep buying those adorable puppies in the pet store window, on some slick Internet site, or even through an ad in the trusted local newspaper.

But behind the friendly facade of these pet shops, web sites, and newspaper ads, there often lies a puppy mill. These canine breeding facilities frequently house dogs in shockingly poor conditions, particularly for "breeding stock" animals who are caged and continually bred for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever becoming part of a family. The bitches are bred at every cycle. Many are never vaccinated. The pups never get the all- important early socialization from dam and litter mates -- they are taken away too young so they can be shipped cross-country and placed in pet shop windows or commercial kennels at their most appealing age. Many of these have problems (physical, temperamental or both) that will show up only later in life. Most will bear only a passing resemblance to the best representatives of the breed.

After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are commonly killed, abandoned or sold to another mill. The annual result of all this breeding is hundreds of thousands of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

The puppies will be shipped cross country by truck to be sold in pet shops, but many are also sold via newspaper classifieds or Internet sites — and are often accompanied by false claims such as, "We'd never sell puppies from a puppy mill."

Even if you luck out and get a puppy mill pup that is healthy and adjusts well, you will have contributed to the cycle of abuse that condemns their parents to a life of suffering.  Please do your homework before bringing a new puppy into your life.   

Learn more at: STOP PUPPY MILLS  and Where can I get a Sheltie?

Where can I get a Sheltie?

Do not get a Sheltie (or any dog, for that matter) from a pet store! Shelties should be bred in a clean home by an experienced breeder who checks for genetic disorders, and gives the puppies all the necessary medical attention and socialization they need. Breeding Shelties should always be screened for eye problems, vWD, hip dysphasia, and thyroid function.

Finding a responsible breeder from whom to purchase your Sheltie is paramount, and not always easy. Many reputable breeders do not advertise in newspapers, and few would post public notices about litters available. "Backyard breeders," who mate their pet Shelties to pick up extra cash, may be well-intentioned, but they know little of producing consistently sound purebred dogs. They do not provide written guarantees for their puppies, nor potentially be available later to act as a resource. Beware of breeders that tell you things like "Oh, that doesn't run in my dogs," or "That test isn't accurate." It is a pretty good sign that they have some problem in their dogs, or don't want to pay the money to find out.  Buying from a responsible breeder means you will have someone to turn to throughout the dog's life who will continue to be interested in its welfare and ready to offer advice.

Also be wary of breeders that want you to take the puppy home real early, like 6 weeks old. Not only is this illegal in many states, it also can have long-term repercussions for the puppy. Even though they may be weaned, it is at this age that puppies learn to socialize and relate to other dogs by playing with their littermates. They learn bite inhibition and begin to relate to humans as well.

Your best approach to finding a responsible breeder is through your local all-breed kennel club, your area Sheltie club, or the breeder referral services of the American Shetland Sheepdog Association. When you write out a check to such a breeder, you are not just paying for a puppy. You are also buying access to the breeder's years of experience, the extensive pedigree research they do prior to each breeding, and the assurance that comes from submitting both sire and dam, not just to extensive medical tests and exams, but to the judgment of AKC judges and other experts in the breed. You are contracting the services of an expert, who will provide you with advice and information in the years ahead, and who on appropriate occasions can refer you to a network of knowledgeable people: other breeders, judges, trainers, veterinary specialists, etc.

Another good possibility is to rescue a Sheltie.  Check the National Sheltie Rescue Page for more information.

Thx to The Brady Bunch for the ultra sweet puppy photo!

Sheltie Coat Colors

Shelties come in several colors and patterns.  The two primary Sheltie colors are sable and black.  All other colors in the breed are determined by other genes acting upon these primary colors.

(The pattern that causes the variations in face and ruff markings is in fact a completely independent gene from that which causes the different colors, and so from that perspective any amount of white on the face and ruff is purely a matter of taste; and not a requirement in the standard.)

Sable ~
Colors ranging from gold to red to mahogany (or tri-factored) sable. A mahogany sable can sometimes be quite dark in color.   If the undercoat is brown, the Sheltie is a sable. Washed out, pale color is considered a fault.

   

 

 

red sable

mahogany or tri-factored sable

Blue Merle ~
Color ranges from bright silver to dark pewter; marked with black 'merle' spots and varying amounts of tan on face and legs.   Rustiness, washed out blue, or self-coloring (no spots) is considered a fault.   Genetically, the merle is a tri (black) sheltie; but it carries a gene for "merling"  which dilutes the black coat to various shades of silver & gray.

 

blue merle

blue merle puppy

Sable Merle ~
As a result of breeding a sable to a blue merle, a resulting sable can also inherit the merling gene. In this case, the sable coat is diluted in varying degrees. The Sheltie in the first photo, has a distinct merling pattern in shades of gold & brown. The 2nd Sheltie is also a sable merle, although the pattern is not clearly seen.

 

   

sable merle

sable merle puppy

Tri Color ~

Black coat (and black or dark charcoal undercoat), tan markings on face and legs.

 

 

 

tri color

tri color

Bi Black & Bi Blue ~
Tan markings on face and legs are absent on bi colors.

 

bi black

bi blue

Color Headed White ~
Predominantly white body with colored head and ears. This is a result of white factoring genes from both parents. Although color-headed whites are not allowed in the conformation ring, they are normal and healthy Shelties. When bred to non-white factored shelties the resulting puppies will all be white factored, but will not be color-headed white. The white-factored white should not be confused with a homozygous (double dilute) white Sheltie.

 

blue headed white

blue headed white

Double Dilute
The double dilute (or homozygous white) results from merle to merle breeding. The merling gene is a dilution factor; when doubled by breeding two merles together, the coat is diluted completely or in part to white, most often including the head and ears. A high percentage of double dilutes are also born deaf, blind, or micropthalmic (small, nonfunctioning or missing eyes). If you are not prepared to care for handicapped puppies, merle to merle breedings should not be attempted.

                                    
This double dilute has normal hearing and sight. Note that the ears are white, whereas the color headed white shown above has colored ears.

Thanks to Susan & Cub Hill Shelties for the permish.  These images are copyrighted by Cub Hill Shelties.

Do Shelties really bark a lot?

Shelties have a reputation as vocal dogs, but that might be undeserved. Ill-bred dogs often display a terrier-like personality--hyper and yappy, always on the go--but can just as easily be overly timid and may become a fear-biter. The intelligent Sheltie can be trained to be an excellent watch dog, and not yappy, giving two or three barks to alert its owner to a person at the door.

You can train your Sheltie early to stop barking once you have determined that there is nothing to be concerned about. If you are unsure how to do this, ask your breeder or veterinarian for the name of a reputable trainer.

To some extent, "yappiness" varies with the individual, but as a breed, Shelties are known for being vocal.  Unlike some smaller breeds which are barky but have "baby" voices, Shelties possess a penetrating bark. Your neighbors may not appreciate the fact that your dog's ancestors always lived within three miles of the ocean, and had to be heard over the sound of crashing surf, the call of sea animals, the bleating of lambs, and the howl of high winds.  Someone interested in a Sheltie must  understand that barking is in fact, part of what Shelties were bred to do.

Be forewarned, two or more Shelties can be next to impossible to keep quiet.  If noise is a concern for your lifestyle, the Sheltie might not be the breed for you.

Click here for more information on training your dog not to bark.

Thx to flyinfootwork for the perfect Sheltie bark photo!

What is a Sheltie's temperament?

The Shetland Sheepdog is an outstanding companion dog and is intensely loyal, with a pleasant temperament. It is lively, intelligent, trainable, and willing to please and obey. Shelties are relatively sensitive, and do not need a hard hand when training.

Shelties are loving, loyal, and affectionate with their family, but are naturally aloof with strangers and might not appreciate being petted by someone they do not know; for this reason Shelties must be socialized extensively. There is a much wider range in temperament in modern shelties than there used to be, and personalities will range from quiet, stay-at-home dogs, to active extroverts.

Unfortunately, due to their popularity, more shelties are being bred in puppy mills and by inexperienced, unknowledgeable breeders. These dogs often have very poor temperaments, with characteristics such as fear-biting, excessive shyness, nervousness, or extreme hyperness.  Most Shelties, if encouraged, will warm up to strangers if given time. Some can be quite reserved and some have varying degrees of shyness.

Although they are excellent family pets, Shelties do especially well with children if they are raised with them from an early age; however, their small size makes it easy for a child to accidentally injure them, so supervision is necessary.

Unlike some dog breeds, males and females make equally good pets. The main difference is that males tend to have more impressive coats, and unspayed females will 'blow' coat after every heat cycle. Males should appear masculine, females, feminine.

The herding instinct is still strong in many Shelties. They love to chase things, including squirrels, ducks and children.  Shelties almost always love to play & run in wide-open areas; just make sure the space is safe and they can't get too far away.

Shelties usually do best with a sensitive, yet firm, owner. The Sheltie is, above all, an intelligent herder and likes to be kept busy, although their activity level often coincides with their owner's level.

Thanks to wck for the super sweet photo of Kate & Declan. (She's feeding him some green beans she picked from the garden. He LOVES green beans!)