Shelties

[stevinski]

actually i have been looking at shelties for about 2 months now, i would like one to do conformation, agility, obediance, mainly and maybe tracking, but i want to get from a kennel that has titles in the first 3!, i ofcourse still only have a small puppy so this wouldnt be for another atleast 2 years, and ofcourse all decent show kennels have waiting lists, especially for first pick of a show prospect and apparently its goin to be had for me to find someone who has titles in conformation, obediance, and has health testing.

And Summer you probably dont no it but all the information you have put on this board about shelties has really helped me to learn alot about the breed and it just makes me want one more,

the only bit that gets me in the standard is the height

Ideal height at withers: dogs: 37 cms (141/2 ins); bitches: 36 cms (14 ins). More than 21/2 cms (1 in) above or below these heights highly undesirable.

i mean it must be pretty common for a dog to come about a inch out, but then i spose if both the parents had CH and i got first pick i should get one that comes in the guidlines right?

i want to compete in agility, obedience, conformation, tracking, and do stuff like good citizen.

so people with shelties just like tell me bout them and stuff! i'm pratically decided on shelties anyway lol!

although does anyone have a picture of a shelties standing next to someone because i am getting confused with like the size.

Thanks!!!!!:) :) :)

[stevinski]

also can you guys like explain ear bracing because its essentail for the show ring isnt it?

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

I love those furry little guys. :D

Here are some pictures of Shelties beside people:

http://www.tsscofnc.com/2000/BOS2000-1.jpg
http://www.tsscofnc.com/1999/BOS1999.jpg
http://www.jimhallprodoghandler.com/images/Best_Of_Breed_from_Open_Class.jpg

[stevinski]

yuh thats wat i thought cause this women had a sheltie pup and this adult dog and i said your shelties are soo cute and then my mate goeslike lassie, and i go lassie was a rough collie, and the lady goes her adult dog was a rough collie and i was like, i c , cause the dog wasnt that big, and i was like ok

[~Tucker&Me~]

Stevinski,

Didn't you just get a puppy :confused: ?

If so, then why not concentrate on your current dog as opposed to getting a new one? And if you must, there are plenty in shelters.

www.petfinder.com

~Tucker

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

I believe he was thinking of a sheltie for a future dog, not any time soon. There is nothing wrong with early research. :)

[femke]

I can give you this about sizes from my book:

Described as a small breed, the dog should stand between 13 and 16 inches at the shoulder. Note: height is determined by a line perpendicular to the ground from the top of the shoulder blades. Disqualification - heights below or above the desired range are to be disqualified from the show ring.

Not sure where abouts you are but in cm's that is: 33 cm - 41 cm.

Penny is 17 inches (43 cm) at the shoulder (measured her again lol) for a female sheltie that is just way too tall, you can see the difference in her head too I find her muzzle seems a lot bigger than some of the dainty tiny shelties I've seen around.

I think a lot of it has to do with getting a good breeder! I'm going back to mine to (finally!) pick up Penny's papers and plan to have another look around because from what I remember Penny's parents are about the same size as she is.

If I were you when you get closer to wanting to get your sheltie I'd go around and talk to different breeders, go to shows, that way you really get an idea of what they are supposed to look like and how tall/small they can be.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a338/femcrowe/thread6.jpg
Penny on my lap.

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Awww, that's a cute picture. :)

[SummerRiot]

Hey Steve!

And Summer you probably dont no it but all the information you have put on this board about shelties has really helped me to learn alot about the breed and it just makes me want one more,


hehe Aww, I'm glad I could help you out a bit! :)
Sheltie Ear gluing is ESSENTIAL for a future show puppy. BUT you have to glue them correctly, or you'll mess up the ear structure for later on.
SO.. get a VERY knowledgable breeder in this. Also, after the initial gluing.. the ears do come loose and need continual touch ups.
I have a video of "how to glue a shelties ears" that I made for cowgirl that I posted. I'll find the link and post in here for you.
Its just a rough idea of how you should do it. Riots rolling around in the background distracting Jada lol And I couldn't film the actual "gluing" process only the before and after with explinations inbetween lol I was the only one doing the videoing.. ohh not to mention there are spelling mistakes in it hahaha
http://youtube.com/watch?v=H8nQuciBSYg

Anyways, about the heigh issues. The breeders can take an "educated guess" on what the dogs finishing height might be from measurements when they are a certain age.
Believe it or not.. Crosbie wasn't supposed to go overstandard. Hes now 1.5" above standard. lol Thats a BIG sheltie :)
You have to look at the Shelties mom and dad for personality as well. Becarful not to get a puppy from a timid or shy mother. Shelties are sometimes known to be fairly timid if not properly socilized as a young puppy.

I think you are in the States.. this is taken straight off of the AKC website for size standards for Shelties.

Size, Proportion, Substance
The Shetland Sheepdog should stand between 13 and 16 inches at the shoulder. Note: Height is determined by a line perpendicular to the ground from the top of the shoulder blades, the dog standing naturally, with forelegs parallel to line of measurement.

Disqualifications-- Heights below or above the desired size range are to be disqualified from the show ring.

Showing Shelties is touch competition over here. At Riots last show there were around 12 Shelties entered. There were only 5 Belgians entered. The good thing is that if you get a nice Sheltie with good structure and movement, you will gain points quickly. If you have a sheltie that has one flaw such as a bad looking stop(part on their head) and your against other shelties that have minimal flaws, it will be extremely hard to rank in points towards their CH title.
Our breeders think that Jada will achieve her CH title, but because she is a rather "plain" Sheltie with no fancy markings about her and a foxy face it might be harder for her, just meaning it will take longer.

Although, if you get a nice looking Sheltie, you can kick butt in the show ring!
Riot has been beat out by a Sheltie twice in group placings! lol Judges LOVE Shelties lmao

AKC standards (http://www.akc.org/breeds/shetland_sheepdog/index.cfm)

If Crosby was smaller, he would have placed VERY well.

Another thing if you want to show your Sheltie.. hook up with a professional handler/groomer for a Sheltie. It takes HOURS to properly prep a Sheltie for the show ring! lol SOO much bodifyer in that mane of theirs lol
There is also specific ways to trim their fur as well to either hide or accent certain faults or advantages.

, agility, obediance, mainly and maybe tracking,
Shelties do VERY well at agility, as well as obedience. Obedience takes consistancy along with quantity. For a properly trained obedience Sheltie it takes practicing each day on certain things for your CD, CDX or UD. Even if it is only 5 minutes.. just always finish on a good note :)
With Shelties.. comes consistant BARKING! lol If you can train your Sheltie to quite "talking back to you" during Agility, this will aid you more. The more they bark, they more they dont really have their full attention on you. Just something to remember.
As for tracking, i'm sure they could do it. Its just something that they weren't bred for and I think it will be highly unlikely(yet could be possible) to find a kennel that has AN, CD,CH AND Tracking titles. I'm sure they are out there though.
Mostly kennels concentrade on Obedience and Conformation with the occational Agility.

Any other questions that I missed? :)

OHHH forgot to add as well. Have you decided on what colour of Sheltie you'd like? There are many acceptable colours to choose from.

Here is from the AKC
Color
Black(tri), blue merle, and sable (ranging from golden through mahogany); marked with varying amounts of white and/or tan.
Faults-- Rustiness in a black or a blue coat. Washed-out or degenerate colors, such as pale sable and faded blue. Self-color in the case of blue merle, that is, without any merling or mottling and generally appearing as a faded or dilute tri-color. Conspicuous white body spots. Specimens with more than 50 percent white shall be so severely penalized as to effectively eliminate them from competition. Disqualification-- Brindle.


For Sables, the different shades of the tan colour, depend on what colour "factored" them out. For example. Jada and Crosbie are from a "tri-factored Sable bitch). Meaning, their grandmother was a tri, but their mother was a sable. This is why you see such a dark colouring on Crosbie and jada when you see them in pics. They have "almost black" streaks in places. A pure sable won't have such a dark overlay on them.
Blues are also allowed to have blue eyes.

[femke]

awwww summer your babies are so patient getting their ears glued!!! I just loved watching that video. We tried with Penny but she seemed soooo annoyed by it that we decided to just let it go, we weren't planning on showing her anyway. First they stayed up for a while, then one went down, then they switched but in the end they both stayed down. A sheltie down the street from us has prick ears, she didn't like the ear-glueing thing either but hers never went down anymore. Both of your shelties are just gorgeous! Penny's coat is starting to look quite awful!! We haven't changed her food or anything, maybe it's just coz it's summer and she's shedding quite a bit? I love crosbie's coat! They both look awesome! What food do you have them on?
Okay will stop asking you questions now... hehe.

[MyIrishWolfie]

Shelties are sooo cute. I had one for a week when I was little. My mom thought he was too hyper so she gave him away :(

[SummerRiot]

Hey Femke! :)

You'll have to watch Pennys coat in the summer time because it can "rust" out and get a red tinge to it. Which is usually the hair getting a little bit fried and dyed lol So just make sure she doesn't spend hours in the direct sun! :)
Its definately shedding season for our Shelties. Jada blew her coat last week and now she is running around slightly bald lol
Crosbie is just starting to loose chunks in his now. Females tend to blow their coat more then males. Males is about once a year, and females is about twice a year depending on heat cycles.

All three of our dogs is on Fromm dog food for the summer/fall months, then more then likely going back to Innova Adult for the winter months. They went off the taste of Innova, but its such a good food we are going to try them on it again.

You can PM me anytime you have a Sheltie Q :) I'm more then happy to spread the word on Shelties hehe ;)

[~Tucker&Me~]

Auscat,
Early is always good :).
Just telling him that he should enjoy his current puppy.

~Tucker

[stevinski]

Harley is definetly my priority at the moment, i want to do obediance and agility with him as well, but hes a family dog, the sheltie would be mine and like i said it wont be for another 2 years and that a minimum so it could be more.

Summer thanks for all you info!!!:)

But unfortunatly i live in the UK and over here the standard is more strict about height, with a inch out being a major fault.

heres wat it says:Ideal height at withers: dogs: 37 cms (141/2 ins); bitches: 36 cms (14 ins). More than 21/2 cms (1 in) above or below these heights highly undesirable

I definetly want a sable or with a colour like jadas cause shes gorgeous. I don't want a merle for my first sheltie as there is more health issues and the coat can change with age and go out of standard, as only cetain markings are acceptible on a merle, so at the mo i looking at a sable or tri-factor sable, maybe a tri-colour but it depends on the kennel i go for.

[femke]

Hey Femke! :)

You'll have to watch Pennys coat in the summer time because it can "rust" out and get a red tinge to it. Which is usually the hair getting a little bit fried and dyed lol So just make sure she doesn't spend hours in the direct sun! :)



oy so that is what's happened! I remember the other thread a while ago about how a lot of tri shelties don't really have a black black coat no more, but Penny always had! up until she went through her first heat and then all of a sudden in the middle on her back she got a big rust spot. It's gotten worse which I figure is probably from the sun then. Good thing she isn't a showdog hehe. And thanks for telling me about the coat thing because i was getting kind of worried with the amount of hair she was losing. I started looking at pictures of her parents and saw how much hair they had! but that was still during winter time so that makes sense now. She's not getting bald spots or anything but her coat is just a looot thinner than it was. thanks again!

and sorry steve didn't mean to use your thread for my own info!

[stevinski]

thts okay!!!!!
its all about shelties soo anything goes lol!

[stevinski]

btw how many people on here actually have shelties and what colour???? :)

[LabBreeder]

stevinski - FYI: just because a sire and dam are CH and within the height (required by UK shows) doesn't mean the pups will come out that way.

[Melissa_W]

I don't want a merle for my first sheltie as there is more health issues and the coat can change with age and go out of standard, as only cetain markings are acceptible on a merle, so at the mo i looking at a sable or tri-factor sable, maybe a tri-colour but it depends on the kennel i go for.

Is that really true? I've never heard that before. Coat color should be unrelated to other genetic defects, right? :confused:

Skye is a bi-blue. Oh, and he has one ear that goes up and one that goes down. :p

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a301/mwood8402/DSCF1423.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a301/mwood8402/DSCF1428.jpg

[LabBreeder]

WOW Skye is beautiful! :)

But yes, some breeds have coat color related issues. Yellow Labs, for example, are more prone to sun burn, skin conditions, skin cancer from sun exposure, etc. due to the light pigment. (Or so I've heard!)

[Melissa_W]

WOW Skye is beautiful! :)

But yes, some breeds have coat color related issues. Yellow Labs, for example, are more prone to sun burn, skin conditions, skin cancer from sun exposure, etc. due to the light pigment. (Or so I've heard!)

Thanks LabBreeder. :D He's a little dirty in those pics, you can see it on his paws. ;)

That's interesting about the yellow labs... I'm gonna do some research about Shelties and see what I can find. Oh, and if you have any links about it Stevinski, I'd definitely like to see. :D

[Melissa_W]

Stevinski, are you sure that you aren't thinking of double merles?

Merle genetics
http://bowlingsite.mcf.com/Genetics/Merle.html
Sable merles are no more likely to have health problems than any other color, and they are equally good companions. Many do have colors that are not accepted in the show ring, either because they have blue or merle eyes or because the mottling produced by the merle gene is too obvious. The real arguement against sable merles is that they may be mistaken for normal sables. If two such sable merles were mated together, the resulting litter could contain defective whites. What a shock for the breeder expecting normal, healthy puppies!

Sheltie FAQ
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/dogs-faq/breeds/shelties/
Blue Merles are genetically black Shelties whose coat color has been
modified by the merling gene. This makes them appear to be dappled
silver and black, usually with black patches. Blue merles also differ
from other Shelties in that they may have blue or brown eyes (or one
of each), or merle eyes, which appear to be both brown and blue. This
does not indicate any vision deficiency. Blue merles are also usually
marked with varying amounts of white, and may or may not have tan
markings. Those without tan markings are called Bi-Blues.

There are two kinds of white Shelties. One type is called the
"color-headed white." "White factor" determines the Sheltie's
so-called Dutch or Irish markings (the white collar, bib and cuffs)
which are associated with Lassie but are not required for the show
ring. Some heavily white-factored dogs have white haunches and legs, a
huge white collar, and completely white shoulders and forelegs. Such a
dog may have so much white on its body that only a "saddle" or a few
patches of color remain. Its head, however, contains no more white
than any other Sheltie's might. (This is similar to what is called
parti-color in other breeds). At present, the AKC Standard severely
penalizes any show Sheltie that is over 50% white. However,
color-headed white Collies have long been accepted in the show ring,
and many fanciers believe color-headed white Shelties should be also.
In any event, color headed whites are completely normal. They can be
shown at non-AKC shows and are entirely suitable as pets or obedience
dogs.

The same cannot be said for the white "double" or homozygous merles
which result from merle-merle breedings. (Usually the parents are both
blues, but there are rare sable merles as well. Sheltie color genetics
are very complicated, and no one should attempt breeding without a
thorough understanding of all the possibilities.) The "double merle"
usually has a great deal of white on its head as well as its body.
These dogs are blind unless a black patch appears over an eye, and
deaf unless a black patch appears over an ear. They frequently have
heart and other problems as well, and are not recommended as pets.

With the exception of the "double" merle described above, Shelties of
all colors make equally satisfactory companions. There is no
connection between a Sheltie's temperament or trainability and its
coat color. Although the sables continue to be popular with the
public, many breed fanciers prefer the blue merles and tri-colors.

There's a lot of other good stuff in that FAQ. If you are thinking of a sheltie, you should check it out. ;)

[femke]

I think that's the thing yeah, I remember reading about that as well.

I just have the one shelties, Penny. She's a tri-colour.

I reaaaaaaly want another one but can't afford it right now. If I do get another one I would like a male either a sable or a blue merle. I find with the blue merles some of them I absolutely LOVE and others I dont like the look of them too much. So I guess it would all depend on the pup. Maybe some day....

BTW Melissa yours is absolutely gorgeous!! (have seen him in previous pictures too)

[Melissa_W]

I think that's the thing yeah, I remember reading about that as well.

I just have the one shelties, Penny. She's a tri-colour.

I reaaaaaaly want another one but can't afford it right now. If I do get another one I would like a male either a sable or a blue merle. I find with the blue merles some of them I absolutely LOVE and others I dont like the look of them too much. So I guess it would all depend on the pup. Maybe some day....

BTW Melissa yours is absolutely gorgeous!! (have seen him in previous pictures too)

Skye says thank you. :)

[stevinski]

i always thought tht melissa W had a rough collie but i must be thinkin on someone else lol!

i will check into the merle thing, cause i always thought that they had health issues and a way to reduce the risk of health issues was to breed a merle to a different colour such as a tri or a sable, but if you bred a merle to a merle you were almost certain to have issues.

i will check anyway lol

[stevinski]

i got this from the internet:
Merle is actually a heterozygote of an incomplete dominance gene. If two such dogs are mated, on the average one quarter of the puppies will be double merles and some percentage of these double merle puppies could have eye defects and/or could be deaf. Knowledgeable breeders who want to produce merle puppies mate a merle with a nonmerle dog; roughly half the puppies will be merles without the risk of vision or hearing defects.

so basically its only double merles that have the issues

http://bowlingsite.mcf.com/Genetics/Merle.html heres a link to some info on merle genetics

i still want a sable or tri-factor sheltie though lol
i might look into the merles

[SummerRiot]

You can breed a merle to a merle - you just might end up with a lot of 'white' on the babies. I haven't known any breeders that do breed them though. Its usually Merle to Tris


Femke - there is a special shampoo that you can get Penny as well to get her coat nice and black again. Its specifically for dark coloured dogs. I'll have to find out what its called I THINK its called "Blue Black" and its sold at dog shows in the stands. Its AMAZING stuff though.

The Gronendael owners use it to get the red tinge out of their coats as well.
Just be careful around her white chest etc. :)

[Melissa_W]

You can breed a merle to a merle - you just might end up with a lot of 'white' on the babies. I haven't known any breeders that do breed them though. Its usually Merle to Tris


Femke - there is a special shampoo that you can get Penny as well to get her coat nice and black again. Its specifically for dark coloured dogs. I'll have to find out what its called I THINK its called "Blue Black" and its sold at dog shows in the stands. Its AMAZING stuff though.

The Gronendael owners use it to get the red tinge out of their coats as well.
Just be careful around her white chest etc. :)

Yup, you "can" do it, but you shouldn't do it.

You mate merles with Tris, like you said, or mate them with bi-blacks to get a bi-blue. I like the bi-blacks a lot too, very pretty...

http://www.horseville.com/dogs/photos/main/314.jpg

This dog is named Skylar, hehehe... I think he's a really pretty bi-blue.

http://summerloveshelties.com/images/skylarshow1.jpg

[stevinski]

they are both gorgeous dogs Mellisa W!
i was just wondering what is a bi-blue? like what does the blue stand for, same wid the black,
some of the colours are so confusing lol
i no what a tri-factor sable is i think its a sheltie whos parents where a sable and a tri
i might be wrong, please correct me if i am lol

[stevinski]

i would really prefer a sable but now i know that merles dont have many issues,
i most want a sable, second tri and then a merle lol but colour shouldnt really be the main factor in choosin a show dog, i wouldnt really want a black and white though lol

[Beanie]

they are both gorgeous dogs Mellisa W!
i was just wondering what is a bi-blue? like what does the blue stand for, same wid the black,
some of the colours are so confusing lol
i no what a tri-factor sable is i think its a sheltie whos parents where a sable and a tri
i might be wrong, please correct me if i am lol

What the "Merleing Gene" does is make certain parts of the fur lighter (or it makes the topcoat lighter so that the undercoat shows through lighter, I don't rememeber exactly which.) It doesn't effect the whole coat, though, so a blue will always technically have *some* black as well.
A bi-black is just what it sounds like... two colours, black & white. So then the bi-blue is the same, but with the merle gene, so they're blue & white!

A tri-colour is black, white, and tan... and a blue merle is a tri-coloured sheltie but with the merle - in theory they'd turn out blue, white, & tan!

Sables, since you said you probably wanted one, are typically brown, white, & black - but even within the sable, they can vary! Auggie is a blonde sable/apricot sable/red sable or whatever else you might call it... he has very very little black on him. OTOH, my sister's shelties are both "shaded sables" - they have soooo much black on them! Sometimes it can be hard to tell when they're puppies how much black they'll have when they get older. Auggie had a black stripe down his back that we expected to expand and darken up - but, surprise, it actually vanished instead! Er, whoops! He also lost some of the white he had on his face... he had a white lightning-bolt mark on his forehead (we jokingly said he was Harry Potter) that now has turned into a tiny bit of white that you can only see if you get really close and know what to look for! =P
So be prepared when you find a breeder and pick your puppy... your puppy's appearance will likely change when he gets older!


Hope that helps... it definitely can be confusing, LOL! Personally I want a blue merle for my next sheltie. =3

[SummerRiot]

Aww a new Sheltie owner :) Welcome to the board :)

Melissa W - I LOVE the bi-black Shelties.. one kicked Riots butt in Puppy Group EVERY SINGLE TIME lol It was a stunning little guy though. I wanted to chat to the owner about him, but Riot had his next class right after.
I'm sure I"ll see him again and try and snap a picture next time lol

[stevinski]

yay!

we're getting a small sheltie club on here lol!
accept i dont really own one lol!
but i am going to lol!

[Melissa_W]

What the "Merleing Gene" does is make certain parts of the fur lighter (or it makes the topcoat lighter so that the undercoat shows through lighter, I don't rememeber exactly which.) It doesn't effect the whole coat, though, so a blue will always technically have *some* black as well.
A bi-black is just what it sounds like... two colours, black & white. So then the bi-blue is the same, but with the merle gene, so they're blue & white!

A tri-colour is black, white, and tan... and a blue merle is a tri-coloured sheltie but with the merle - in theory they'd turn out blue, white, & tan!

Sables, since you said you probably wanted one, are typically brown, white, & black - but even within the sable, they can vary! Auggie is a blonde sable/apricot sable/red sable or whatever else you might call it... he has very very little black on him. OTOH, my sister's shelties are both "shaded sables" - they have soooo much black on them! Sometimes it can be hard to tell when they're puppies how much black they'll have when they get older. Auggie had a black stripe down his back that we expected to expand and darken up - but, surprise, it actually vanished instead! Er, whoops! He also lost some of the white he had on his face... he had a white lightning-bolt mark on his forehead (we jokingly said he was Harry Potter) that now has turned into a tiny bit of white that you can only see if you get really close and know what to look for! =P
So be prepared when you find a breeder and pick your puppy... your puppy's appearance will likely change when he gets older!


Hope that helps... it definitely can be confusing, LOL! Personally I want a blue merle for my next sheltie. =3

Well said! :)

[Melissa_W]

Aww a new Sheltie owner :) Welcome to the board :)

Melissa W - I LOVE the bi-black Shelties.. one kicked Riots butt in Puppy Group EVERY SINGLE TIME lol It was a stunning little guy though. I wanted to chat to the owner about him, but Riot had his next class right after.
I'm sure I"ll see him again and try and snap a picture next time lol

Yeah, the bi-blacks are really sharp! I would love to see a pic. :)

[stevinski]

btw sorry i keep using the same post, but its just easier then cloggin up the forum with lots of posts on the same subject.

ok well since some of you guys love shelties first i thought i would share some of my favourite links which you guys might like:

my favourite!: http://surftosheltie.se/

really good too!: http://www.dogpatch.org/sheltie/

those two are my favourite! i've got loads but there mostly to clubs and breeder lists, and magazines, and theres links to most of them on those sites!

and i have another question

ok now this might sound silly but as i am wanting to show my future sheltie i have been looking at pics of some CH and i have found alot of difference in them

mostly in coat type and build i guess:

i have found two kinds really

1. the long coat which is close to the floor with a sort of dome round the face and more stronger face

2. shorter coat and more foxy face.

i prefer the first kind myself
and at first i thought it was because the foxy ones were girls and they had less of a superb show coat.

i will find some pics to show you the difference i mean.

[stevinski]

http://img426.imageshack.us/img426/8287/tootsi1ml.jpg
this is the type with the more foxy expression

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/9871/nemoshow15wa.jpg
this is the type with the stronger face imo

you might not be able to see any difference but just thought i would mention it lol,

[stevinski]

sorry gor bring up an old post but i needed too cause my post is relevent to my last comment in here,

OMG i just made a huge breakthrough, well i may not seem tht big too you guys but i just read this article tht explained it to me and made everything soo clear,

i have this picture tht shows the difference i just trying to upload it
i just found out that the dogs with the look i prefered were from american show lines, and the dogs with the more foxy expression are from UK lines

[Brandismom]

Brandi is from Grandgable Kennels in Canada. She is from ch Grandgables It's Show Time and ch Grandgables Foxy Lady. Her lines do trace back to Austrailian kennels as well.

This is Brandi's sire
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/summermagic125/Brandisire.jpg

I don't have a picture of Foxy Lady to share.

Here is Brandi, she is Grandgables She's a Show Girl
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/summermagic125/Brandifirstbath002.jpg

[princess_poppy]

i love the foxey ones so cute, our second cousons have a sheltey, very pretty

[stevinski]

brandis sire has the look that i love and would really like in my next sheltie,
unless i import from the U.S which is highly unlikely it will be harder to get hold of a dog with such an appearance.
Its ok though, as both lines title in the show ring, but i might be able to find a line in the UK that has US imports.

i dont mind the foxy expression and look,
who knows, maybe further on in my life i will get an import from american kennels, lol

[stevinski]

do you show brandi btw?

[AnimalLoverCatRescuer]

Oh your dog is beautiful!! I was wondering what makes some of their ears point up and some for the tip to bend over? My dogs ears are straight up.

[ihartgonzo]

Shelties are sooo pretty & are very sweet, funny dogs. I was actually on the verge of looking into a blue boy a few months ago, because a friend had a litter from working parents ;P I dunno if I could handle so much hair, though!

Absolutely meet both parents, and preferably look for parents whose temperaments have been tested in some way. You do *not* want a shy Sheltie, it has become pretty common in the breed, and the breed is not meant to be excessively shy. You want a pup that is raised in-home and thoroughly socialized by the breeder, and make sure the pups are kept with Mom until at least 8 weeks. If I were you, I would totally require parents & lineage that has been proven on stock, but that's me ^_^ I feel proving herding ability is more important for preserving ANY herding breed than conformation. I rank temperament/rearing/socializing 1st, soundness/health/herding ability 2nd, and conformation 3rd - although all of these points must be included into any reputable breeder's program.

[colliewog]

I think the biggest hearbreak for a Sheltie breeder is that absolutely GORGEOUS oversized dog. :(

Good luck in your search!

[cowgurl6254]

I'm so glad to find some sheltie lovers on here :D This is my favorite breed ever and I will probably always have to have at least one. They are like potato chips :p

[Brandismom]

Here is a link with all the sheltie colors and examples of all of them

http://www.laureate.ca/sheltiecolours.html

[Brandismom]

Unfortunately Brandi's show career was cut short at the age of two. She did not pass her hip exam to qualify for breeding by OFA. She tested only fair and the breeders in our area will only breed dogs testing good or excellent. She has been spayed and is now a pampered house pet.

[AnimalLoverCatRescuer]

Hey not to repeat myself be can anyone tell me about their ears? How come some stand up pointed and some flop over at the top? Is there any reasoning behind this? Is one right and the other wrong?

See? My old man Max's ears stand straight up and the others I have seen here don't:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y109/endlessenigma/MAX2.jpg

[SummerRiot]

Its all in how the ears are formed as well, and how well they are delbt with at a young age - ie. gluing/taping.

Both are shelties are from the same litter, Crosbie has "picture perfect" Sheltie ears, hes SUCH a beautiful sheltie.. BUT hes oversized... Our breeders were almost in tears when they measured him out before he was nuetered. He also doesn't have a nice backend or tail though.

Our little female has semi-pricked ears. We tried gluing them when she was younger but either Riot, or herself ripped them out.

We once had a litter of pups, where some were too heavy with ears, others were perfect.

You can't do too much with "heavy" ears though.

[AnimalLoverCatRescuer]

So is it like the standard for Shelties to have ears that flip down at the tip? Is that what is expected when showing? I guess it probably isn't genetic or anything. What is the reason for gluing them to flip down? Why is that a necessary thing to do?

Thanks for answering my questions. I have no idea.

[Beanie]

It is AKC standard for them to tip at the top 1/4, yes.

It's not entirely a "not genetic" thing. Some dogs don't need any help to get the tip, and others need lots and lots of help - but it's not something you can predict, as ears also like to misbehave during teething. So breeders glue (or use other methods to train them) to start the ears off on the right track rather than trying to correct it later.

The reason for gluing them is because a breeder puts all that work into breeding good, healthy dogs to improve the breed and fit the standard - so the question, really, is what is the reason for NOT glueing them down?
Auggie is my pet and not a showdog, it's true... but I put a lot of time and money into finding a great breeder and a great line of dogs that ARE showdogs. I wouldn't blow all of that by not sticking his ears down two or three times to help them along, haha!


Hope that helps explain it for you... I'm still surprised at how many people don't know about training ears to tip (and how many people told me I was mean, or acted shocked and horrified, when I told them "what's up with Auggie's ears?") But then again, we had a collie when I was a kid and now it's shelties, so it's something I've literally been aware of all my life...

[Brandismom]

Shelties can have prick ears or tip ears. It all depends on the genetics of the parents. It is not a fault for them to have the prick ears, however a sheltie is known for their curled ears. Breeders have been known to "set" the ears with a strip of lambs wool glued to the ears to shorten the muscle between the ears, and also tip a pup's ears and glue them down to help them form correctly. It does not hurt the dog and will make the head set much more appealing.

[stevinski]

omg i just fell in love!!!!

check out blaze on this page http://www.goodtimeshelties.com/available.htm

[AnimalLoverCatRescuer]

Ohh ok I see. I dont think it is weird that you glue their ears or even cruel, it's not like that hurts them. I was just wondering what the purpose is. I am not into showing or breeding but I have watched the Westminister and Eukanuba Dog Shows most of my life and always noticed Shelties having their ears tipped like that. Then I adopted mine from a rescue and his weren't so I wondered what the big deal is. I love how they look with the ears tipped, it is adorable. My Sheltie is like 8 or so so probably too late to do anything about that huh? hehe

[Brandismom]

Ear setting has to be done in their formative months between 2 and 8 months when their muscles are still growing.