Blue Ridge Shetland Sheepdog Club
Sheltie Information
Where To Find Your Sheltie
PET STORES: Pet stores are convenient and but there is no quality control. Pet stores will tell you exactly what you want to hear and not what you should hear. Their stock comes mainly from puppy mills or from "Back Yard Breeders". Mills mass-produce puppies with little consideration for the health or temperament. Parents are not tested for hereditary problems - it is not cost effective for the miller. BYBs often are unaware or do not think they need to test their dogs. Many assume if a vet says the dog is fine, there are no hereditary issues to worry about. Unless a problem is tested for, it can go undetected and be passed on. Life in a cage for the early, formative weeks is not proper socialization. Stores are profit driven. It is far easier to sell an $800 puppy than to sell $800 in pet supplies. Stores cater to the impulse buy and will always tell the buyer what he/she wants to hear to make that sale.
NEWSPAPERS: Many back yard breeders just breed purebred dogs – many just breed dogs, crosses or not. AKC or UKC registration is NOT a Good Housekeeping seal of approval for dogs. What quality the dogs being bred are is up to the integrity of the breeder. DO NOT be blinded by Champions in the background. There is far more to breeding than getting Champion dogs to mate. Back yard breeders may not breed the best quality dogs. It is questionable whether they will test the dogs before breeding for genetic issues.
Now that you know where not to look for a Sheltie, where should you go?
GOOD BREEDERS: A better breeder not only breeds dogs with consideration for how they fit the standard in form, function and temperament, but will also test all breeding Shelties for at least hip dysplasia, eye issues, von Willebrand's and thyroid. A good breeder will also prove the dogs they are trying to produce are good representatives by competing in various events. A better breeder will be able to show you proof of health testing and awards won by their dogs. Never take "my word" for it, ask for proof. Not all puppies in a litter will be show potential and these are placed in pet homes.
WHY RESCUE IS IMPORTANT: It is wrong to believe that dogs in rescues are given up for behavioral issues. Many dogs are given up for reasons such as: family is moving, new baby, not enough time, dog grew up and got old. Many "behavior issues" are merely bad manners that the former owners never worked with. It is very possible to find a loving, sweet pet through a rescue. Shelties are very popular and this popularity leads to an abundance of them in rescue! Rescuing a dog give a second chance not only to the dog you adopt but also to another dog that may be unwanted. Adopting a dog opens up space for another rescue to come in and hopefully find a home.
Compiled courtesy of West Wind Dog Training, VA and Will O'Wisp Shelties, NH, MI, VA, No Puppy Mills, VA http://mywebpages.comcast.net/nopuppymillsva/
site updated 6/2009