Also he loves kids - will actually prick his ears and listen when he hears kids on the tv. All of our shelties have loved kids.
i adore sheltiesā¦i also adore and covet english bull terriersā¦knowing that neither would really fit my lifestyle and needs, i donāt have either oneā¦HOWEVER, in keeping with a similar smart and gentle personality and the beautiful collie ālookā, just like laurieKY, i went to the tristate collie rescue and got a smooth coated collieā¦all the personality, the beautiful color, none of the fuss with the hairā¦and, she is more in the med sized range than largeā¦about 45 lbsā¦VERY gentle with tiny children (my grandkids adore her)ā¦a built-in politeness that mystifies me, but collie owners tell me it is a collie traitā¦bark-ish, yes, but has learned to stop on commandā¦talky, very talkyā¦and it is a riotā¦chortles and garbles to me all the timeā¦
so, maybe a smooth coat could be something to consider.
[QUOTE=Pcostx;6009505]
One thing you didnāt list is that Shelties are HYPER and NIPPY, they WILL bite when/if you do something to them they donāt like (such as trim nails, try to remove a burr/mat, trim hair between their toes, etc.).[/QUOTE]
ANY dog can be nippy ā¦ as I said in my other post, my younger sheltie does not care to be brushed. He grumbles the entire time I brush him - BUT he has never tried to nip.
My grandfather always had collies
Regular size colliesā¦as he got older, he started downsizing to Shelties lol. He had two of them. Both were very,very, did I mention VERY yippy. If he got up from his chair, yip, if he walked down the hallway, yip, if a bird flew to the feeder near the window, yip, if he scratched his head, yip! They were on the timid side, meaning , they would hide behind him to yip at you when you walked into the house. For a farm/family dog, have you thought about getting a smaller female collie? They will warn you, they will guard their kids when they feel thereās a threat, most arenāt anywhere near as yippy. They never met a stranger but have sort of a sixth sense when youāre uncomfortable about someone. And they LOVVVVVVVEEEEEEE being outside.
[QUOTE=Pcostx;6009483]
A good breeder will NOT sell a puppy to a family with āvery young kidsā which you say you have. I would be very wary of any breeder who is willing to place a pup under 6 months of age in a home with kids under 6 years of age.[/QUOTE]
And why is that?
Iāve never owned a Sheltie, though Iām a herding dog lover too. We have an ACD mix and a BC mix. One thing with most herding dogs, and you may know this from your GSD, is that they tend to chase children and some (particularly ACDs/Heelers may nip at the feet of running kids). My childhood Rough Collie used to āherdā me all the time and I had more than a few wipeouts on my bicycle because of it ;). If a dog has as strong herding instinct, it will be nearly impossible to stop this from the dog side, other than keep the dog restrained when children are playing, but you CAN educate older children not to run from the dog. Weāve been Ok with our two herders and our boys/their friends because theyāve all been taught that if the dog starts chasing them, they should stop running! You get into problems when a child is frightened of the dog and keeps running away, the dog is genetically programmed to keep trying to get that escaped sheep back, if a child doesnāt understand this and thinks the dog is chasing them to āget themā, it will be hard to control.
Some herding dogs have a less overwhelming herding instinct than others, if you are looking at adults, you may be able to ātestā how strong their herding instinct is and how much of a problem this could be, though Iām no expert at it. A good rescue should be able to help you.
For Equus Magnificusā¦
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6008769]
:lol: Surely, but if Iām going to feed it and groom it, I might as well find it pretty. ;)[/QUOTE]
Hope youāre not suggesting my mutts are anything other than pretty, EM!
By the wayā¦if you want a GREAT dog, and are quick off the mark, thereās what looks to be a very sweet youngish mid-sized female dog thatās being discussed elsewhere on the board, on Petfinder, shortly to be euthanized. You could do a winwin and home her, as sheās relatively near you now, in Montreal.
Hereās the discussion:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332579
Good luck - I see youāre online now, so do keep us posted!
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6010492]
And why is that?[/QUOTE]
Perhaps because, as others with experience have noted fairly frequently in this discussion, some Shelties arenāt always the most patient of dogs, and are occasionally inclined to nip, which might be a potentially poor mix with children who arenāt mature enough to understand that bugging the dog aināt a great idea.
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6009410]
Because THATāS a high strung dog! Not for meā¦ Plus, I want to go smaller in sizeā¦[/QUOTE]
Frankly, I only suggested it because YOU said you liked herding breeds and asked about Aussies, who IME are just as high strung and are generally LARGER than border collies. BCās vary greatly in type; anywhere from about 25 to 60lb, with temperaments ranging from lapdog to high drive, I work for a living every day types.
There are quite a few generalizations going on here.
[QUOTE=Heinz 57;6010967]
Frankly, I only suggested it because YOU said you liked herding breeds and asked about Aussies, who IME are just as high strung and are generally LARGER than border collies. BCās vary greatly in type; anywhere from about 25 to 60lb, with temperaments ranging from lapdog to high drive, I work for a living every day types.
There are quite a few generalizations going on here.[/QUOTE]
Well I am happy to be corrected! :winkgrin:
[QUOTE=Romany;6010832]
Hope youāre not suggesting my mutts are anything other than pretty, EM!
By the wayā¦if you want a GREAT dog, and are quick off the mark, thereās what looks to be a very sweet youngish mid-sized female dog thatās being discussed elsewhere on the board, on Petfinder, shortly to be euthanized. You could do a winwin and home her, as sheās relatively near you now, in Montreal.
Hereās the discussion:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332579
Good luck - I see youāre online now, so do keep us posted![/QUOTE]
:lol: No mutts can be pretty darn pretty too. (what a sentence! :lol:) I only ever had muttsā¦
She looks very sweet, but Iām just at my research stage nowā¦ Iām not āallowedā or āallowingā myself to get another dog before I get on top of things in the houseā¦ and weāre done with the big renovations in the barn. 
My plate is full right now. Getting a dog would be plain idiotic at this stageā¦
Although the more I research, the more I am getting pretty set on getting an older pup/young adult mutt. I could pick colour/breed mix and temperament to match our needsā¦ and do a good deed. :yes:
If you are willing to pull a dog and hold it until transport can be arranged, you might want to post on that other thread. Looks like the shelter in question (this place is about an hour from you?) and there might be people on that thread who are interested in those dogs. It could be a way to help without jumping into the deep end yet with dog ownership 
I have 3 of them and canāt imagine my life without them. They are just the best dogsā¦the best. Wonderful in the house, smart, wonderful with the chickens, the horses, and love me to pieces. I would seriously die without them. I have no bark problems with them. When I say āno barkā, they stop. Just like that.
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/362110007.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/331449127.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/331449385.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/354818767.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/362110020.jpg
I have a miniature aussie who is turning out to be a nice little dog. A bit sturdier looking than many of the shelties I have seen, but a nice size(27lbs and about 13 inches at the shoulder). She was a little shy when a baby, but she has been socialized routinely and is losing the shyness. She has a moderately thick coat, and at 14 months has probably not gotten her full coat, but definitely not as thick or long as a sheltie. She just learned how to bark a couple of months ago, but is learning to quit when she is told to.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simbalism/5689079549/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simbalism/6213941942/
[QUOTE=halo;6011201]
I have 3 of them and canāt imagine my life without them. They are just the best dogsā¦the best. Wonderful in the house, smart, wonderful with the chickens, the horses, and love me to pieces. I would seriously die without them. I have no bark problems with them. When I say āno barkā, they stop. Just like that.
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/362110007.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/331449127.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/331449385.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/354818767.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2087/9176722/19304540/362110020.jpg[/QUOTE]
Iām not a sheltie personā¦ but AWWWWWWWW!
Your dogs are adorable!
I grew up, learning to ride, at a Sheltie Farm/Kennel. It was awesome!! You are either a Sheltie person or you are not! That being said; my 2 cents, get one that you have evaluated for temperment and fit for your lifestyle. I donāt think you will regret the decision at all!
Karen
Wow. Some very strong opinions on this thread.
Iāve had Shelties for most of my adult life, and so I think Iām qualified to comment on this :^).
If you are careful and get a well-bred Sheltie from a GOOD breeder, you will get one of the most beautiful, intelligent breeds around. If you donāt, the chances are pretty good youāll end up with a hyper, yappy, neurotic mess, which is why Shelties tend to have a bad name. They were a VERY popular breed at one time, which is why everybody started breeding them, and the breed has a bad rep as a result.
Yappy? not really. Yes, they bark. They are bred to be heard over distances in the Scottish Isles, but they can be trained to stop. Mine rarely bark unless my husband is riling them up (sigh), but they know when to stop.
they do shed, but they tend to blow their coats (the undercoats) twice a year. Soft, fluffy stuff. they donāt seem to shed their guard hairs at all. I brush mine in front of the TV once a week and theyāre fine. I can even flip them upside down and brush their tummies. Theyāre pretty tolerant. I can clip their nails and do anything with them. My female, Emma, is so tolerant that I could probably hack off one of her legs without anesthesia and sheād let me (not that I would!). When doing their nails, they tend to hide their heads under my arm, but they put up with it. My vetās office LOVES them, because theyāre one of the few dogs that come in that will let you draw blood, trim nails, do acupuncture, whatever, without a fight. Sweet, sweet dogs.
They are NOT weedy. Mine are sturdy, with blockier heads and those sweet, sweet Sheltie eyes. Iāve taped their ears growing up, so the male has perfect tulip-ears, whereas the female kept scratching one of hers free, so she has one perfect ear and the other sticks up. Sigh. They should, as a breed, be sturdy, with full, luxurious coats. If they are scrawny and weedy with poor coats, that is the sign of a poor breeder.
Mine are therapy dogs (DELTA), so anybody can handle them, even small children. When they get sick of the pulling and tugging, they walk away. They also donāt herd, although they love to play chase if invited. They donāt nip, either. I can literally reach in their mouths and pull things out, including snacks, and they wonāt nip or fuss. My two go to the barn with me. They donāt chase horses, or cats, or do anything theyāre not supposed to do. I can walk them off -leash on the reservation of Fort Bragg - theyāve got a terrific recall. Remember, they are bred to work closely with their handlers, so they constantly check in on me anyway.
If you are shy, donāt walk anywhere with a Sheltie. My hubby and I took our two to the Xmas festival downtown on a Friday night, and we were mobbed. Everybody wanted to pet them and tell me how they used to have a Sheltie, and we could hardly walk anywhere. The dogs were fine. A little sick of it after the umpteenth person wanted to pet them, but were fine. Shy they are NOT. Especially my male, who thinks heās a Golden Retriever - heāll lick perfect strangers to death. Speaking of goldens, my female likes to walk with her stuffed Sheltie (yes, she has a stuffed Sheltie toy) in her mouth. Sheāll take her possum, or her bunny, but she prefers her Sheltie. Sheāll walk around the entire block carrying it. itās adorable.
They are SMART. Whoever said that they need to be mentally stimulated is right. Mine do fine with food cubes and those IQ games. They are also happy chasing a laser pointer around. I find that two are better than one - they entertain each other when weāre at work.
Iāll post pics of mine when I find them, but theyāre a superb breed. Donāt listen to the people who tell you theyāre neurotic and yappy and fearful. They must have seen the poorly bred and poorly socialized ones. All of mine have been loving, sweet dogs. Like all breeds, they have their drawbacks, but if properly socialized and trained, they sound like just what youāre looking for.
Aussies, btw, are wonderful, but I find that they need more exercise and room to roam then Shelties. My trainer has an Aussie and itās very high-energy, but heās allowed to roam the farm. She says heād be a nightmare if he couldnāt. They also seem to shed more, continuosly. I love them, and when I get my farm, Iām going to have one of each - a Sheltie and an Aussie.
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6010492]
And why is that?[/QUOTE]
A good rule of thumb is this: Is the child is old enough to NOT hurt the puppy and to keep the sharp nails and baby teeth from hurting them in play?
Generally children under 5 or 6 regard puppies as a stuffed toy that does cool things (of course there are exceptions to this). Young kids have trouble relating to the fact that the pup is alive and can be hurt. Children like to carry puppies around and may drop them or squeeze them too hard hurting the puppy or causing the puppy to bite out of pain, fear or self defense.
Puppies have very sharp nails that can easily scratch a young child in play. They have sharp little baby teeth that they use like little Alligators when they play. Young children donāt know how, and arenāt capable of disciplining a puppy. Instead they scream and run which incites the puppy to give chase and grab at the fleeing child.
Children also hold their hands above puppies and wiggle their fingers in anticipation of pulling quickly back. Puppies interpret this as a sign to play a game called catch the fingers. It hurts when the puppy DOES catch a finger.
Children are also intrusive, they donāt know when to back off and leave a puppy alone.
[QUOTE=eventer_mi;6012916]
. They are bred to be heard over distances in the Scottish Isles.[/QUOTE]
eventer-mi - have you ever been to Scotland??? You couldnāt hear anything, not even a mindlessly yappy small dug, on any windswept Scottish islands, let alone Shetland. :lol:
[QUOTE=Laurierace;6007012]
Make you a deal! Pick one out from here and I will install all the horse related bells and whistles for you. Then you can make arrangements to pick him or her up from me when I am done in a couple weeks or so.
http://www.sscgb.org/Res_Base.html[/QUOTE]
Oh. My. God. Tricolor puppies. So cute. My dog would kill me, my dog would kill meā¦
