Caring for Your Sheltie's Health

By Becky Casale, author, Shelties: The Complete Pet Owner's Guide

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Take care of your Shetland Sheepdog's health with these tips on grooming, diet, exercise, oral health, genetic disorders, de-sexing, and vaccinations.

How to Groom a Sheltie

The double coat of a Sheltie needs frequent grooming. Here's my guide to systematically de-shedding the undercoat and untangling mats.

Clean Your Sheltie's Teeth

Dogs get tooth decay just like us. Here's how to protect your Sheltie's teeth with brushing, dental chews, and water additives.

The Best Dog Food for Shelties

An in-depth review of the best dog food for Shelties, examining toxic ingredients, healthy kibbles, raw diets, and oral health.

Genetic Diseases in Shelties

The Sheltie gene pool is more prone to genetic diseases of the eyes, skin, knees, hips, and blood.

Should You Shave a Sheltie?

In hot weather, it may seem like shaving a Sheltie will keep her cooler, but remember the double coat is a finely tuned biological adaptation.

The Pros and Cons of Neutering

Neutering a male dog stops him from roaming to impregnate females and reduces the risk of reproductive diseases.

The Pros and Cons of Spaying

Spaying a female Sheltie prevents heat cycles and pregnancy, while reducing the risk of reproductive diseases.

Is Your Sheltie Fat?

Vets say 30% of dogs are overweight by 6 months old, leading to higher risk of cancer and heart disease.

Fleas and Ticks on Dogs

Fleas can live in the Sheltie undercoat, sucking blood, causing itching, and laying lay up to 4,000 eggs a time to perpetuate the havoc.

30 Foods Toxic to Dogs

Common human foods like grapes, onions, tomatoes, and avocados can cause serious complications in dogs.

101 Shelties in The Bath

I asked Sheltie Planet readers to share their funniest photos of dripping wet Shelties in the tub. This is what I got back.

Why You Should Never Buy a Puppy From a Pet Store

Say No to Pet Store Puppies

Pet store puppies often come from puppy mills who skip genetic testing and vet checks to make more profit.

What Vaccines Do Shelties Need?

Puppies get their first vaccinations at 6-8 weeks. If you buy a Shetland Sheepdog puppy, take him to the vet on the following schedule to build up robust protection against common infectious diseases:

Age	Essential Vaccines	Optional Vaccines
6-8 weeks	Distemper, Parvovirus	Bordetella
10-12 weeks	DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)	Influenza, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme Disease
16-18 weeks	DHPP, Rabies	Influenza, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme Disease
12-16 months	DHPP, Rabies	Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme Disease
Every 1-2 years	DHPP, Rabies	Coronavirus, Influenza, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme Disease

Source: AKC Guide to Puppy Vaccinations

Whether you rescue a Sheltie or buy a Sheltie puppy, make sure you register her with your vet and sign up for reminders when her next vaccinations are due.

To learn more about the wonderful world of Shetland Sheepdogs, download my 160-page PDF ebook, Shelties: The Complete Pet Owner's Guide, now in its fifth edition.

The guide features hands-on advice on raising a Sheltie illustrated with 100+ photos from Sheltie owners around the world. It's much loved by those who followed the adventures of Howard and Piper Woofington Moon, the inspiration behind Sheltie Planet.

Click here to learn more.