The Agile Shetland Sheepdog: Entering Training Competitions
If you are looking for a fun and competitive way to exercise with your Shetland Sheepdog, pursuing agility training is your best bet. Like all herding breeds, Shelties excel in test of agility because of their intelligence, speed, and dexterity. Training for agility trials is a fantastic bonding experience for you and your pet, as well! You will find that not only will your pet bond with you, he or she will also listen much more intently with day to day commands.
If you are just becoming interested in agility training or competition,
it is advisable to consult your local branch of the AKC to see if there are any agility or Shetland Sheepdog clubs in your area. These clubs can offer helpful training seminars, novice competitions, and general advice and support. They can also offer other resources for training, such as regulation courses and obstacles. All of these clubs will have specific rules so it’s important to brush up on your reading before you start training so it’s done correctly from the beginning.
The actual agility course is made up of several basic obstacles which can vary from competition to competition. These include hurdles, cloth tunnels, A-Frames, seesaws, the dog walk (a plank raised approximately four feet above the ground), and other obstacles depending on ability, club, and region. Dogs are tested based on proficiency and time. The owner, as the handler, will run alongside the dog in the course, directing him verbally or with hand motions. Treats and other motivational gifts are not allowed on the course and will lead to immediate disqualification, so it is best to phase these out of the training process after your dog learns to master each individual obstacle at home. Dogs are judged on their completion of the course as a whole as well as the proficiency with which they tackle each obstacle.
When you are just starting out, you may feel somewhat intimidated by other competitors, but remember that everyone else and their dogs started out at your level! There are plenty of novice competitions you can enter your pet into, and it always helps to watch and learn from the tactics and techniques of other trainers and handlers. As your dog becomes more skilled at the course and your handling of him or her becomes more confident, you can begin to challenge him with other obstacles, longer courses, and different levels of competition.
Shetland Sheepdogs, being such an intelligent and athletic breed, need to have challenges and stimulation on a day-to-day basis. Training for and competing in agility trials are a fantastic way to go about this. It is a great way to create a stronger bond with your dog, strengthen obedience commands and trainability, and get a lot of exercise for your pet and yourself. The Sheltie loves nothing more than to please his or her owner, so you will probably find that it is very easy to train him or her on the agility course. The sport can become rather addictive once you conquer the first couple obstacles!
This article is part of the GreatDogSite Shetland Sheepdog collection. GreatDogSite offers the most comprehensive dog information on the web!
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Shetland Sheepdogs Love Their Playtime
The Shetland Sheepdog is classified in the AKC Herding Group, which means that it is an intelligent, athletic dog. Though smaller in size, measure just 12 to 16 inches at the shoulder, the Shetland Sheepdog, or Sheltie, has as much energy as many dogs two or three times its size. Shelties need lots of exercise and physical activity, which can be a big bonus if you lead an active lifestyle. They are a very affectionate and social breed and will have the most fun exercising or playing with people or other dogs.
The easiest option to play with your Sheltie is to have a fenced-in back or front yard where you can play fetch or tag with your pup. Shelties are impeccably good at catch, as well, and can be trained to play a mean game of frisbee. Some Sheltie owners have little scavenger hunts with their dogs where they will hide treats around the yard and allow their pet to run around and find them. This is not recommended for city dwellers, however, as trash can easily find it’s way into your yard and you do not want your dog thinking that it’s okay to eat whatever he finds! While your sheepdog will enjoy his or her time running around off the leash, it is important to not leave them unattended in the yard. The breed is quite good at clearing hurdles or digging and could escape.
If you are not fortunate enough to have a yard to play with the Shetland Sheepdog in, there are plenty of other options to get them the activity needed to keep them happy and healthy. Taking your Sheltie along for the morning jog or training him or her to run next to your bicycle is a fantastic way to get the much-needed exercise for your dog and for yourself. If jogging or biking is not an every day activity for you, a long, brisk walk can suffice, but they will need more indoor playtime as well.
If you are really enthusiastic about exercising your Sheltie, you can look into some dog sporting events. All herding breeds excel at agility competitions because of their dexterity, speed and intellect. While the trials alone aren’t enough exercise, the training process is rather intensive and can be a great source of exercise for the both of you, as well as a wonderful bonding experience. Finding a Shetland Sheepdog or agility club in your area is a good start to begin agility training, though if you do not plan on competing you can easily build or purchase a course of hurdles, tunnels, and A-frames in your back yard.
The Shetland Sheepdog is an intelligent and playful breed, and is best suited to owners with an athletic or active lifestyle. Your Sheltie will be happy to accompany you on errands or runs, and can even help encourage you to stick with that exercise routine! Getting fit with your new best friend is an experience every dog owner can enjoy. Shetland Sheepdogs love to please and will be a perfect fit for anyones home.
This article is part of the GreatDogSite Shetland Sheepdog collection. GreatDogSite offers the most comprehensive dog information on the web!
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Border Collies, Collies And Shetland Sheepdogs: The Differences Between Them
The most common three dog breeds that are easily confused are the Collie, Border Collie and Shetland Sheepdog. While each is its own breed and has its own distinctions, they also have some similarities as well. The following information outlines the most common differences and similarities between these three dog breeds.
Collies:
Developed in Scotland to be a herding dog, a Collie comes in two varieties: rough coated (long haired) and smooth coated (short haired). They stand between 20-25 inches in height at the shoulders and males weigh 40-60 pounds, females weigh between 39-55 pounds when fully grown.
The Collie breed dates back to the 17th century, they were used to keep herds of sheep together in groups. Collies are elegant and refined dogs, with a very regal appearance, they are calm and well mannered in temperament.
Shetland Sheepdog:
Also known as a Sheltie, a Shetland Sheepdog, is also referred to as a “miniature Collie,” but this is untrue. Shelties are a very different breed altogether, though they look like a small version of a rough coated Collie. Shelties as a breed, date back to the 1800’s, and originates from the Shetland Islands. They were used as a herding dog, but instead of sheep herding, the dogs were used to keep the sheep away from the crops on the farm. The Sheltie had the task of herding the sheep away from the fields and keeping them in the fold.
Collies and Shelties were developed to be independent of one another. Though the Collie is one of the breeds that contributed to the bloodlines of a Sheltie. Shelties are never short coated and are much smaller in stature than a Collie. Shelties generally weigh around 15-25 pounds. A Sheltie has a much livelier personality than a Collie, which has a tendency to be subdued and refined in temperament.
A Border Collie :
Border Collies were supposed to be herding dogs in the border between England and Scotland. Border Collies are highly prized as herding dogs because of their unique ability to “fetch” a member of the herd who had wandered away. A Border Collie is thought to be the most intelligent of all dog breeds and are still being used on farms and ranches all over parts of Europe.
The colors of a Border Collie are most often black and white, though other colors are possible. They are a medium-build dog weighing between 25-55 pounds and come in both rough and smooth coated varieties.
A fairly easy way to tell the difference between a Border Collie from a Standard Collie is the hair. Even on a rough coated Collie, the hair is not as long and flowing as that of a Standard Collie. A Border Collie has a smaller, shorter nose and resembles an Australian Shepherd, more than a Standard Collie.
Because of the high intelligence and working ability, a Border Collie needs to have a purpose, goal or job. If not, the breed tends to get bored and displays destructive behavior. The breed does perform quite well in the show ring and during agility competitions, these activities keep their minds stimulated and body active.
For more details on the Border Collie or for general dog information, please visit our site.
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