Pure Dog Talk

Shetland Sheepdog – Smart, Versatile, Adaptable BISS Bronze GCh Solange Body Language, Flirt. Photo credit Cheryl Krajcar. Host Laura Reeves visited the American Shetland Sheepdog Association National specialty for a multi-generational roundtable discussion of Shelties -- what makes them good companions, fancy show dogs and fierce competitors in performance events. The roundtable participants captured the breed beautifully. Shelties are "fancy for their size," "athletic and eager to please," "smart, versatile and adaptable." A long-lived, healthy breed, these experts said temperament and training impact how much vocalizing an individual dog will do. While the experts agree that in years past, the quality of the sable color exceeded the others, today, they said, blue merle, tri and bi-black color dogs have improved in quality significantly. Correct Sheltie expression, head planes and size are imperative to success in the show ring, our panel noted. They added that aspiring exhibitors need to be prepared f