The Sheltie requires grooming - they have rough long-hair and have a short haired undercoat. The Sheltie will shed it's coat - males usually just in the summer, but females will also shed during every heat cycle and will lose most of her hair after a litter of puppies. - invest in a Swifter dry mop!! - oh the tumbleweeds that roll.

You do not need to brush them EVERYDAY, but at a minimum, once a week helps to keep them healthy and their coat beautiful and more manageable. You should mist the dog with a spray bottle before brushing - it will help reduce shedding. (You can purchase leave in conditioners to add to the water - small amount) The hair behind its ears should also be a part of weekly routine to see if there are mats - this is a fleas little love nest. A very light dusting of baby powder (Vanilla scented is my favorite) behind the ears helps to absorb the natural oils and to keep the hair from matting - and its worth it when you cuddle with them... they smell like a little baby. soooo nice.

Only bathe when they need it (twice a year???). You want to keep as much of the natural oils as you can and prevent dry, flaking, itching skin. Use a DOG shampoo (see links section for pet stores selling quality shampoos). Make sure your dog is completely dry. He has two coats!!! and the undercoat is the most important to dry. Use a towel to get most of the water off and then use a hairdryer.... always keep moving the dryer back and forth... you don't want to burn them!! A dryer with a "cool" option is good. However, using a hairdryer will take a long time and it will probably burn out in no time....A professional dryer (around $200) is a really good investment ... think about it... it will cost you over $50 per visit at a groomers!!!!

Do not leave a collar on a Sheltie!!! This will just cause mats which is painful to get out as well as it just looks scraggy. Only use a collar when you are going out for a walk. Also there have been many horror stories about shelties trying to jump high on a fence and having the collar get caught in the fence.... no one wants to see a dog hanging on their fence.... avoid it please!!

Toenails - keep them short and the hair between the pads should be trimmed flush with the bottom of the pads.

Teeth must be cleaned - yes special toothpaste and a brush can be purchased and you could also use a dental scaler to get rid of the hard plaque - or the tip of your thumb nail can be used to.

Basic grooming tools are required in order to keep your Sheltie's skin/coat in good condition:

• Pin Brush with no "nubs" the longer the pins the better
• Comb with short and long "teeth"
• Slicker Brush
• Spray Bottle
• Nail Clippers & Quik Stop (to stop bleeding in case you cut to short and nail bleeds)
• Round end Scissors - cutting hair between the pads of their feet (found at drug stores too)
• Thinning Sheers
• A good Shampoo / conditioner
• Toothpaste, toothbrush

Make sure that your Sheltie is protected from viruses. Get the Rabies shot, annual Distemper / Hepatitis / Parainfluenza / Coronavirus and Parvo booster shots. Every year they will need a heartworm preventative medication - given montly (May to Nov). Some have a Flea control/ Heartworm combination. Talk to your vet about these things.

A crate is not a "dog jail". It provides the dog a "safe place" to go. It is his bed, "security blanket" from house traffic, noise, kids, other dogs, company, thunderstorms, etc. It is also a place of safety for puppies, especially at night. They can't get into anything they are not suppose to and chew on electrical cords while your sleeping!!! Think about that! A crate is also a safe way of transporting your dog from place to place.

FOOD - Quality counts
Remember "Garbage in, Garbage out!"

Like human's, animals need good quality foods. This will keep them healthy, "regular", give them glowing soft coats, and beneficial to bones and teeth! Do some research, your dog will love you for it and live a longer, healthier life!

Soft dog food will add weight to your dog and cause rapid tartar formation on their teeth. NO TABLE SCRAPS!!!! Dry dog food (sometimes with a bit of water) is the best for them. Don't let your Sheltie get overweight - The healthier your dog, the longer it will live with less medical problems as it gets older.

For the average Adult maintenance program, you should look for: Protein @ 21- 26% and Fat @ 8 - 18% .

• Kirkland chicken and Rice or Lamb and rice. (same ingredients as Canidae but 1/2 the price)
• Purina Pro Plan - Chicken & Rice, Lamb & Rice, Turkey and Barley
• Eukanuba - Lamb and Rice
• Pet Valu's Performatrin Ultra - Holistic Canine Food - Hormone-free Lamb & brown rice formula - You can find this product in any Pet Valu Store.
  List of natural ingredients - See their web site www.performatrinultra.com for more information on Holistic Canine Food
• Canidae All Natural Pet Food - Four Human Grade Meats – Chicken, Turkey, Lamb and Fish
• Hills Prescription Diet t/d - You can add this every other day in their feedings for prevention of plaque and tartar buildup at and under the gum line. Because of a Sheltie's long "nose", oral brushing is highly recommended too!

Treats

• All Natural Northern Biscuit (Natural, Holistic, Inspired) - Found at Pet Valu - Lamb and Laketrout (List of ingredients)
  
  
• Medi-Treats - made of apples and carrots!!! yumm! - Found at a veterinary office - (list of ingredients)

Performatrin Ultra Holistic Nutrition

Northern Biscuit

Barley flour, fresh ground lamb, fresh ground trout, brown rice flour, oat flour, rolled oats, water, eggs, brewers yeast,
blackstrap molasses and garlic

Medi-Treats

Oat flour, brewers rice, apple pomace, tomato pomace, yeast culture, flax meal, carrot pomace, minerals, ...