Shetland Sheepdog
Quick, sensitive and devoted, the Shetland Sheepdog was developed to herd sheep on the Shetland Islands. It loves to learn and loves its family.
Photo: Flickr user nickobec (Nick Cowie) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Bred for
- Herding and guarding sheep on the Shetland Islands
- Typical energy
- High
- Size
- Small to medium
Where to start
Usually motivated by praise, play and food. Use that in training and keep sessions short and rewarded.
First focus
Use a soft voice and generous rewards: Shelties are sensitive and respond to kindness.
Next
Teach "leave it" and "stay", because herding means chasing and circling.
Daily habit
Teach a "quiet" cue early, since many Shelties are vocal.
Breed notes describe tendencies in a group of dogs, not your dog. Every dog is an individual, and Dogify does not assess your dog. This is general training information and not a substitute for a qualified professional.
Chosen for the Shetland Sheepdog
How to teach "leave it"
Teach your dog to ignore what is on the floor, on the sidewalk or on your plate, in five stages that build real self-control.
Teach your dog to settle on a mat
A calm default behavior you can use at the cafe, at meals and when guests arrive: how to teach "go to your mat" in short sessions.
Positive reinforcement explained: why reward-based training works
What reward-based training is, why timing matters and what a professional society for animal behavior says about the methods you choose.
