Sheltie

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:17 pm

There's always exceptions and they usually let us know when they need them :)

Featherduster · Post by **Featherduster** » Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:30 am

Shaving a sheltie....(been a groomer for 20+ years so know a bit about that too) I have shaved some of my shelties, especially some of my older heavy coated dogs. If you maintain the coat by brushing them out on a regular basis they usually have no issues with heat. Shaving the belly (what I call a false skirt) helps alot. You can also get your groomer to take her sides down with thinning shears if needed. NOT sculpted with straight scissors. My shaved sheltie use to get what I called a lion cut. I would shave from his shoulders back and leave the tip of his tail and brush his ruff out really well and trim it alot. He also had breathing issues when he got older but he LOVED his summer do and usually had a smile on his face when I was done. I have found with pretty much all the shelties that come into me for grooming that are a "matted mess" all I do is throw them in the tub right away and soap them up well. Then I take a slicker brush and slowly work my way over the entire dog and it pulls all the undercoat out without it being "blown all over the place". Then I rinse them really well, wrap a towel around them and use an air force dryer (like a reverse vacuum that blows and separates the hair and dries it. After they are dry I take a comb and comb them all over. By the time they are done usually within 2 hrs, they have no undercoat left, their hair is separated nicely and they are exuberant. Most of the matted shelties are not matted. The undercoat is just clumped and bunched up and will easily work out in the tub. I have also found this method works well for goldens with burrs stuck bad. The water and soap softens the burrs and removes the barbs and they just slide out..
Heads up for you all, ticks are already out along Lake Erie. I pulled 3 off a poodle the other day. 2 were already attached.

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Sun Mar 13, 2016 8:24 pm

I have a burr remover. AMAZING!!

Thanks for tick warning. We'll get on it right away. This is what happens when you don't have a real winter. GRRR

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:18 am

She has arrived. She's a blue Merle (spelling?) so her name is déjà blue. Deja Or Blue for short. The name she came with.

Such a sweet gentle soul. She just turned 6 in February. Got all her papers. Has a metal plate in her leg, has some left over effects of the big seizures she had as a young pup and through adulthood. Seizures Becoming less and less as she ages. Vet feels it best she isn't medicated. This is hard on her family but it is what it is and we keep moving forward. I don't feel bad for her, I think she's a very lucky girl to have had a big family love her for the first part of her 6 years and now she gets to be with us. Nothing wrong with that. No need for negative energy. She's been on a few other 'trials' at people's homes but her howling has been a concern, ultimately sending her back 'home'.

We went for a few walks yesterday to drain some energy and she's been exposed to a lot of different things here than the city. She slept well with Drake, not a peep out of her. But I also know the howling could begin once she feels she is at 'home'. I'm predicting it not being a big problem. My understanding is howling happens when everyone sleeps in but we have 2 roosters, one who's up well before the crack of dawn. Deja has competition and will have to wake up pretty early to beat the polygamist to it!

She's not sure about the moose that lives here (Drake) and she adores Josh already. Drake is a 98lb puppy and he so desperately wants to play but with her littleness he has to chill out a bit. He's used to playing with Cinder who was 115lbs and kicked his butt every single time!

She follows me everywhere. She is busy learning the house rules. Boundaries; Not allowed in the kitchen when we're eating, have to be invited into the kitchen space period. Very very receptive to my energy. I'm a very strong dominant person and I noticed walking her that she kept her distance from my side. I consciously softened a bit and she came to my side while walking. Made a mental note.

So I explained to Lou last night, that because she is only approx 25lbs and Cinder was 115lbs that I technically have another 3 1/3 dogs to get to fill the space. His words 'you're something else woman'. A phrase I am very accustomed too hahahah!

Learning boundaries

She has already learned hanging out under my foot gets butt rubs!

Post by **Killerbunny** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:28 am

She's a lucky girl!

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 9:37 am

She is a beauty and a lucky girl :)
She must think she has landed in a doggy heaven and Drake must think you got him a new toy?
I used the same reasoning you did, when we lost our Great Dane, I thought 2 medium to largish size dogs were needed to replace him.

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:59 am

2 medium dogs or one horse. Space is space! Haha!

Drakes pretty happy, but he always is. They were linked together for our walk. He sends his energy to her and shows her what my hand commands etc mean. She's smart as a whip and will have it sorted in no time.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:05 pm

Right on Sandy!

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:13 pm

Good for her, they are extremely smart!

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:47 pm

Spoke to Lou a bit earlier. He said she howled a few times during the night and woke him up. Have to work on this. Not sure how.
Shelties apparently howl. Just not normally during the middle of the night :/