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A Sheltie is
a very
difficult
dog to
breed! My
dogs are not
perfect by
any means,
but I am
always
striving to
learn more
and improve
my lines. I
have set
certain
goals and
criteria for
the standard
of my dogs,
and I hope
one day to
achieve
everything
that I have
set out to.
After
researching
the health
of the
Sheltie, I
was
horrified to
find that
very few
breeders in
South Africa
did any
testing.
There is a
fair amount
of testing
available to
the Sheltie
breeder in
SA, and a
whole lot
more
overseas. I
decided to
make this a
priority,
and try and
reach my
goals with
healthy
dogs!
My aim has
always been
to breed
healthy
Shelties,
with good
conformation,
but that are
also able to
compete in
the
disciplines
ie “do a
job”.
I began with
a dog from a
good kennel
in Germany,
British
type, with
the idea
that I would
work her and
find the
perfect male
for her, and
hopefully
have a
litter or
two. Her
workability
turned out
to be
absolutely
fabulous,
and she
achieved
Champion
status
easily, and
also
multiple
Grand
Champion in
the
disciplines. The litter was born - 5 pups, but it was a difficult birth so I decided to spay my girl and keep a daughter. While the litter was healthy and well bred, I knew that I lacked something in my dogs. So I decided to research some more and learn a bit more. |
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Although I
was excited
about my
first
litter, and
I was happy
with the
overall
quality when
it came to
structure
and size of
the puppies,
I was
disappointed
with the
temperaments.
The pups
were a bit
weak in
temperament,
being a bit
more
reserved
than I like.
Although the
sizes were
good, their
bone was
quite fine.
I came to
the
conclusion
that I
needed more
substance
and stronger
temperaments,
so I decided
to take the
plunge and
Import a
Canadian
bitch with
the idea
that I would
add her to
my British
line and
create more
of a happy
medium. My
British dogs
are fine
boned, with
weaker
personalities,
but they
also have
some
outstanding
qualities
that I
wanted to
keep.
Expression
was my
number one
criteria to
maintain
here, and
also the
workability,
together
with their
cheeky and
mischievous
natures.
Other things
such as
size, long
arched
necks, great
tailsets and
tail lengths
were assets
that I
didn't want
to lose
either. |
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I ended up
adding a
Canadian to
my line. But
sizes and
overall
structures
varied.
I was also
not sold on
the Canadian
look of the
sheltie –
but I was
totally in
awe of the
stable
temperament,
though! What
worried me
most was the
head and
expression
of the
Canadians –
the eyes
were
rounder,
harder and
changed the
“sweet”
melting
sheltie
expression
that I had
grown to
love. The
muzzle was
also very
strong, and
although I
do want a
slightly
stronger
muzzle,
together
with a
deeper
underjaw, I
was not
ready for
the added
depth of
head that it
gave me.
This to me,
was the
ultimate
sacrifice,
and I
decided to
try and
avoid it in
future. I
loved the
stronger
bone and
sturdier
structure,
though, and
hoped to
keep some of
this. So, I decided to go the slightly milder route and import a finer American bitch. This, it seems, was the right thing to do, for me to work towards my goals. I got a lovely sized bitch, quite small, with a more moderate head, and relatively pretty expression. Her depth of head was still on the heavier side, but a huge improvement on where I had already been. I love her outgoing nature – she loves people, and is a very easy going little girl. I then found a lovely boy in Australia and decided to breed a mixture of light American and British lines, and to try and keep the sweet expression, temperament and workability. |
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| These matings worked out very well, with some differences between the American mixes and the UK type mixes, but each having it's own virtues. I was left with some ideas to refine these styles, with the ultimate goal of achieving the ultimate UK type mix displaying the hallmark sweet expressions, and also while maintaining my health priorities. |
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