Are Shetland Sheepdogs the Most Troublesome Dogs? 8 Common Complaints About Them

brief knock on the door once they get the hang of it.
This does take time and patience though and dealing with excessive barking isnt for everybody!
3 Theyre Energetic and TimeConsuming
Shelties require a lot of time and attention throughout their lives and especially as puppies.
Shetland sheepdogs dont require an excessive amount of exercise but they will need daily walks and playtime.
They also require a lot of mental enrichment as theyre smart dogs who get bored quickly without something to do. Otherwise shelties will find their own fun by barking at passersby.
Sniffing on walks eating from slow feeders or puzzle toys daily training and nose work games will all help to prevent boredom in shelties. You can also buy a herding ball to satisfy their herding instincts or a flirt pole to give them something safe to chase!
The rest of your time will be spent simply keeping your sheltie company as they often cannot handle being alone for long periods.
4 Theyre Shy
Many shetland sheepdogs are shy or reserved around new people.
Its important to socialize your Shetland sheepdog so that they dont grow too timid or fearful of strangers. That said every dog has their own personality and shyness is common in the breed.
Shelties are also incredibly protective of their homes and families which adds to their wariness of strangers.
They dont need to meet everyone on their walks but instead teach them not to bark or lunge when they see someone new. Sitting in new environments and just watching the world go by without barking provides great socialization for shelties as well.
5 Shelties are Clingy
Shelties love spending time with their families and can be too clingy for some individuals.
Known as velcro dogs Shetland sheepdogs tend to cling to their favorite people. Theyre prone to separation anxiety because of this.
Avoiding separation anxiety can be a balancing act. Dogs who are never left alone are often incredibly fearful when it does inevitably happen so its important to teach your sheltie to be alone for short periods slowly working up to a few hours at a time.
However leaving them for too long can also leave them fearful. For most shelties a full workday with no one home is going to be too much. They prefer to live with families where someone is around most of the day.
Remember that you want to build positive associations with being alone so start small and work your way up as