Shetland Sheepdog

March 2021 Doggone Canine

Posted on by KAsinbe

This month I decided to dig into my own collection of photos. This picture is a photo of one of my shelties. When I brought him home from the breeder, his ears were glued in the hopes that his ears would get that cute end of the ear flip.

As soon as I unglued his ears during his first bath, the indecision started. Both ears flapped down. Then they both popped up. Up and down they went until eventually one went up and the other fell down. That one, the one that drooped, could be seen in his long fur. One day a little girl asked to pet him and as she approached him, she said, “Where’s the other ear?”

The dog with the lopsided head.

Do dogs enjoy taking photos

Posted on by KAsinbe

When my husband retired he bought his first DSLR Camera.  We were all subjected to his “inspiration” but our dogs were especially so.  After a while they refused to look at him when he pointed the camera at them.  I really think they had got bored with the whole thing.

Let me take a sheltie

The Long Winter of 2017-18

Posted on by KAsinbe

It has been a long time since I have blogged.

I envy this skater as, unfortunately, my arthritic knee has kept me inside all winter.  There is no negotiating the ice surface for those of us with osteoarthritis.  One slip and it could change your life.  I do miss skating though I never was very good at it.

Lucky for me my dogs love winter and they do not need for me to stand precariously on blades to enjoy it with them.

2nd skater.JPG

0B2A0932 (2)

The Barkless Dog

Posted on by KAsinbe

For any of you who have ever owned a Shetland Sheepdog –or even lived next door to one–  you’ll know that they love to bark.  My Shelties are especially excitable as I play with them a lot.  They bark when I pretend to box with them, they bark when I play hide and seek with them, and they really bark when I play “who is chasing who around the billiard table”.  And, if I’m out shoveling snow, all hell breaks loose,  because they bark at flying snow.  Oh, and they bark when my husband sneezes.  I don’t rate a bark when I sneeze and I have no idea what makes my husband’s sneezes so special.

Imagine my surprise (and delight) when I heard about a barkless dog….thinking maybe I had found my next pet.    Unfortunately, after some research I was disappointed to learn that, due to the structure of the dog’s larynx, it “yodels”.  I don’t think my neighbors would appreciate that.

 

BREED:  The Basenji

 

ORIGIN

  • one of the oldest breeds
  • engravings of the dogs that date back to 3600 BC were found in Egypt

PERSONALITY

  • aloof and independent
  • attaches to one or two members of the family, but not overly friendly
  • very clean dog – grooms itself – no need for you to do grooming – Bonus!
  • highly intelligent

APPEARANCE

  • 16 to 17 inches
  • 22 to 24 pounds
  • short and silky coat
  • colors:  chestnut red, pure black, or black and tan, all with white feet
  • tail curled on back

TRAINING

  • not easy to train due to independent nature but can learn with much patience
  • used for hunting
  • needs space and exercise

 

HEALTH

  • needs to be checked for fanconi syndrome
  • life expectancy is about 12 years

 

 

iStock_000006550290_Medium