Shetland Sheepdog

[ELIN175]

is the pet I have. But how come there aren't any in the Shetland Islands? No Shetlander I came across has seen any, just lots of sheep and ponies. But I saw quite a few Shelties in Largs.

[bojo71]

Chuck, you remarked, maybe being interested in knowing more of little Sissy & Ginge. if you don't mind, i'll introduce you to her prior litter's brother, "BUDDY", and later their sister "Buffy.

In remembering these happenings, tell myself (old fogeys talk to themselves) self, just keep to the bare bones & make it short. NOT cause I feel i'm short changing the reader, and doing an injustice to these wonderful little creatures, whom I loved. Thus letting you know them, more as I did, & not just names on a page.

That said; I must explain that the Shetland (Sheltie) is hugely intelligent, extremely sensitive, somewhat timid, till provoked, as are many w/Scot heritage.
Thus, they need very little teaching, or training, and never with a heavy hand. ie: rolled up newspaper, as I know some folks, including my dad-when i was small, did. It may have to be done on some breeds possibly, not Shelties.

I digress a bit. In the 5th grade at school, my teacher had a "talk" w/my mum, about little Bobby
not applying himself, everything comes to easy for him. We are kicking him up to the 6th, where he
may find it more difficult, nice of em huh? The part about coming easy for them, applies to Shelties.

NOW !! finally to BUDDIES tale. AS above he was from same parents as Sissy, just year earlier.
Lewalta (RN whom helped me w/calfs fratured leg,) her mother, a sweet little lady, we call GrannyMae.
Some of her family owned the pups. Granny Mae gave Buddy as weaned pup to a neighbor's two
children, they being across & down the road a bit, from her this in a rural area.

Have to guess some here now, but close, i believe. Daddy figured the DOG should stay outside in
it's doghouse, don't sound to unreasonable huh? BUT, this 3 month old pup, just seperated from
the momma & litter, in the winter? Then he fastens a fair (large) chain (Y not a small rope?) to the
doghouse, then to the pups collar.

This situation, I believe it reasonable to expect the little pup to yipe, and moan a bit, right, yep. So
big bad dad, gonna teach this pup who's boss, yep again, with the rolled-up newspaper. He beat
little Buddy, not just this one time, but several, causing him to seek refuge in the far corner of this
big doghouse. Buddy would not come out of the doghouse, for fear of being beaten, not evan to
eat or drink.

I know you wonder how i could know this, well Granny Mae was whitnesing this till she couldn't
stand anymore. She went across the street, undid the chain, carried Buddy home, called Lewalta,
to have her ask us if we would take buddy. We were delighted.

Will now explain, why i didn't need to be told, that Buddy had been mistreated. He was pathetic,
paranoid, terrified of me, and Margie & everything. Wanted away from all people. While we had
him in the house, he would cower in a corner behind a recliner as close to an outside wall, as could
get. We hoped he would get used to us, and the farm. I mentioned this was in cold part of winter.
Buddy wanted outside, so I used several bales of hay, made him a nice warm house & put him in.
He shot right out, and out in the field with some heifers north of the house. He would not come near
us, I had to put his food & water near the hay house, then go back into our house, before he would
come back to eat.

This went on for weeks, one time I took the car out of the garage, for we had a push button roll up
door. Started feeding him, first just outside the door, gradually further & further in, till was in the far
end. Then with the remote, while standing near the open door, for knowing he would not come near
me & the open door, I closed the roll up door. Now I could trap him, in order to pick him up & pet
him, carried him around for hours, hopeing to calm him. All the time he was fighting to get away, so
I let him loose, and again he ran into the field with the heifers.

There is more to this happy/sad tale, but you can see it is already to long, and to do the rest of it
right, would just be to time consumeing right now. If still interested after reading all this, will continue
later. luv to Sheltie's & u all.




__________________
bojo& my sweet ol' Sheltie "GINGE"

[bojo71]

Couldn't resist posting this previous lil' story hear in the pet parade. Hope you don't mind. cheers

[j-lo]

bojo where have you been hiding,have asked around for you and tex a while a go and no one had heard from either of you?
i hope you are well,me and charlie bump are doing well.
i hope to catch up with you more maybe on the open board soon.
tc xx

[bojo71]

JAY, Howz are ya maedear ?? Nope, like the song sez, "don't get around much anymore". Away in the Ozarks, and using a lap top, of which is a bit complicating to an uneducated feller as myself.

Happy, I am that you asked bout me anyhoo. As fer OL' tex, have tried to rouse him, but to know avail. Guess he is in one of them mexican jails, fer pestering them senoritas.

Whutz this bit aboot "charlies bump", is that one a them newer dances around pickel lilly square, you are gonna take me to, one of these dayz ?

Keep as sweet as you are darlen, till we chat again. luv ya bj

[Talon]

Originally posted by ELIN175
is the pet I have. But how come there aren't any in the Shetland Islands? No Shetlander I came across has seen any, just lots of sheep and ponies. But I saw quite a few Shelties in Largs.

Hi Elin...

as far as I can tell the Shetland Sheepdog did not actually live on the island...they were brought to the island on boats from the mainland with the farmers and there sheep... the island for most of the year was too inhospitable and the sheep of that region were not as sturdy as some other breeds of sheep...that seemingly is also why a lighter dog was able to herd them....it is also rumoured that sometimes the sheep would be left for a few days while the farmers went back to the mainland...and the Shetland Sheepdog instinctivly protected them and kept them all together untill the farmers returned...

Though none of the historical stuff on these dogs I looked at speak of why the dog would not be there now...only how they came into being in the first place...and then ultimatley how between WW 1 and WW 2 they ended up in America...

I hope I helped a little...