"Poshies" Seriously?!

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Wow,

It's just wrong....

What will they think of next? Toy Shelties--ugh, let's just add to Sheltie health issues by breeding down.

Pom/Sheltie mix? Talk about 'high drive'--egad!

And I've been worried about finding an ethical breeder who has Shelties with good genetic health! Should be a cinch.
 
Sheltiez4evr said:
What will they think of next? Toy Shelties--ugh, let's just add to Sheltie health issues by breeding down.
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Technically we bred up, shelties used to be much smaller than the dogs of today, I believe they used to be around 12 inches, maybe smaller.

Not that I condone the breeding of toy shelties, since most of the time they are bred by bad people just looking to make money on them. Occasionally though a reputable breeder will have puppies born that are below the 13 inch size. I would be fine with getting one from them.

I like my shelties on the smaller side of the standard, not that I don't love all of them, including my 18 inch giant :lol: but Belle at 14 inches is a good size to me.
 
Breeding up

Yes, my first Sheltie was a little girl, a "British type" girl my Mom brought home to the US from a visit home to Scotland.

She was smaller, with a genuine elfin look and a light sable and white coat. A lovely, lovey girl.

We were fortunate enough to have had a little, sable Classy Sheltie from Francine Laurent in Canada. We named her Francie and she was a delight, and the love of our lives. Sadly, Classy is no longer in operation. So I do appreciate the little ones. And I need a smaller Sheltie, these days.

I'm getting ready to bring a new companion into my family, and was wondering about smaller Shelties in the US and Canada. I broke my back last year, and hefting my 13 year old, 14 inch at the shoulder Whisper is a bit difficult on bad back days.

Thoughts on the genetic health of small--not toy--Shelties?
 
A well bred pup, no matter what the size is your best bet for finding a healthy dog. Just make sure you find a reputable breeder, and tell them you are looking for a smaller dog, you may have to wait awhile though.
 
Not sure where this thread is going......I just tried to reread it all from beginning to end and its all over the map. It's an interesting discussion, for sure, and one that is close to my heart, as I feel very strongly against "designer dogs" because they often translate into "puppy mills".....

I agree that there are good "mutt" stories and equally as often bad "mutt" stories.

Personally, I get frustrated when I book a grooming at my store and they say they have a golden doodle. Umm, sorry....that's not a breed.....and it might come into the store with any kinda of coat and any kind of size.

And yes, we have that with our purebreds too. But at least we have some kind of guidelines to work with.

Ok ducking now...:hide
 
BarbV said:
Personally, I get frustrated when I book a grooming at my store and they say they have a golden doodle. Umm, sorry....that's not a breed.....and it might come into the store with any kinda of coat and any kind of size.

And yes, we have that with our purebreds too. But at least we have some kind of guidelines to work with.

Ok ducking now...:hide
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I think crosses are here to stay. People who own them either don't know, or don't care that they're not a breed. They just love their dog. So I don't get the frustration; you are getting a mutt into your grooming salon and they need grooming as well. By saying Golden Doodle that's actually communicating a fair bit of information. You have a pretty good idea this isn't going to be a toy dog, likely not super short haired...it's really simple to ask how big is your puppy and what is her coat like? What would like us to do beyond a bath and nail trim?

I've learned, the hard way, that even with a purebred dog that you should never ever leave your dog with a new groomer without talking to them first in person. Not just the person who's doing the booking but the actual groomer. The third time I took my last sheltie to the groomers at the vet - her usual person wasn't in and I picked up a sheltie with her pants completely shaved off. She looked ridiculous from the back end! This from a professional groomer. She wasn't matted either as I always deliver my dogs to the groomers fully combed out with no knots, so there was no excuse for what she did other than either ignorance or laziness. I was so mad - I refused to pay. They had an info card on her, but the new person did not check it and I blithely assumed that because I had taken her there several times before she would come out looking the same. Will never make that mistake again, as that took over a year to grow back out.
 
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nobody is bashing just expressing concern

Calliesmom said:
nobody is/was bashing the innocent dog- only the humans trying to make money by selling mixed breed dogs as something really special therefore costing twice as much as a purebred dog from a reputable breeder.......
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EXACTLY-they aren't what they LEAD the public into believing what they truly are, and that is the concern. Toy sheltie's are NOT a breed, and yet some are getting TOP dollar merchandising them as a more specialized breed within a breed. Poshies-aren't a breed, and yet they come with a designer price tag as if they were something very specially crafted. That is the concern, as they aren't specially crafted. Not to say the end result isn't a charming, loyal, wonderful pet, it is the genetics and the marketing of something that isn't as it is presented.
 
I'm afraid I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for someone who pays huge dollars for what is essentailly a mutt. No one should get a dog ( purebred or not) without doing at least some research into the breed. It's a case of caveat emptor! It's true there are "breeders" with fancy websites making all sorts of claims, but there are also rescue organizations and shelters out there placing dogs with questionable backgrounds in potentially dangerous situations.

There is no short cut to getting informed and even then you may still end up with issues you weren't counting on, but at least you can stack the odds in your favour. If someone wants to part with $3000 for a Bernadoodle for whatever reason - well it's their money. :hide
 
Just a word on the side of the hybrid breeders: it probably costs just as much to produce a litter of designer dogs as it does a litter of purebreds. Any price from around $500 to $800 I'd consider as not unreasonable for someone wanting a good hybrid from a humane breeder. In that case, it's all a function of what people want; right-headed or wrong-headed, if there wasn't the demand, there certainly wouldn't be the supply.

Whatever you end up with, it couldn't possibly be worse than some of the haphazard mutts that are out there by the millions, and there are probably fewer genetic issues with the crossbreeds.
 
I'm closing down this tread. I think everything that can be said has been. I ask anyone who is interested in the topic to please read through all the responses, and please be aware that owners of Sheltie crosses are more than welcome on the forum.
 
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