2008 Houston Sheltie Sanctuary Events:

Fall Picnic (10th Anniversary Gala!) is scheduled for November 8th at the Rover Oaks Pet Resort in Katy.  Watch for more exciting news about this very special event!

 As always, time is from 1-4 pm, and picnics are for HSS members and adoptive families only.

Reliant Houston Dog Show is the 3rd weekend in July;
Come meet us and our dogs at Booth # C-924 July 18 - 20!
 

Our Shelties
Available for Adoption
Or Going Through Rehabilitation

Page 1

To completely understand how HSS works, be sure
 to carefully read about our rescue Program

 Before you make an adoption decision, please read
 Connie's brief article about special needs Shelties
 and Joan's article about senior Shelties.

[Sheltie Standard from the AKC Page]

The Shetland Sheepdog

Coats

One of the most beautiful, intelligent, active dogs in the canine world, Shelties can have "coats of many colors" and thicknesses, though the AKC Standard is double-coated, dense, and flowing.  The coat needs thorough brushing at least once a week.  Due to their thick double coats, our Shelties must live indoors in Houston's hot, humid climate.  Color Codes:  S/W (sable [tan] and white; usually just called a sable; there are many variations such as mahogany sable and white, shaded sable and white, golden sable and white, etc.; this is the color most people regard as 'like Lassie'; the shaded and mahogany sables are not Tri's); TRI (black, white, and sable; many people confuse this color; the dog is mostly black and white with a bit of tan, usually on the face and forelegs); BI-BLACK (black with white markings; there is no sable in a bi-black); BLUE MERLE (usually called a 'merle': 'blue'/silvering pattern on tri or bi-black genes, some tan; often with blue eyes or one blue and one brown eye); SABLE MERLE (mostly sable with merling effect); DOUBLE MERLE (two merling genes; lots of white with the rest of the colors diluted); BI-BLUE (no tan); WHITE FACTORING (more than 50% white); CHW (COLOR-HEADED WHITE) (body is white-factored; head is 'colored').  See Athro Limited for explanations of genetics and examples; Kyleah's Sheltie Coat Page and  Dogpatch's The Sheltie Photo Album for more variations, information, and beautiful full-color examples. 

Size

As one of our veterinarians once remarked, Shelties can be "gazelles or tanks."  These differences are not necessarily because of breeding but of genetics: the Collie, Sheltie, Border Collie, and Australian Sheepdog all descend from the same working dog in the Shetland Isles; then there were many breeding experiments to produce the breeds we see today.  The AKC Standard for American Shetland Sheepdogs is 13-16" tall at the top of the shoulder. The correct way to judge the height is with a wicket.  The AKC does not specify weight, but most in-size Shelties are 15-30#, though we've seen them as small as 8-12# and as much as 40+#.   Most Shelties fall in the taller range, though some are certainly smaller.  The smaller Shelties, though adorable, are under-sized.  There is no such dog as a 'miniature' , 'mini', or 'pocket' Sheltie.  Any breeder claiming to breed 'miniature' or 'pocket' Shelties would not be recognized by the AKC or ASSA and is undoubtedly contributing to genetic and health problems in this kind of breeding.  Over-size means the Sheltie grew out taller than 16"; and some Shelties do approach the size of a small Collie, but Shelties are not 'miniature Collies.'  The best way to tell the difference is to note that the Sheltie's head is more wedged-shaped, the muzzle is shorter, the stop (point where the muzzle meets the crown of the head) is more pronounced, the body is more compact, the legs shorter.  

Temperament

Shelties are sweet, gentle, alert, extremely intelligent, loyal, eager to learn and please; they are also very comical: enjoying fun times and jokes, followed by their famous "Sheltie Spins and Smiles," floor pats, leaps, and requests for tummy rubs.  They can also be shy with people they do not know and should never be forced as they will warm up in their own time. If they don't to a particular person, then there may very well be a good reason!  Most Shelties adore children and get along well with other pets; sometimes they delight in herding family members and cats, but it's all in fun, as one sees in the bright eyes and famous grin.  Some descriptions of our breed claim they are not 'guard dogs,' but many Shelties are extremely protective of their families and terrific 'alerters' to anything they don't feel should be in their territory.  This is why they are frequently regarded as 'barkers,' but they were originally bred as herding dogs: hence the barking and protection instinct, which we in our program regard as pluses in their behavior.  Most Shelties can be trained to quiet on command after being praised for alerting the family.

NB: Prospective adoptive homes, please remember that the nature of Shelties is to be shy with people they don't know; most warm up quickly, but adoptive homes should be aware this can take 2-3 weeks, especially with rescued Shelties, many of whom have been through abuse, neglect, trauma, and medical problems.  Owner relinquishments can also be vulnerable to shyness because they are going through enormous changes in their lives; they do not understand why they have lost their homes and often need special understanding.  We always keep our Shelties in foster care for at least two weeks to assess their temperaments and behavior.  Because our Shelties are rescues needing special understanding and care, to protect both our dogs and very young children (the coordinators are parents as well as dog lovers), we do not adopt to homes with children under age five.  After adoption, patience and TLC will bring your Sheltie out, and you will be rewarded with a wonderful companion dog.  Also, a lot of applicants want youngsters and the newest dogs as soon as they come in.  Please remember that all our dogs, including the delightful seniors and special needs Shelties, are wonderful and need loving homes.

If you are unfamiliar with Shelties or would just like to learn more about the breed, see The American Shetland Sheepdog Association, The American Kennel Club, Commonly Asked Questions about Shelties, and Beverly Miller's Sheltie FAQS.

Summer in Texas: Please read about Leaving Dogs Alone in Cars

PET THERAPY

Shelties makes great Therapy dogs! Pet Therapy is a wonderful volunteer program training owners and their dogs to work in hospitals and assisted living environments to bring a little sunshine to the lives of patients and senior residents. This one offers free CGC [Caninc Good Citizen]  training classes to prepare them to take the test required for Pet Therapy.  

Faithful Paws Pet Therapy Group [Church's Web Page]
http://www.umtv.org/archives/faithful_paws.htm
Vickey Willard's webpage for the group [Vickey is an HSS volunteer and trainer]
http://www.geocities.com/vwillard61/FaithfulPaws_Pet_Therapy.html

[See the side bar of the main page for more links to boarders, groomers, trainers, etc.]
 

Prospective adopters  must carefully read about our program,  have the application completed, and the home visit done.  For the reasons we explain in the program description, we do not adopt out of state.

Codes Below: OR (Owner Relinquishment to our program); OTI (Owner Turn In to area shelter); Vetting/Clinicals (dog is in one of our clinics for work-ups); UTD (dog is Up to Date on vaccinations and heartworm preventive); HW+ (dog tested positive for heartworm disease and is going through treatments; should have a re-check 4-6 months after adoption); HW- (dog tested negative for heartworm disease and is on preventative; should have a re-check 4-6 months after adoption); Split Treatment (HW treatment injections are being split over a month in a severe case of the disease--a bit easier on the dog who is 'loaded' with heartworms or otherwise medically compromised); URI (Upper Respiratory Infection); UTI (Urinary Tract Infection); Hooks and Whips (worm infestations); PB (the Sheltie is a purebred; all our Shelties are PB unless otherwise indicated); Sheltie X (the Sheltie is a Mix, which we determine as best we can with our veterinarians); yo (year old; example: 3yo); mo (month old; example: 6mo). 

Shelter Abbreviations: HCAC (Harris County Animal Control--Houston), BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Control--Houston), CAP (Citizens for Animal Protection--Houston), SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), MCAC (Montgomery County Animal Center--Conroe), VAP (Volunteers for Animal Protection--Kingwood), TF (Twyla's Friends--Kingwood), TLAC (Town Lake Animal Center--Austin)

Before adoption, all HSS Shelties are vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and treated for initial ailments as much as possible within the scope of our rescue program. 

Sometimes we have dogs that cannot be adopted due to major medical issues or advanced age complicated by medical issues. We keep them in permanent foster care as program dogs as long as they need us.  See Sheba's wonderful story of a shelter and volunteers who were determined to help her at http://www.houstonsheltiesanctuary.com/Program_Dogs.htm

Most of our rescued Shelties are older. Please read about the joys of adopting these wonderful dogs at http://www.houstonsheltiesanctuary.com/In_Praise_of_the_Older_Dog.htm and think about giving your home and heart to a senior dog who needs you and will give back so much.

We have a lot of males right now: even if you had always thought you wanted a girl, please consider one of these wonderful, affectionate boys as your companion dog. Visit them and talk with their foster homes.

Note about the popular small, young females: In the last few years, we've been taking in ~100 dogs/year.  Of these, about 40 will be female - we tend to get more males.  Of those 40, perhaps 12-15 will be 4 years old or younger - we tend to get older dogs.  Of those 12-15, perhaps 6-7 will be on the small side of standard, or smaller - Shelties are notorious for going oversized.  Of those, perhaps half will be temperamentally suited for a home not actively engaged in agility or a similar performance sport.  3-4 dogs out of 100, and "small young female" is our most often requested category of dog.  Please understand that the more narrow your requirements, the fewer dogs that you may have to choose from.  And there are so many males and older dogs of both sexes and all sizes who need loving homes.

Rescue Day: In Foster Care:	Ready for Adoption! Austin4 Austin was found as a stray in west Houston.  The finder called every vet clinic in the area trying to locate his owner.  The finders could not keep him with them, so they called us to ask if we would bring him into our program right away.  Austin is 6-8 years old, 14 inches, 22 pounds, neutered, HW-, but has whipworms and a very matted, smelly coat. Our groomers will need to shave his coat in order to make him comfortable right now, but it will grow back quickly and be glorious in just a few months.  The clinic says that even though his right eye is underdeveloped, it doesn't slow this boy down.  You can see how happy he is to be in foster care!  It's the Holidays and with his foster family's beautiful green Christmas Tree in the background, you can see how Austin's coat has deepened and brightened to show how handsome a boy he is!  Just look at the smile on his face! Please check back for more updates as we further assess this sweet boy. Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done.
	Ready for Adoption! Rex2 Rex is a gorgeous Bi-Black sheltie, 6-7 years old, with a touch of merle and strikingly blue eyes. He's an OR due to family circumstances. He's 14 inches tall, but only 16 pounds, so he will need to gain a few pounds. He came into our program quite thin and anemic from a heavy tick infestation, so we'll be waiting for him to gain some strength back before his neuter surgery. He's now UTD, and thankfully tested HW negative. "Rexy" was temporarily fostered by one of our clinic's technicians. His foster mom says that he is very good with her kitten, and clearly enjoys the company of his foster parents, sleeping close to them at night and rejoicing whenever they arrive home from work each day. You can see from his picture what a beautiful, smiley boy he is and how happy he is to be in Rescue. One of our most active and experienced volunteers is now fostering Rex and he's doing very well at their home, getting along with their resident shelties. It appears that, at some point in his life, Rex suffered a traumatic injury to his left eye resulting in a loss of sight in that eye. It doesn't slow him down a bit! Rex learns quickly and loves to be held and loved on. He is a "people person" and seems eager to please. As many shelties can be, Rex is rather vocal and barks happily for just about everything. But with loving attention from his new forever home, he should settle down nicely. Rex is very people oriented and hates to be left alone. He would do best in a home of someone retired or who works at home. He doesn’t like thunder and needs a small safe place to hide during a storm. Please check back for further updates on this uniquely handsome sheltie. Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done.
	Ready for Adoption! Hanna Hanna is an OR due to family circumstances.  She's 9 years old, 15 inches tall and down to 22 pounds from her intake weight of 35 pounds!  She is UTD and HW negative. Her foster mom tells us: "Sweet little Hanna is such a happy little girl. She loves to play – and with toys (most of our fosters don’t know what toys are)! She does bark when she is happy a lot of times to let you know that she is having fun – but she is not a constant yapper by any means.  She does get a bit too playful with small children so we are working with her to teach her to be more gentle. And Hanna does chase cats!   Hanna (we've nicknamed her Hanna Baby) is a very devoted girl who adores her humans and gets along with the resident sheltie.  Giving kisses to her adoring fans, she lets you know how much your attention is appreciated.  She definitely enjoys going outside every chance she gets; she lets the horses in the next pasture know she is there to protect her humans.  Inside, she loves to play with toys, sit next to you on the couch or lay on the cool tile floor for a relaxing nap.  Hanna is a wonderful sheltie baby that will be a great companion." Please check back for further updates and pictures. Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done.
	Ready for Adoption! Presley Presley is an OR due to family circumstances.  He is an 8 year old (DOB 9/1/99) tri, 16 inches, and is now down to a sleek and svelte 26# from his intake weight of 41#, helped by inexpensive thyroid medication.  He is UTD, neutered, heartworm and fecal negative.  Presley loves his humans and other dogs.  He is a serious cat chaser and will need a home without kitties.    Please check back for further updates Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done.
Rescue Day: In Foster Care:	Ready for Adoption! Trevor4 Trevor4 was found as a stray in Katy. He is ~7 years old, 13 inches, 22 pounds, neutered, heartworm and fecal negative. He had some hair loss that is most likely due to poor nutrition and being out on the streets for awhile, but on a good diet, his coat is growing in nicely and he's becoming a lovely boy. Trevor is a sweet and gentle boy who enjoys his walks and would love a yard to patrol and protect from squirrels. Trevor's foster mom sent us this update:  Trevor was at first, frightened of everything, even going outside for a walk. He would not let me touch him except to pet him. Bathing, brushing & cleaning ears were not allowed. He has now come a long way now!  I can clean his ears, & brush him. He loves the other dogs & his toys. When he gets excited, he'll find his toy & shake it till the feathers come out! I took him to Galveston recently & he had a great time walking on the beach, & playing with all the other 7 dogs. He has bonded w/me & looks to me for security. He is still very cautious of his surroundings when going outside. When it's time for a walk, he lays in his doggie bed or hides behind a couch to avoid having to go outside. He feels safe just being inside the house. I think it will just take time for him to trust again. Trevor is very handsome & a sweetheart of a boy. We sure do love him. You can see from these new pictures that Trevor is an absolute sweetie-pie!  Just look at that face and those eyes!  And how he loves to play with his stuffed toys!!!  Who could resist him? Please check back for further updates. Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done.
	Ready for Adoption! Charlie Brown Charlie Brown is an OR due to family circumstances.  He is ~1 1/2 years old, ~18 inches, 19 pounds (needs to gain a few), is HW- and now neutered.  Charlie's foster home reports that he is housetrained; they are working on leash training.  Charlie is very shy but is becoming more outgoing each day.  Charlie's foster home update:   "His coat is long, not as thick as it will become. He wants his share of lovin' but will not push to the front to get it. He has chosen a cubby hole for himself in my office where he sleeps and keeps all his important possessions, ie: his stuffed bear, small squeak toy, tennis ball and various chews he has accumulated these past days." CB's first foster mom noted that he seemed to have some issues with his vision, so we took him to a veterinary ophthalmologist.  He has been diagnosed with a condition which has affected his central vision, and there is some vision loss.  It is unknown at this time whether the condition will progress. Because of CB's shyness, we have asked one of our very experienced foster families to assist and they sent us this recent update: Charlie has made good progress with trusting us. He will let us pet and love on him. He will even come up to us now and "ask" for pats on the head and scratches. He LOVES to be scratched/rubbed under his chin!  He has started initiating play with Mikey, our resident. He takes his paw and pats Mikey in the face and the game of chase is on!  :) They rip through the house until I say "boys" and they look at me like "what? we're just playing". At first Charlie would sleep in his crate with the door open. The crate is in the living room. But now he comes to find a spot in the bedroom with Mikey and Betsy. We're still working on walking on a leash. He's a bit like a rental stable horse; he doesn't want to go out but does well on the return trip. Charlie is still startled by loud noises easily and like many of our rescued shelties, he DOES NOT like bad weather.  We'll continue working on CB's shyness by taking him for walks along the neighborhood.   Please check back for further updates. Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done.
	More Shelties on Page 2 More Shelties on Page 3

HSS Coordinators

Houston Sheltie Sanctuary, Inc.
PO Box 840235
Houston, TX 77284-0235
SHELTIE LINE & FAX: (281)-859-0146
E-Mail: Connie / Linda / Joan

Houston Sheltie Sanctuary is a Member of

 Adoption Program I Adoption Application I Foster Application I Donations

© 2006 Houston Sheltie Sanctuary, Inc. Rescue Program
Saving Precious Lives since 1998
All rights reserved and protected by Federal Copyright Law.
Website created and maintained by Joan McAninch Samuelson
Updated 07/18/08