HSS is a 501(c)(3) Charity
Organized Nov. 4, 1998
Number of
Shelties Rescued by HSS since 1998:
924
total /
10
in 2010 / 160
in 2005, our record year
due to intakes from Hurricanes Katrina & Rita
Ways to Help HSS Fund Raising
Please mail your tax-deductible check or money order to the address in the sidebar. Encourage your friends, families, and co-workers to make us one of their charities. We will send a note and tax receipt for donors' records.
Have your Randall's Card programmed to our charity number 8533.HSS has been approved for Kroger's new share program. Go to: www.krogerneighbortoneighbor.com and click on "Find Your Organization." Type in Houston Sheltie Sanctuary, print out the letter with our barcode and present to the checker, along with your Kroger Plus card. HSS will then be linked to your Kroger card.Additionally, when you shop on line through IGive, a percentage of your purchase is paid directly to Houston Sheltie Sanctuary. Click on the graphic below and look for your favorite merchants; then click through to them from IGive, and you will automatically be helping our Shelties while you enjoy your shopping.
Houston Sheltie Sanctuary, Inc.
PO Box 840235
Houston, TX 77284-0235
Updated
03/08/10 02:15 PM
~ Roger Caras
2010 Houston Sheltie Sanctuary Events:
Additional HSS Adoption Events are being Coordinated for this year -- Watch for new announcements coming soon!
Our Shelties
Available for Adoption
Or Going Through Rehabilitation
Page 3
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 [Canine 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
Paws4Love/hphp
www.paws4lovehphp.com
[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.
Please Note:
We welcome loving, qualified new homes for our beloved Shelties and have successfully placed over 950 rescued Shelties.
The primary goal of our program is to focus with absolute priority on the individual rescued Sheltie and his or her specific needs for a new forever home.
Therefore. . . Applicants wanting to adopt one of our Shelties must submit an application linked in the sidebar. Applicants wanting to adopt again must submit a new application.
Due to time constraints, we will not answer questions, either by phone or email, about individual dogs without an application on file. Additionally, we do not have time to read or respond to letters.
We do not change our program requirements for individuals who want exceptions made, nor do we read or respond to complaints about our policies, as they are completely in line with the
National Sheltie Rescue Organization’s standards.
Our dogs are loved and cared for in private foster family homes: we do not have a central location or kennel for the public to visit.
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Ready for
Adoption!
Major was returned to our program due to family circumstances. He is ~6 years old, 17 inches, 66 pounds (needs to lose ~20), UTD, HW/fecal -. He is housetrained, gets along well with other dogs and is easygoing.
An update on Major from his foster mom:
Major is a super sweet boy. He is very obedient, housebroken, and gets along fine with his other sheltie friends. He does not like cats, though, and should probably be in a no-cat home. He is low key and quiet. He lays down next to me every night when I'm on the computer, crosses his front paws, and stares at me. Periodically, he comes over and nudges me to pet him. Major loves to take walks. He's on weight watchers right now, and gets about 4-5 walks a day! His favorite is to walk the trails in the park. When I get the leashes out for a walk, Major will sit down in front of me to put his leash on. Major seems to get along with all children & people. My son's girls are teenagers, and he loves them. My neighbors have boys about 10-12yrs old and he's happy to see them. Major is very special, he's obviously had obedience training because he listens very well. He is very, very easy going. We all love him here! Please check back for further updates. Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done. Due to time constraints, we cannot answer questions about individual dogs without an application on file. |
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Adoption Pending!
Buddy is an OR due to family circumstances. He is 7 years old (DOB 5/2/02), 13 inches, 17 pounds, is now UTD, HW/fecal -/had a dental this past week. Buddy had been previously neutered. Buddy is a delightful little dog who was charming everyone at the clinic.
An update from Buddy's foster mom:
Buddy is doing fine and gets on well with everyone. He is an active dog who enjoys going for long walks and playing with a ball - he has now gone down to around his ideal weight. He is very well behaved (crate and potty trained as well as being able to do some neat tricks) and has become a loyal friend to us all, being particularly close to my husband who usually feeds him. On occasion he has gone to a local dog daycare center and although he was nervous initially, he has become well socialized when interacting with other dogs.
Please check back for further updates.
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Rescue Day:  In Foster Care:   |
Special Needs*
Max7 is an OR due to family circumstances. He is 9 y.o., 15" and came into the program very overweight at 56#. He is now UTD on vaccinations, HW- and neutered and down to 35 pounds!
While all dogs deserve and need a good home when they lose their own, Max's story is particularly poignant. This sweet boy has gone through at least two losses in the recent past. A year ago, he was found lying next to his deceased owner, loyal to the last. He was taken in by a neighbor, but her own health issues are preventing her from giving him a forever home, and he finds himself homeless yet again.
An initial assessment in foster care shows him to be a very sweet and low-key boy with soulful eyes who shares nicely with his doggy companions - an "easy keeper." Nevertheless, there won't be a "happily ever after" for Max. We have been able to address his skin issues, his ear issues, his arthritis issues and his thyroid issues, but ongoing medical testing has revealed that he has a mass in his liver and another on his one of his adrenal glands. Max will live out his life in one of our foster homes, a cherished member of the family.
Please
check back for further updates.
Prospective adopters must carefully read about our program, have the application completed, and the home visit done. Due to time constraints, we cannot answer questions about individual dogs without an application on file. |
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Ready for Adoption!
Gavin is a 3 year old OR for personal reasons. A sweet and
loving boy, Gavin is 16" and 30#, neutered, UTD and HW-.
From Gavin's foster family:
Gavin is a
love bug and really enjoyed the twelve people we
had for the holidays. The kids were giving him hugs and he
was very patient and enjoyed their attention. He likes to
play with toys, and especially enjoys balls thrown for him.
He has quite an expressive face and really gets excited when
we tell him "good boy" and likes to run around the house a
bit. Once he gets his food and plays a little, he likes to
get lots of attention from his people and be close to them
at all times, even snuggling on the couch. Gavin is 95%
housetrained and does well in his crate for periods of
time. He will be a wonderful and loving dog for his future
forever home.
Please check back for further updates.
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Adoption Pending!
Ralphie is an OR due
to family
circumstances. An
adorable mahogany
sable, he is 2 years
old, 14 inches,
and 21 pounds. Now
UTD and neutered,
Ralphie is
housetrained and
crate trained
From his foster mom:
Ralphie enjoys
playing chase with
the resident
shelties and joins
in celebrating the
return of a foster
parent. He was easy
to bathe and trusted
grooming as special
loving attention.
Ralphie loves to be
near people and will
follow us around the
house and lay beside
the chair. He will
rest his chin on
your leg and look
with those trusting
dark eyes waiting
for you to pick him
up. He hasn’t
learned the joy of
toys or stuffies,
but knows the joy of
a warm lap on a cold
evening.
Please
check back for further updates.
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Ready for
Adoption!
Hallie is an OR to CAP due to family circumstances. She is 3 years old, 14 inches, now down to 22 pounds (she could still stand to lose a few). She is now UTD and dewormed, and has been treated for heartworms. Hallie will be spayed this week and will be available for adoption ~3/6.
From her foster mom:
Hallie is an absolutely precious little bundle of fun. From her perfectly-tipped ears to her ever-present smile to her always-wagging tail, she is beautiful and a joy to have around. She loves her human, she loves to play, she loves to bark, and chase and enjoy life. While charming and affectionate, she is also rough around the edges, jumping on her humans and furniture. We have scheduled time for her with one of our trainers, but she, and her new family, would benefit from enrolling in a basic obedience course to help her with manners. We will also be evaluating her with children, as she seems fearful of some, and so may do better in an all adult household. Hallie is looking for an active home that is prepared to keep up with her abundant energy while giving her appropriate boundaries. Please
check back for further updates.
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Ready for Adoption!
Lexi was found as a stray in central Houston. She is ~7 years old, 14-15 inches, 26 pounds and spayed. She was fecal negative and has now completed heartworm treatment. Lexi is housetrained and easygoing with her humans.
From her foster mom:
Lexi is a sweet girl who wants to be loved. She is a wonderful guardian, and tries, even from inside the house, to make sure no mail carriers, trash collectors, delivery men, or even birds or squirrels intrude on her property. She doesn't like to share, though, and probably should be an only dog. We will be working on manners and boundaries in foster care.
Please
check back for further updates.
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Courtesy Cross Post for Houston Collie Rescue!
No one capturing your heart on these
pages? Our friends at Houston Collie Rescue often have
small Collies available for adoption. See their available
dogs at
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX197.html.
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More Shelties on Page 1 |
HSS Coordinators
Houston Sheltie Sanctuary, Inc.
PO Box 840235
Houston, TX 77284-0235
SHELTIE LINE & FAX: (281)-859-0146
E-Mail: Connie / Linda / Joan
