Overview

As coordinator of a very exciting program, I welcome you to Sheltie Haven's web site.  Our intention is to be a dynamic program, not only doing the important work of rescue, but also teaching the public about this very wonderful little breed

I have been active in the breed for almost 20 years.  In that time, I have met a lot of lovely people.  It is said that each breed attracts a certain type of person.  Well, shelties attract intelligent, artistic people who have a very sensitive nature.  That's probably because they identify with this beautiful dog with the active mind and the sweet demeanor.

There's a lot to share about our breed.  Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation about the breed as well.  We hope to dispel some of it here, and welcome your questions.  If you are interested in training your sheltie in some performance event, we can help you find a class.  Shelties do well in every event, be it formal obedience work, agility, herding, flyball, or any of the several new events currently developing

I currently am training an eleven-year-old in Utility obedience. She may or may not finish her title.  But having time to work with her is special for both of us.  In the same way, you might find working with your Sheltie to also be a fine way to share your love and time.  Check back from time to time.  I'll be adding little tidbits to this page - or answering questions as they may arise.

Our policy is that all dogs adopted from Sheltie Haven will have had shots, a heartworm test and a fecal test.  Our dogs are kept on heartworm preventative, and any necessary medication is given.

However, anyone who adopts a dog from us will never be required to do any of the above.  Why?  There are several reasons:

First of all, shelties, along with their collie cousins, tend to be sensitive to medications.  Making a blanket requirement for everyone adopting dogs from us is only adding stress to what may be a difficult medical condition in any given case.  For instance, dogs with chronic skin conditions may have compromised immune systems.  The vet may recommend that the dog not have immunizations - perhaps not ever, perhaps just for a time.  The last thing we want to do is to require something that cannot be accomplished.

I also am very open to intelligent, knowledgeable people who want to use natural methods of  managing parasites and medical conditions.  For two decades, I have raised my shelties naturally, using herbs, natural food and homeopathy.  I know these things work.  Again, I would prefer to allow adopters to work with their veterinarians for the best treatment for their individual sheltie.

The most important thing Sheltie Haven recognizes is that any adopter who finds a dog in our program is perfectly capable and willing to make sure his or her dog is maintained in the best way possible - if they weren't, they wouldn't be adopters!

In the same way, we won't say a dog has to have heartworm preventative.  Dogs with allergies just may not be able to tolerate preventative.  Consider this: Interceptor is only found in chewable form today.  It is flavored with soy and desiccated pork liver.  But some dogs are allergic to soy or pork.  Again, it's a call for the vet, not for a rescue program.

Flea preventative?  I have seen a few cases of gastric bleeding that I have suspected might have been related to Program.  And why should we require internal insecticide if the adopter has no fleas this year?

Sheltie Haven does have certain requirements put forth in the screening process.  But we are not vets, and we do not want to get in the way of proper veterinary care.  That is why our terms of adoption merely express the expectation that a dog will receive adequate veterinary care.  What that is varies from dog to dog.  And we thank our adopters for already knowing that!