Does My Sheltie Puppy Need A Winter Coat

Standoffish by nature, Shetland Sheepdogs need extensive exposure to people and to unusual sights and sounds. Otherwise their natural caution can become outright shyness, which is difficult to live with. Teaching your Sheltie how to be confident with the world is essential. Learn how to socialize your dog on my Shetland Sheepdog Training.

Does my sheltie puppy need a winter coat. The coat develops until ages three to five. At maturity, your sheltie's undercoat should still be soft, short and dense, while the topcoat should be rougher and up to 6 inches long all over the body, including the tail. Shelties keep the short fur on the bottom halves of their legs. Losing Their Puppy Coat. Puppies come equipped with a thick fluffy coat to keep them extra warm for the first 6 – 12 months of their journey through life. And after about a year they’ll begin to shed that coat and grow in their adult coat, during which you can expect a big increase in shedding. Recently Neutered or Spayed A proper Sheltie coat — a harsh outer coat and soft undercoat — sheds dirt and repels water, so Shelties need baths only when they get really dirty, which varies from dog to dog. Trim nails. Individual puppies of these AKC - registered litters, therefore, are eligible to be registered with AKC, subject to compliance with existing AKC Rules, Regulations, Policies and the submission of a properly completed registration application and fee. AKC registration does not indicate the health, quality or value of a dog.

Groom your sheltie at least once every two weeks. Brushing every day will keep shedding at bay, but thorough grooming at two-week intervals will keep your dog's coat shiny and healthy. If your dog is severely matted, consult a professional groomer. A heavily matted coat may require a complete shave down. The only other time I use a coat is on a puppy whose immune system might be in doubt. Ivy, who is 10 and has cancer, has not had an undercoat for several years but never needs a coat. My thought is if they don't seem cold, they aren't, especially if they're moving around. If they're in a cold car, that might be different. She has short hair and as such the Michigan cold is not an ideal climate for her without a coat in cold weather. Your dog lives, 24/7 in a heated home/apt. and so, just like humans, she does need that extra layer of protection against the cold. Just use common sense as to how soon in Fall/Winter to start wearing a coat/sweater on her. Your puppy’s coat doesn’t need to be a hassle. With regular grooming and the right knowledge, you and your puppy can weather the transition from puppyhood to adulthood together – even if.

Adult dogs can eat just one or two big meals per day. If your sheltie is still a puppy, then she will need to be fed more often. If your sheltie puppy is: eight to 12 weeks, then do four meals per day; three to six months, then do three meals per day As your puppy matures, his coat feels thicker and rougher. In some breeds, the look of the fur may also change as baby fur is replaced with adult fur. Losing Fur, Growing Fur. Your puppy may begin to shed his puppy fur when he's as young as 3 months old, but this varies. During the transition, his coat may appear shaggy or patchy, as baby fur. Yes, it's cold, but that will bother you more than a puppy with a Sheltie coat. I wouldn't pass on a winter puppy if it's a breeding you like. Plus you will likely get a better pick of the litter in the winter because other people will want to wait for better weather. A playful Sheltie puppy at 9 weeks old However, this transitional stage is also when puppies develop fears and they need extra help to gain confidence and form secure attachments. Howard was obviously a little scared and unsure when he moved in with us at 8 weeks old but after 3 days he found his confidence.

I kept my sheltie girl in a coat during the freezing months until she grew her full adult coat. Their puppy coats just aren't thick enough to protect them from wind chill because even though it's poofy it's not insulating the way their adult coats are. I live in Missouri so I guess that is considered a cold climate. The new coat grows in during the early fall and attains full glory during the winter months. This makes sense, because a heavy coat would be needed most in winter. However, not all Shelties fit a specific pattern for coat growth and hair loss. Reasons Why a Puppy Is Itchy . When there is some sort of irritation to the skin the urge to itch or scratch soon follows. At a cellular level inside the body, histamine release is the main reason why a puppy itches but sometimes simply the annoyance of a reoccurring insect bite can also cause a puppy to scratch itself. A puppy is born with one single coat of soft fur, even if it is a double-coated breed. When he sheds that puppy coat, his new, adult coat will come in stiffer and thicker, according to the American Kennel Club. The double-coated dog will grow two layers of fur after shedding the puppy coat. The puppy's coat pattern and texture may also change.