Shetland Sheepdog Puppies for Sale in Alabama, AL
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Reviews
Kim O.
10/31/2022
Shetland Sheepdog
My puppy is healthy and smart. She’s adorable. I’ve had her for a month now, no problems. I gave 4 stars because customer service is very hard to contact and the app crashes frequently.
Shetland Sheepdog Characteristics
The Shetland Sheepdog, or Sheltie, is an intelligent, quick, and obedient herding dog from Scotland's remote Shetland Islands. Modern-day "Shelties" are loving, devoted companions for whole families and superstars in dog sports like agility and obedience. With proper training and early socialization, the Sheltie can mesh well with adults, children, and other animals with ease.
Fast Facts
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Energy Moderate
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Size Medium
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Trainability Accommodating
Shelties are often mistaken for their larger cousin, the Collie. The two share a similar cone-shaped face and fluffy rough coat, but standing between 13-16 inches at the shoulder, the Shetland Sheepdog is a bit shorter than the Collie. Eager to be trained and directed, the Sheltie is a top-notch competitor and loves to have a job, whether that's competing in an agility course or herding sheep.
The dense undercoat makes these dogs heavy shedders, and we don’t recommend them for people with sensitive allergies. Sheltie families should plan for regular grooming and frequent brushing to keep stray hair to a minimum. These dogs come in a variety of striking coats, including blue merle and sable. Shelties are relatively calm in smaller homes and can handle apartment living if they're provided frequent walks. Otherwise, they live their best lives with a fenced-in yard where they can run around.
This breed is notoriously smart. A combination of their athletic ability, intelligence, and willingness to please makes them a top contender within performance events in their size group. This collection of attributes can make them successful athletes or successful escape artists, depending on how their energy is used. Ensuring these dogs have a job and purpose will help funnel their energy properly and ensure you don't have to chase them down at the dog park.
How dog-friendly is Alabama?
Alabamans are dog-lovers! The state has high dog ownership and several pet-friendly destinations. However, it doesn’t rank well compared to other states when it comes to animal cruelty laws and protections. We hope to see some changes to that soon!
Here’s what you should know about Alabama.
Two major studies for pet-friendliness ranked Alabama in the lower half of all 50 states. Pawsafe, an animal advocacy group, ranked Alabama 43rd. Safewise, a consumer safety review site, ranked it slightly higher at 31st in the country.
Both studies evaluated all 50 states by several factors, including animal welfare laws, pet-friendly accommodations, pet services, dog parks, and hiking trails. In both studies, the state scored poorly for its animal welfare laws related to abuse, neglect, fighting, or pet care standards.
Are cities in Alabama pet-friendly?
Yes! A study by Wallethub reviewed the 100 largest cities in the country to rank them by pet-friendliness. Here’s how Alabama’s biggest city stacked up.
Birmingham
Birmingham was ranked 5th overall of all 100 cities! This pet-friendly city scored 9th in pet budget, 15th in pet health and wellness, and 77th in outdoor pet-friendliness. We blame the heat and humidity for the last ranking, but Birmingham does have beautiful parks and outdoor space.
A few more facts for dog-lovers in Alabama
BringFido lists Alabama as a pet-friendly travel destination with over 1,700 verified pet-friendly hotels and motels.
Forty-seven percent of Alabama residents own a dog. This is above the national dog ownership rate of 40%.
What kinds of dogs do Alabamans love? According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the most popular dogs in Alabama are Labradors, Basset Hounds, and Beagles. Other popular breeds include Huskies, Retrievers, and Collies.
Animal welfare & dog shelters in Alabama
Alabama saved 75,761 dogs and cats during 2020. However, 16,825 animals were reported killed over this same period.
Thirty-one out of 93 of the animal shelters within Alabama are no-kill shelters. The percentage of no-kill shelters is low, and the state has a below-average save rate of 74%. This is pretty far below the 90% mark needed to be considered a no-kill state. Again, animal protection is an area where Alabama can definitely improve.
Shetland Sheepdogs Everywhere in Alabama
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