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Links

This list of links makes no attempt to be comprehensive.  In no particular order, it is just a list of websites that I have found useful or interesting, and that I hope will be useful for Sheltie fanciers.
 
 

Health Registries
These registries record the results of health screenings for genetic diseases that are known to occur in Shelties.

  • Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
    The original registry for hips and elbows, now also certifies thyroids and a collection of other disorders.  Three veterinary radiologists evaluate each set of films.
    LIMITATION: The OFA hip positioning is based on older human positions and some researchers and veterinarians think it can hide subluxation.

  • PennHip
    A newer registry for hips based on the work of Dr. Gail Smith at the University of Pennsylvania.  This system grades hips on the degree of subluxation present on xrays taken in special positions.  It does not grade on a pass/fail basis, but assigns each hip a number called a distraction index which give the relative amount of looseness of the joint.  The distraction index is compared with those of other dogs of the same breed to estimate the likelihood that the dog will develop hip dysplasia. 
    LIMITATION: Although these radiographs are very sensitive in identifying subluxation, there are almost certainly other factors involved in dysplasia.

  • Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF)
    Certifies eyes based on examination by Board certified veterinary ophthalmalogists.
    LIMITATION:  Different ophthalmalogists may vary occasionally in their evaluation of the same dog.  The examination gives no information about the genetic status of a normal-eyed dog.
  • VetGen
    DNA based certification for Type III von Willebrand's Disease, that can identify genetic carriers of the disease.
    LIMITATION:  It gives no information about type I von Willebrand's disease, which may also occur in Shelties.

  • Washington State University
    A new DNA mutation-based test for MDR1, the gene that causes Ivermectin and other drug sensitivites in collie-related breeds.  The test has been validated for Shelties.  If you live in Canada, the test can be run by Health Gene (which will not accept samples from the US for this test).
    LIMITATION: Like all DNA based tests, it tests only for this one gene.  If any other gene causes drug sensitivity in the dog, this test cannot detect it.

  • OptiGen
    A DNA based test that can detect genetic carriers of Sheltie Eye Anomaly, thus allowing a breeder to avoid producing affected puppies.
    LIMITATION:  Some research which examined 8024 rough collies in Sweden before the age of ten week suggests that the disease may be polygenic.  The American researchers who developed the test concluded that the Swedish results can be accounted for by the "go-normal" phenomenon. 

  • HealthGene
    This Canadian company has a DNA based test for Cyclic Neutropenia (Gray Collie Syndrome), which is also present with small frequency in the Shetland Sheepdog.
    LIMITATION:  Although the same gene most likely causes the defect in Shelties, the test has not been validated for the Sheltie at this time.


Dog Coat Color

  • Dog Coat Color
    This comprehensive site from the University of Saskatchewan is maintained by a researcher who is actively involved in research on coat color genetics.  It is the most accurate and up-to-date site I am aware of that discusses the inheritance of dog coat color.

  • Sheltie Coat Color Calculator
    For those who want to keep it simple, this site has some basic information about the major Sheltie colors.

  • 2006 Article on the Identification of the Merle Gene
    OK, so this is pretty heavy reading, but it's also fascinating if you have any interest in genetics.  Download the pdf file and read it at your convenience. It seems that merle coloring results from the insertion of a decent sized sequence of DNA into a gene.  Most non-merle Shelties do not have this insertion at all.  Occasionally the insertion gets shortened during the cell duplication process, and the resulting damaged insertion can no longer produce merle. These are also non-merle Shelties.  This may be the explanation of the occasional tricolor produced by a double merle.   Of interest to our Great Dane friends is that some of the normal appearing harlequins have turned out to be unsuspected double merles!

  • Genetic Testing For Coat Color

    • HealthGene
      This Canadian company has a DNA based test for the genes at the agouti locus, based on the research of Dr. Schmutz.  Translation: It can identify the sable (ay), tricolor (at) and bicolor (a) genes, to tell you whether your sable is tri-factored or bi-factored, and whether your tricolor is bi-factored.
    • GenMark
      This company has recently made available a DNA test for the merle gene, based on the recently published research which identified the merle gene.  For most merles, the genotype is obvious, but the test might be useful for a few cryptic merles, or for a blue merle with a bit more white than usual, who just might be homozygous.
      CAUTION:  GenMark identifies as a "cryptic merle" a dog who carries one or both copies of the shortened form of the merle gene.  This shortened form cannot produce merle coloring.  This is a different usage of the term "cryptic merle" than is commonly used by Sheltie and Australian Shepherd breeders, who use the term to refer to a merle who is mostly black (or red in Aussies) with very little merling.  Cryptic merles, in the breeder's usage, are capable of passing the merle pattern to their offspring.  Cryptic merles, in the sense used by GenMark, are NOT capable of passing the merle pattern to their offspring.  Totally confusing.


Dog Genetics & Breeding
 

Dog Health
 
  • ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
    PHONE HOTLINE: (888) 426-4435  The $55 phone consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.  The website has lots of information about sources of poisons for pets.

  • Veterinary Partner
    This site is the public site of the subscription website, Veterinary Information Network, available to veterinarians.  It has a whole library of articles about health care, diseases, drugs and behavior.

  • Vaccination Guidelines
    This pdf file from the American Animal Hospital Association website that gives the updated AAHA vaccination recommendations for dogs and cats.  It's aimed at veterinarians, but anyone can understand the charts that list the recommended vaccines and recommended frequency of vaccination.

  • Veterinary Perinatal Specialties
    The company that provides the WhelpWise uterine monitoring service.  This can be of great assistance in continuously evaluating high risk pregnancies. 

  • International Canine Semen Bank
    Reproductive service that specializes in collecting, evaluating and freezing canine semen.

  • Dermatomyositis
    This site gives information from the Texas A&M Dermatomyositis researchers.  Good information about the current state of research on the genetics and treatment of the disease.

  • Canine Epilepsy Resource Center
    This site bills itself as "All you ever wanted to know about Canine Epilepsy ", and comes pretty close to meeting that claim.  Click on the logo for a large list of epilepsy related articles

  • Dental Vet
    A site maintained by a private veterinary dental specialist.  Lots of information and photographs about many dental conditions

  • Canine Influenza
    Coming soon to a dog near you!  The equine influenza virus has made the jump to dogs.  No single website gives a comprehensive view of this emerging disease, which was identified in 2004 in racing greyhounds in Florida.  It has now been found in some 27 states.  The sites below all give useful information:

    • The University of Florida
      Information from the researcher who first identified the disease.  Click on News Releases to read other releases about the canine influenza virus.

    • American Veterinary Medical Association
      FAQ and interim guidelines for control of the disease

    • Cornell University
      Updated information from the University that developed the commercially available test for canine influenza.  Follow the October 6, 2005 link to find  canine influenza statistics listed by state.

    • The Centers For Disease Control
      CDC is very interested in canine influenza, because of their interest in any influenza virus that jumps from one species to another.  This is a transcript of a news conference from September 2005.


Other Great Dog Sites
 
  • The Dogpatch Doghouse
    One of the best dog sites around, with a large section on Shelties, which is the author's breed.
  • Working Dogs
    This site is aimed at owner's of the large working breeds, but is has tons of information and links on just about every canine subject–training, genetics, diseases, behavior.  If you can't find it anywhere else, you might find it here.

  • Dr. P's Dog Training
    This site, sponsored by University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point contains lots of articles and links to articles on canine behavior and training.
  • Hike With Your Dog
    What a great idea for a site!  This has lots articles on dog-friendly hiking and how to keep it that way.

Herding
There's lots of info on the web about herding, but these sites address the needs of the loose-eyed breeds like Shelties.
 

Tracking
Ok, so Shelties aren't the best known tracking dogs, but they can be darned good at it.  I'm providing these links because most Sheltie owners wouldn't know where to go for information about tracking.
 

  • Tracking The Tracking Shelties
    This is a set of lists of Shelties who have achieved various tracking titles.  I started them when I was writing an article about tracking with Shelties for the 2001 Handbook of the American Shetland Sheepdog Association.  I recently put these lists on the Internet at the request of another handler of tracking Shelties.  There are almost certainly errors and omissions–which I would like to hear about.  None of the links to individual dogs have been published, because much of that information is from copyrighted publications.
     

  • Craig Green's Tracking Articles
    A great set of articles on tracking on a Basset Hound website
     
  • Allison Platt's Tracking Articles
    Allison Platt has written some very good articles on starting a beginning tracking dog.  The two below are available on the Internet.
    Serpentine Tracks: A New Method of Introducing Dogs to Tracking

    Four Essential Skills and Common Problems with Beginning Trackers
     
  • Scent In A Bottle
    An article about a different approach to beginning tracking on a Malinois website

Our Sheltie Friends
 

The International Sheltie Scene
 

Sheltie Websites
 
  • ASSA Sheltie Rescue
    The ASSA list of Sheltie Rescue Groups
  • Sheltie Rescue Groups
    A nationwide listing of Sheltie Rescue groups
  • The Dogpatch Sheltie Page
    The Sheltie section of the Dogpatch Doghouse, with lots of articles and links
  • New Shetland Sheepdog Titleholders
    Bob Miller's monthly list and three generation pedigrees of Shelties with new AKC titles.  You can click on a link for the same information about newly titled CKC Shelties.  Anyone interested in pedigree research needs to order his Sheltie pedigree books–all of them!

  • Sheltie Pedigree Lines
    This site has information and pedigrees (with some photos) of many Shelties.  Breeders and owners of conformation or performance Shelties can become registered users who can add their own dogs, with information and photos.
  • The Shetland Sheepdog Home Page
    Access to the SHELTIE-LIST, and a nice collection of Sheltie-related links
  • Shetland Sheepdog Pedigrees
    Pedigrees and many photos of early Shelties, British Champions and Dutch Champions, part of the Portma Zathe Shelties Dutch website
  • Sue Bowling's Sheltie Pages
    Lots of info on Sheltie history, genetics, bloodlines and ROM Shelties, through the late 1990s
  • Wickets By Mel
    A good source of ear tape and glue (including Speed-Sew), wickets of several kinds, and a few grooming products.

Sheltie Publications
 
  • Sheltie Pacesetter
    A quarterly magazine for Sheltie fanciers
  • Sheltie International
    Another quarterly magazine for Sheltie fanciers
  • Sheltie Talk
    Sheltie Talk is arguably the best book on the breed, but this link to the publisher has a number of other great Sheltie books

Sheltie Clubs
 

 

This site was last updated 03/19/08