Shetland Sheepdog is also known as sheltie, is an active, energetic, strong, playful dog breed. So, most sheltie lovers are curious to know when the shelties calm down. So, it’s time to dive right in.
Here is the short answer for when do Shelties calm down.
Shelties usually calm down as they mature. Most of them take about 3-4 years, while others remain hyper even after 4 years. Adequate exercises, proper socialization, basic obedience training, mental stimulation, positive reinforcement, & sticking to a daily routine are solutions to keep them calm.
If you can continuously meet your sheltie’s needs and wants, it is easy to keep them calm throughout the day. But, taking the right approaches is crucial in order to prevent some unexpected issues.
When do the shelties really calm down?
Shelties were originally bred for herding purposes. So, they are energetic, alert, and always looking for something to do with their time.
I have a little experience with shelties for many years. As my experience goes, keeping most of the shelties calm is a bit of a difficult task. But, there are few of them instinctively calm.
So, they also can be termed as a kind of hyper breed. So, you gotta do loads of things just to keep your sheltie calm and peaceful unless you don’t know exact tactics. But, don’t worry. We gonna discuss them.
Usually, shelties may lose some of their energy as they mature. That means we can expect some sort of calmness after 4-5 years.
As I mentioned earlier, shelties should meet their daily needs and wants in order to keep them calm throughout the day like any other dog.
So, one of the essential things they require is adequate exercise. (Which we gonna discuss further.) But, Giving them what they should be done with a good understanding.
Because shelties prone to several health issues like,
- Dermatomyositis.
- Patellar luxation.
- Hypothyroidism.
- Legg-Perthes.
- Allergies.
- Canine hip dysplasia.
- Collie eye anomaly.
- Progressive retinal atrophy.
- Trichiasis, cataract.
- Hemophilia.
In fact, If you are a first-time dog owner, keeping your sheltie calm can be a challenging task. Because You have no good idea how to care for a dog. So, I highly suggest you read “Are shelties good for first-time dog owners?“
How to calm Shelties down?
So, it’s time to figure out how to calm your sheltie down. But, bear in mind that it’s essential to take the right approaches in order to prevent unexpected problems and behavioral issues.
What I mean here by behavioral issues are:
- Barking
- Digging
- Chewing shoes, furniture, and other belongings.
- Inappropriate Elimination
- Chasing
- Begging
- Some shelties tend to jump on people.
- Separation anxiety
- Aggression
- Biting
But, these dogs are highly trainable. Wanna know what a well-trained, calm sheltie looks like? A well-trained sheltie even can make good off-leash. Interesting, isn’t it?
So, here are some most proven ways to calm your sheltie down.
- Basic obedience training.
- Proper socialization.
- Adequate exercises.
- Stick with a daily routine.
- Provide mental stimulation.
- Proper nutrition plan.
- Spend some quality time with your sheltie.
- Regular veterinary checkups.
Basic obedience training.
Usually, canines are kind of highly intelligent creatures. So, they can be trained to do loads of things. But, proper basic obedience training is really matters in order to keep your sheltie calm.
In fact, here are some other advantages you and your dog will receive by having proper basic obedience training.
- It can strengthen the bond between both of you.
- It will be much easy to manage.
- It will help their safety.
- To give a good mental stimulation.
- The ability to learn new things, discover the world will make it much easier for them.
- It paves the way for a social, friendly life.
Proper socialization will help to calm your sheltie down.
Socialization is one of the basic needs of every dog. In fact, if you can socialize your sheltie at an early age, it would be the best time investment you can possibly make for your dog’s safety and better future.
In fact, socialization will help your dog to understand the outside world, sounds, creatures, new things, and so many things.
Further, it would help reduce possible misunderstandings and confusion that can often happen during training sessions.
Here are several other benefits of socializing your sheltie,
- Less aggression toward people and other creatures.
- Reduce the risk of running away.
- Less fear and anxiety.
- A socialized dog means more exercise and playtime.
- Easy to groom.
- Build confidence.
- Mental stimulation
- Good relations with neighbors.
Adequate exercises.
We have discussed earlier that shelties are kind of a high-energy dog breed. So, they need adequate exercise daily in order to keep them calm and peaceful.
In fact, shelties need at least 30-60 minutes on a regular basis. Here are several ways to provide exercise to your sheltie.
- Playing fetch with your sheltie
- Backyard agility
- Have a walk with your dog
- Stair exercise
- Herding balls
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Running
- Jogging.
That’s not all. Providing adequate daily exercises will give loads of benefits. Here are some of them.
- Reduce unwanted barking
- Health improvement.
- Mental stimulation.
- It can improve the bond between both of you.
Sticking with a daily routine will help to calm your sheltie down.
This is one of the main methods that can be used to keep your sheltie calm. Believe me, this is huge! Have you ever thought that pretty much every dog has a very accurate internal clock?
What does it mean? Suppose you used to give your dog’s breakfast meal at 7 in the morning. Suppose you accidentally forget to feed around 7 A.M. In that case, you will notice that your dog starts to follow you, howling, barking, or any other signal that will indicate they are hungry.
So, don’t forget to stick with a daily routine with your dog.
Provide mental stimulation.
Lack of mental stimulation is also one of the main reasons why some shelties stay hyper most of the time. You can use the following ways to mentally stimulate your dog.
- Play calm music when you are away from home.
- Provide daily adequate
- Give Raw bones
- Give Puzzle toys
- Play with him.
- Cuddle him.
Proper nutrition plan.
Lack of nutrition would lead to loads of mental and physical health problems. In fact, lack of nutrition would increase their destructive behavior.
It seems like this factor is doesn’t directly affect your sheltie’s hyper behavior. But, this is something you really need to be aware of.
Important: Don’t try to make your own nutrition plan. Always get necessary instruction from your Vet. That means, there are so many factors that need to be considered before creating a good meal plan for your dog.
Spend some quality time with your sheltie to calm him down.
We know that shelties are affectionate, loyal, and reserved dog breeds. They often seek your attention. You might be a kind of busy person. But, you have to figure out ways to spend some quality time with your sheltie.
Here are several ways that will help you to do that.
- Walking
- Car ride
- Exercising
- Visiting dog park or shopping mall
- Cuddling your sheltie
- Participating in pet events
Regular veterinary checkups.
Even though it seems obvious, but it is necessary to make sure that your sheltie is completely healthy.
Why do some shelties stay hyper?
As we discussed earlier, some shelties tend to remain hyper even after 4-5 years. That’s a really annoying feeling for most of the owners.
You know what? Every dog has its own personality, even within the same breed. Suppose your sheltie is a little bit hyper compared to other shelties. In that case, chances are his energy level, exercise need can be a little bit high.
So, here are several reasons why some shelties stay hyper.
- Lack of obedience training
- Due to separation anxiety
- Lack of exercise.
1. Lack of obedience training
As we discussed earlier, shelties need proper basic obedience training from an early stage in order to keep them calm. So, don’t miss this training. Believe me, it’s so worth it.
2. Due to anxiety
Anxiety is one of the common causes why some shelties remain hyper even their Maturity stage in their life. There are several reasons why most dogs suffer from anxiety.
- Separation Anxiety
- Medical Issues
- Abandonment
- Being around strange people, other pets, or children.
- Fear of being home alone
- Temperature
- Traveling
- Loud noises.
3. Lack of exercise.
As we discussed earlier, this is one of the main reasons why some shelties stay hyper. So, make an appropriate exercise schedule is essential to keep your sheltie calm.
Create a calming environment for your sheltie
You have to have a better awareness of your dog’s needs and wants in order to create a proper calming environment for your dog.
That means you should understand your canine buddy’s likes and dislikes, personality, temperament. If so, you can easily create a much enjoyable, calming environment for your sheltie.
Here are some of the things you should consider when creating the most suitable environment for your dog.
- Ensure the protection from hazards.
- Clean and safe environment.
- Change the bedding regularly.
- Avoid high-frequency notices.
- The living area must be large enough.
- Easy access to
- food
- potty place.
- clean water
- sleep area
- Turn on calm music when you are away from home.
Things to be aware of
It seems like now you have a good understanding of how to calm your sheltie down. But that’s not sufficient. There are several things you need to really be aware of. So, let’s figure out what they are.
Never yell at your sheltie.
It doesn’t matter what the situation is. Even though these dogs are somewhat intelligent, they are still canines. That means their intelligence cannot equal your intelligence. So, you gotta have a good understanding of the situation.
I mean, you have to be completely patient during training sessions. The training should be done step by step and don’t mind if you have to do the training repeatedly. That’s how it looks like.
Bring another companion
If your schedule is kind of “Busy,” then you don’t have much time to spend with your sheltie. That could lead to developing some psychological issues. So, bringing another companion would help him stay active throughout the day and help calm your sheltie down.
Make a fence
If your sheltie is kind of hyper dog right now, you have to do things, as we discussed throughout this article. To do that, you must have a good backyard. So, you can have good playtime with your dog.
But, in this situation, you cannot keep the trust in your dog. He can run away from you at any time. So, making a good fence would be essential for your dog’s safety.
Conclusion
Most people love these lovely, affectionate furry friends. Since Shetland sheepdog, also known as sheltie, is a relatively high energetic, active dog breed, people are curious to know when the shelties calm down. So, this entire article is wholly dedicated, for that matter and other associated matters. Hope you found this helps. Have a nice day!