Cassie the Shetland Sheepdog

I have been battling some medical issues lately, so these first few dogs will be ones that are or were close to home.  And the 1st will be the closest of all: my own dog, Cassie.

Cassie was a Shetland Sheepdog aka: Sheltie. This was years ago and our family made SO many mistakes. I would do almost everything different if I had Cassie today.  I would try a bark correcting machine, hire a professional behaviorist, anything other than "debarking" (I am of the opinion that ventriculocordectomy is a cruel practice and should ONLY be preformed under MEDICAL necessity.) which was what my family vet did.

The other HUG issue was that Cassie self-mutilated. She would chew her own legs and lick and lick till she bled, till you could see muscles and even a bit of bone. We tried so many things to stop her. E-collars, Prozac, and these ridiculous pants.  If she were alive today (well, she'd be around 17 now, but yeah) I would ABSOLUTELY get her a ThunderShirt for her freak outs over storms, fireworks, construction, etc. I would have got her involved in Agility Training to give her a "job"... she was so smart and great at Frisbee. She would have been amazing.  And maybe she wouldn't have started the SMing that eventually killed her.

Shetland Sheepdogs are typically very intelligent dogs and do best when they have a job to do... even if it is a made up one. Cassie firmly believed it was her job to guard the house from thunder and wind, not to mention mailmen, garbage trucks, basically if it moved and it wasn't our family, she was responsible for our safety. She was neurotic and shy, which is not terribly unusual for a Sheltie. The AKC words this as "Shelties love their families, but may be reserved at first with strangers. As a herding dog, they can be inclined to bark at and herd people." True! But Shetland Sheepdogs who DON'T have "enough to do" can easily turn into problem dogs. (Or, as I think of it, dogs who have problem owners.) So if you go with a Sheltie, keep them busy! They are highly trainable and love to please.


Shelties are very protective. Think Lassie, in miniature. (Lassie was a Collie. Shetland Sheepdogs are sometimes called Miniature Collies, but they are really their own distinct breed.) In terms of appearance, they can be Black, Blue Merle or various combinations of Black, White, Sable, and Tan, the last type being what Cassie... AND Lassie were. Ears that fold over are "breed standard"... Cassie didn't live up to that, and her coat was rather silky instead of their "preferred" rough... but she was MINE and I still think she was a truly GORGEOUS dog and my best friend for 9 years.

Dog-Breed-Facts.com sums up this lovely little firecracker like this:

The Sheltie is extremely intelligent, agile, sweet tempered, gentle, obedient, loyal and somewhat sensitive. Shelties are playful, charming and easy to train. Most Shelties make great companions and family dogs and get along well with considerate children. Some Shetlands are too nervous, shy and high strung and must be thoroughly socialized while puppies and trained to control excessive barking. However these types of Shelties can be unreliable around young children because the children are too noisy and rambunctious.  Shelties love to please their owners and like the higher level training required for advanced obedience, agility and other competitions. Shelties respond best to reward-based training and will respond to verbal commands.The breed is somewhat leery of strangers and makes good watch dogs. Most Shelties do fine with novice or first-time owners.

So, there you go, Dog Watchers. The Shetland Sheepdog and the beginning of this slightly addle-brained blog! -DW

The List

For my List I have chosen to use the American Kennel Club. What I call "The List" is actually 4 lists right now.

1. Complete List of AKC Recognized Breeds
2. Miscellaneous Class Breeds (intended as an interim stage prior to a breed becoming eligible to compete in a variety group at AKC shows.)
3. Foundation Stock Service® Breeds (FSS® was created by the American Kennel Club to answer the needs of today’s rare breed fanciers. The Foundation Stock Service is an optional record keeping service for all purebred breeds not currently registrable with the American Kennel Club.)
4. Mutts Rock (my off-list list of mixes of mention. NO CUTESY NAMES ALLOWED!)

For lists 1, 2, and 3 when spotted, breed will have a link to the post with, hopefully, the photo. Mutts Rock will be blank until spotted (because there are just TOO many combinations possible to list them all!)

AKC Recognized Breeds

• Affenpinscher
• Afghan Hound
• Airedale Terrier
• Akita
• Alaskan Malamute
• American English Coonhound
• American Eskimo Dog
• American Foxhound
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• American Water Spaniel
• Anatolian Shepherd Dog
• Australian Cattle Dog
• Australian Shepherd
• Australian Terrier
• Basenji
• Basset Hound
• Beagle
• Bearded Collie
• Beauceron
• Bedlington Terrier
• Belgian Malinois
• Belgian Sheepdog
• Belgian Tervuren
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Bichon Frise
• Black and Tan Coonhound
• Black Russian Terrier
• Bloodhound
• Bluetick Coonhound
• Border Collie
• Border Terrier
• Borzoi
• Boston Terrier
• Bouvier des Flandres
• Boxer
• Boykin Spaniel
• Briard
• Brittany
• Brussels Griffon
• Bull Terrier
• Bulldog
• Bullmastiff
• Cairn Terrier
• Canaan Dog
• Cane Corso
• Cardigan Welsh Corgi
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• Cesky Terrier
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• Chihuahua
• Chinese Crested
• Chinese Shar-Pei
• Chow Chow
• Clumber Spaniel
• Cocker Spaniel
• Collie
• Curly-Coated Retriever
• Dachshund
• Dalmatian
• Dandie Dinmont Terrier
• Doberman Pinscher
• Dogue de Bordeaux
• English Cocker Spaniel
• English Foxhound
• English Setter
• English Springer Spaniel
• English Toy Spaniel
• Entlebucher Mountain Dog
• Field Spaniel
• Finnish Lapphund
• Finnish Spitz
• Flat-Coated Retriever
• French Bulldog
• German Pinscher
• German Shepherd Dog
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• German Wirehaired Pointer
• Giant Schnauzer
• Glen of Imaal Terrier
• Golden Retriever
• Gordon Setter
• Great Dane
• Great Pyrenees
• Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
• Greyhound
• Harrier
• Havanese
• Ibizan Hound
• Icelandic Sheepdog
• Irish Red and White Setter
• Irish Setter
• Irish Terrier
• Irish Water Spaniel
• Irish Wolfhound
• Italian Greyhound
• Japanese Chin
• Keeshond
• Kerry Blue Terrier
• Komondor
• Kuvasz
• Labrador Retriever
• Lakeland Terrier
• Leonberger
• Lhasa Apso
• Löwchen
• Maltese
• Manchester Terrier
• Mastiff
• Miniature Bull Terrier
• Miniature Pinscher
• Miniature Schnauzer
• Neapolitan Mastiff
• Newfoundland
• Norfolk Terrier
• Norwegian Buhund
• Norwegian Elkhound
• Norwegian Lundehund
• Norwich Terrier
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
• Old English Sheepdog
• Otterhound
• Papillon
• Parson Russell Terrier
• Pekingese
• Pembroke Welsh Corgi
• Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
• Pharaoh Hound
• Plott
• Pointer
• Polish Lowland Sheepdog
• Pomeranian
• Poodle
• Portuguese Water Dog
• Pug
• Puli
• Pyrenean Shepherd
• Redbone Coonhound
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Rottweiler
• Russell Terrier
• Saint Bernard
• Saluki
• Samoyed
• Schipperke
• Scottish Deerhound
• Scottish Terrier
• Sealyham Terrier
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Shiba Inu
• Shih Tzu
• Siberian Husky
• Silky Terrier
• Skye Terrier
• Smooth Fox Terrier
• Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
• Spinone Italiano
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Standard Schnauzer
• Sussex Spaniel
• Swedish Vallhund
• Tibetan Mastiff
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Tibetan Terrier
• Toy Fox Terrier
• Treeing Walker Coonhound
• Vizsla
• Weimaraner
• Welsh Springer Spaniel
• Welsh Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier
• Whippet
• Wire Fox Terrier
• Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
• Xoloitzcuintli
• Yorkshire Terrier

Miscellaneous Class Breeds

• Azawakh
• Belgian Laekenois
• Bergamasco
• Boerboel
• Chinook
• Cirneco dell'Etna
• Coton de Tulear
• Dogo Argentino
• Miniature American Shepherd
• Peruvian Inca Orchid
• Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
• Pumi
• Rat Terrier
• Sloughi
• Spanish Water Dog
• Wirehaired Vizsla

Foundation Stock Service® Breeds

• American Hairless Terrier
• Appenzeller Sennenhunde
• Barbet
• Berger Picard
• Bolognese
• Bracco Italiano
• Braque du Bourbonnais
• Catahoula Leopard Dog
• Caucasian Ovcharka
• Central Asian Shepherd Dog
• Czechoslovakian Vlcak
• Danish-Swedish Farmdog
• Deutscher Wachtelhund
• Drentsche Patrijshond
• Dutch Shepherd
• Estrela Mountain Dog
• Eurasier
• French Spaniel
• German Longhaired Pointer
• German Spitz
• Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen
• Hamiltonstövare
• Hovawart
• Jindo
• Kai Ken
• Karelian Bear Dog
• Kishu Ken
• Kooikerhondje
• Lagotto Romagnolo
• Lancashire Heeler
• Mudi
• Norrbottenspets
• Perro de Presa Canario
• Portuguese Podengo
• Portuguese Pointer
• Rafeiro do Alentejo
• Russian Toy
• Schapendoes
• Slovensky Cuvac
• Small Munsterlander Pointer
• Spanish Mastiff
• Stabyhoun
• Swedish Lapphund
• Thai Ridgeback
• Tornjak
• Tosa
• Treeing Tennessee Brindle

Mutts Rock

The Rules

NOTE: These rules are (somewhat loosely) based on the "American Birding Association Code of Ethics" (because birdwatching, or "Birding" as the pros call it, has been doing this a lot longer than I have been looking at dogs.), my own feelings about responsible pet care... and a little I gleaned from watching that bird movie, The Big Year and read in a book about a boy in the city who wanted to be a bird watcher but only saw pigeons. I don't remember the name.

1. Only seeing the dog in person counts. No sightings are made by watching the Westminster Dog Show (but still totally watch it to hone your skills!)... unless you are there in PERSON. Then, of course, GO FOR IT.
2. Even if you can identify the dog by sight, if at all possible, confirm the breed with the owner. It may just be a mix with a really dominant breed to it. (Mixes are AWESOME dogs. They can still be counted, but only on the "off-list" list. Those are just the rules.)  [As an added benefit having to ask people about their dog will force me to not be so shy!] 
3. When there is a discrepancy (Owner says Fluffy is a purebred toy poodle, but she's 100 lbs and looks like a chow), go with your best info. An experienced Dog Watcher will probably know more about a dog than many owners. On the other hand, you are not infallible.
4. A photograph is not needed to count, but PREFERRED! Even a crappy cell phone shot is better than nothing.
5. Promote the welfare of dogs and responsible pet keeping! Spread the word about homeless dogs, foster when possible, stay informed so you can educate!
6. Never put a dog in danger by calling it away from it's human to get a better look or a better picture. Keep yourself and the dog safe by never approaching a dog without permission from the dog's owner. Learn to read the body language of dogs and act accordingly.
7. Respect the law, and the rights of others. Do not enter private property without the owner's explicit permission. Follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing use of roads and public areas, both at home and abroad. Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. In other words, *ahem* Wheaton's Law.
8. If you are ever a witness to ANY kind of animal cruelty, REPORT IT. This includes animals left in hot cars, pet stores selling underage puppies, etc.

Next up is THE LIST.

What the Heck is Dog Watching?

I was traveling through Zion National Park in Utah with my family. It was beautiful, and we had just seen a very pretty yellow bird, when my mom and I were talking about bird watching. I told her that it was a hobby that I thought I should take up, I like animals and science and we had recently seen “The Big Year” about bird watchers who have life lists of birds they want to see and travel all over trying to see them. I told her how I would kind of like to be one of those crazy people who goes “OH MY GOSH! IT’S A YELLOW CRESTED FLUBERSNATCH!!! AT LAST!”  She reminded me “You DO do that. With dogs.”

She was right,. See, my life already revolves around animals. I work at Thanksgiving Point, often teaching children about either the animals at the farm there, or the extinct animals at their museum. I write an Exotic Pets Column for the Salt Lake Examiner (*shameless plug* SUBSCRIBE! It’s FREE! Also read it.) I  run a small business called Critters 2 Go where I do educational birthday parties and classes with my exotic pets. And, of course, those pets that are part of Critters? They are my FurrKids (and ShellBabies and ScaleBablies, etc.). My full on BABIES whom I love and treasure!  And while not one of those animals is a dog, oh boy am I a dog WATCHER.

For one thing, I wasn’t always dogless. My sweet sheltie Cassie was a ginormous part of my life for 9 years and took with her a huge chunk of my heart when she passed. My former roommate situation included 1 human, 2 dogs—Shasta and Trinket. I didn’t own them… my roomie did, but I still LOVED those dogs. And I have FOSTERED many many dogs in course of my rescue work (even though I only OFFICALLY rescue/rehab small exotics… sometimes I have to make an exception.). So I am familiar with dogs. But that is not the clincher in my Dog Watching habit.

Awhile ago I decided what I wanted to do most in my life was to be a Vet Tech. I love my job(s) but this seemed more like a career and I wanted a change.  Long long story short, I did very well, was on the Dean’s List, then got injured badly to the point that my doctors told me this was not a safe career path for me. I cried a lot, but I am now over it (most days). But anyway, it one of my 1st very basic classes one of our assignments involved making flashcards of almost every dog breed recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club).  Then we had to memorize them so that when we were shown a picture (a different picture, by the way, a different DOG… just the same BREED) of that beed we would be able to write down, like, “14. Clumber Spaniel.”  We had big tests on this breed identification.

I’ll be honest. I am not sure HOW being able to say “Yup, this patient is a Portuguese water dog!” is going to make you better at the medical stuff (except in a few cases where a breed is prone to something, but even then, I think that is usually tied to a physically observable trait like a brachycephalic face (flat, like Pugs and Pekingese  ), but whatever.), but it was ENTERTAINING and made me start watching dogs like a birdwatcher. “Look! In the park! A Shib Inu!”

So when My mom said “You DO do that. With dogs.” it got me thinking, maybe I should do it more officially.  Make a Life List.  TRY to get a photo.  I go to events all the time to help out anyways; Adopt-a-Thons, Strut Your Mutt, etc. Perfect places to spot breeds.  Then I said “I could totally write a blog on this!”  Her response was “Yeah, I don’t really think anybody cares about what DOG YOU SAW.”

She’s probably right again.  But if with every dog I give some info about their breed for those interest in them, answered pet questions, told about events, and highlighted dogs for adoption… maybe let’s prove her wrong?

Now. On to THE RULES OF DOG WATCHING!