Taking Proper Care of Your Sheltie
by Clyde Taper
Taking proper care of your sheltie is crucial for maintaining their overall health. As a dog parent, you are responsible for providing them with a warm home, balanced diet and daily exercise so they can live a long and healthy life.
It may be a bit challenging if you are living with your Sheltie in an urban city like the Big Apple.
Fortunately, NYC is a dog-friendly city. It is not fair to leave your dog in your NY apartment running all over the place and driving your neighbors crazy. The city is best known for its many parks where you can take your pup and let them enjoy the city life like yourself.
So, in order to make city living easier, here are a few tips you can follow on how to take proper care of your Shetland Sheepdog while staying in the city of New York.
Find a local vet
Dogs don’t like being confined to a small place because they like running around and playing. If you don’t engage your Sheltie in physical activities, they may become obese and develop health issues in the future. Part of taking care of your sheltie is giving them exercise and a way to burn off energy.
Another way of always keeping track of your dog’s health is to find a local vet. Regular check ups consist of thorough health examinations and getting all vaccinations that are required to prevent the development of various diseases. NYC law states that all dogs must be vaccinated against rabies after they reach the age of four months.
To help keep your vet bills smaller find pet insurance in NY .
Train them well
Living with a Sheltie in an NY apartment isn’t like living in a house in the suburbs. Letting your dog run freely all over your place can make noise and may lead to having issues with your neighbors. You must train them well so they will get used to living in an urban environment.
One trick that comes in handy is to give them a specific “place” to go to. You can send them to their spot whenever they need a timeout or when you want to teach them how to be patient. This is especially useful in big cities where dogs get easily distracted by the surroundings.
Another thing you must be mindful of when living in a NY apartment with your Sheltie is their barking. There are various ways to combat separation anxiety.
Play mind games with them
When you have to leave your dog home alone you should provide them with things that will keep it occupied. Toys, chews, interactive toys, hide a treat toys, Dog TV, are just some of the things you may use.
For example, you can turn eating into a fun game. You can hide some treats around the apartment so they will have to hunt them and work to find their food.
Shelties are a very intelligent breed, so it is important to engage them in mentally stimulating activities to maintain their mental health. This will help curb unwanted behavior.
Another way to keep them occupied is to give them something to chew on for an extended period of time.
Take them on a stroll in NYC
Although Shelties don’t mind staying indoors, they still like an occasional stroll outside. So, instead of locking them inside your apartment, you can take your pup to some dog-friendly places in NYC to enjoy the outdoors. Taking proper care of your sheltie must include exercise.
If you are living in an apartment in Manhattan, then the best place where you can take your Sheltie for a walk is Central Park. The park has 23 dog-friendly areas where your pup can dig, sniff and run around freely.
Another popular place in New York is the Running Paws Athletic Club where your Sheltie can exercise and mingle with other dogs. Here you don’t have to worry about your furry friend being harassed by other dogs because the club has two dog runs for both energetic and timid dogs.
Taking Proper Care of Your Sheltie: Maintain their fur coat
Shelties have a long, thick coat which becomes matted if not properly cared for. In order to keep your puppy’s fur under control, you must groom them on a regular basis. If you want to avoid taking them to a professional dog groomer do the maintenance yourself by following a few steps.
Make sure you bathe your dog with a shampoo designed for dogs and brush them regularly. Secondly, don’t forget to clean and inspect your Sheltie’s ears.
No matter how often you take care of their grooming, shelties shed!
Final thoughts for taking proper care of your sheltie
Taking proper care of your Sheltie is important when you live in an urban environment. The best thing about shelties is that they can get well accustomed to living both indoors and outdoors. The key is to find various ways to keep them always entertained and properly taken care of.
Taking care of your sheltie has it’s rewards!
