Are Shelties Good With Kids?

The Shetland Sheep Dog, or Sheltie, is related to, and resembles a smaller version of, the Collie. A relative of Border Collies, old sheep herding dogs in Scotland, the Sheltie has hunting traits and is alert to smells and sounds and highly trainable. While Shelties are also extremely loyal to their owners, there are some cases in which they are unpredictable with children.

  1. Interaction with Children

    • Shelties are loyal to a fault and once they are part of a family they are very protective. While this is a good trait to have in a family dog, it is important to know that Shelties do not interact well with toddlers or small children. These dogs are noise and movement sensitive, due to their herding nature, and children's loud noises and sudden movement disturbs them. If you wish to purchase a Sheltie as a family dog, it is wise to wait until your children are far out of toddler stage.

    Good Traits

    • Due to their innate ability to protect their surroundings, Shelties are devoted to their owners. Their desire to protect a house makes them a great family dog. If brought into a family when the children are no longer very young (about 7 years old), the Sheltie will excel at being the ideal family pet. Though weary of strangers at first, the Sheltie is very obedient and easily trained. They are also not an aggressive breed of dog, in most situations.

    Bad Traits

    • Shelties are barkers. Because of their herding nature, they are quick to bark at any and everything, especially loud noises and rapid movement, unless trained otherwise. They are herders by nature and wish to round up anything from children to small animals found in the yard. Owners of Shelties should be advised to own a fence, as the dog may roam.

    Things to Remember

    • While Shelties are ancestors of sheep herding dogs, they don't live well in the outdoors. They thrive on a farm but need an indoor spot to call home and to rest. Shelties do not react well to small children and can snap at them or act reserved. This isn't a so-called "bad trait," it is just part of the temperament of a herding dog.