Shelties are among the top performance dogs, especially in agility and herding.
When the topic of agility comes up, many automatically think of Border Collies (and they are indeed talented). But it turns out that Shelties are right up there with them as premier performers (they just typically compete in different height classes).
Watch the AKC National Agility Championship on TV and you will see Shelties performing at the highest levels. You may find that your own Sheltie is a natural for agility! It’s a great sport that you can participate in as a partner to your dog. Agility events are quite different from conformation events, but every bit as interesting and rewarding. Find an agility trial in your area to check out – the people you’ll meet are great and the atmosphere is always welcoming and positive.
In herding trials Shelties are superb performers. But don’t forget about rally, flyball, or even competitive obedience, which are other performance activities Shelties excel in. You may find one of these to be a great match in partnership with your Sheltie.
The Sheltie’s versatility speaks to the great intelligence, instincts, physical structure, and trainability common to the breed.
Not every Sheltie that participates in performance events does so competitively. Even if you aren’t interested in being the next national champion, you’ll find that simply training for performance activities will greatly strengthen the bond with your dog.
No matter the activities you do, whether it is competitive performance or simply taking a daily walk, training is an important aspect of the relationship with your Sheltie. Simply having a well-trained dog with a good recall has been known to save it from injury or worse.
There are many excellent training centers in the Austin area, of which some are listed in the below links. Some training programs specialize in certain performance areas, such as agility, and others more general obedience.
The links below will provide information on the major performance and training options for your Sheltie, as well as Austin area facilities where you can pursue performance or simply get help with teaching your Sheltie to sit or develop a strong recall.