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Health Survey Shetland Sheepdog, Years 2002, 2003 and 2004 by The Dutch Sheltie Association (Nederlandse Sheltie Vereniging)

In 1995 the Dutch Sheltie Club (N.S.V.) decided to have a health survey. All owners of Shelties born in 1991, members and non-members of the club, got a questionnaire about the health of their Shelties. Next to health issues also questions were asked about temperament, the breed club and the breeder of the dog. About 400 forms were sent and 223 forms were returned. This is more than 50% of the forms. The survey representative for the breed in that year. No serious health problems and no major temperament problems were found in the breed. CEA and cryptorchidism were the only issues mentioned in substantial numbers. After this the breed club decided to monitor the health of the breed by publishing a questionnaire in the club magazine every year. The breed club collected since 1998 over a 1100 of these forms. No major problems in the breed were found. The question is: ‘are these figures representative for the breed?’

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