Pet of Month: Amber is a unique Sheltie

Amber was bred from two different colors of Shelties and has one blue eye.

Amber was bred from two different colors of Shelties and has one blue eye.

Don and Pat Kryzak

Amber is a very unique Sheltie both for her personality and her coloring. She was bred with two different colors of Shelties. One had a Sable and White coat and the other a Blue Merle, giving her long fine coat a very unique combination of colors and a large white collar. She also has one blue eye. This combination of colors does not make her a show quality, but still a very unique pet. In fact, when we take her on her early morning walk around Robson Circle, many people have commented that she is the prettiest dog in PebbleCreek. We happen to agree.

Many of her personality traits are typical for a Sheltie, but still unique. She prances when she walks and has the herding instincts typical for a Sheltie. This means that when we are on our patio she runs in circles around our table and chairs continuously. She is also very protective of her home. When she sees someone walking down the street, she barks at them. And if someone walks up to our house, she jumps on the blinds next to the front door to the point that I have had to do several repairs to the blinds. Both the UPS and FedEx people are reluctant to make a delivery to us. Most dogs of any breed are afraid of loud noises, (i.e. thunder, fireworks, etc.). Amber could not care less about loud noises. We are very lucky in this sense, as some of our friends’ dogs struggle with loud noises. This makes celebrations like New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July difficult for them to enjoy due to the fireworks. They told us that they have found a CBD product that really helps to calm their dog, so hopefully they can manage their anxiety surrounding loud noises. You can check them out at https://cbddoghealth.com/cbd-products/cbd-for-dogs/calm-cbd-oil-for-dogs/calm-cbd-oil-for-dogs/ if your dog suffers from anxiety too.

When we get ready for a walk and get her leash she knows it and is anxious to go and may start whining until we put her collar on. But it is always an ordeal for us to get her to sit to put on the leash.

On her morning walk, when another person (with or without a dog) is about 100 feet away from us, Amber knows whether or not she likes them. Usually she does not like other people or dogs. She is not vicious. She just pulls on the leash as far away from them as possible. Then when we pass them she continues to walk normally with us.

Most dogs pant as they get tired. Amber pants with every step she takes. Most dogs like ice cubes and when they get one, they chew it then swallow it. Not Amber, she will swallow a whole ice cube. In fact, after dinner she expects several ice cubes for dessert.

Amber is our third Sheltie and each of them had their own distinct personality and we loved all of them.