Cosheltie (Collie & Shetland Sheepdog Mix) Info, Pictures, Traits

The Cosheltie is a spritely, small to medium-sized mixed breed dog that was born to herd other animals. A result of breeding the Collie and Shetland Shepherd together, the Cosheltie has beautiful thick fur, erect ears, and intense eyes that are always alert when action is happening. These loyal dogs are highly intelligent, which makes them easy to train and handle even as puppies.

These dogs love to play and get outside for daily exercise. They’ll fit in on a farm well, thanks to their working skills. They will also thrive in an active family household if they are exercised properly. They shed, but basic grooming will help keep hair from getting all over the floor at home.

Although this mixed breed is boisterous and playful, they do enjoy snuggling up on the couch with family members on a lazy afternoon. They will do fine when left at home alone if they have indestructible toys and another dog to keep them company. If you want to learn more about this amazing dog, you have come to the right place! We’ve put together a comprehensive Cosheltie guide for you below.

Sheltie Collie Puppies

There are all kinds of things to learn about the Cosheltie before deciding whether to adopt a puppy of your own. For starters, Cosheltie puppies tend to be quite expensive. When you find a Cosheltie puppy, you should have the puppy checked out by a veterinarian to ensure that they don’t have any preexisting health conditions that you will have to worry about for the rest of their life. Getting a clean bill of health before bringing the puppy home will set you up for success and help ensure a happy and healthy experience for you and the puppy. Finding a Cosheltie at a dog shelter might not be an easy task, but you can always ask and you might find a Collie mix that is similar to the Cosheltie.

These hard-working dogs tend to be energetic and agile. They need enough exercise and mental stimulation to avoid boredom. The Cosheltie is an excellent choice for families with enough space for their dogs to run around in.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Cosheltie

1. Coshelties have rough hair.

This crossbreed may be blessed with long, silky-looking hair, but the truth is that their hair is rough to the touch. This is because the coat helps protect these dogs from rain and other outdoor elements while they are working.

2. Coshelties have a playful side.

Like their parent breeds, this crossbreed is inherently a working dog. Therefore, they seem to be focused and serious most of the time. However, they have a playful side that tends to show itself when kids or other dogs are around.

3. Coshelties are good watchdogs.

Although they are well known for being excellent herders, they like to protect their family members. They’ll let you know whenever someone drives or walks up to your home, and they’ll bark to keep intruders away when you aren’t home.

Cosheltie Temperament & Intelligence 🧠

The Cosheltie is a magnificent breed with outstanding herding skills, but those skills can get them in trouble when they try to herd other dogs, cats, and animals that they meet as time goes on. This is why they’re such good family dogs. Obedience training will help keep them from pursuing their herding instincts, and luckily, these dogs are intelligent enough to pick up training quickly.

These dogs are generally active, so they need daily walks and activities to remain content and well-behaved when spending time indoors. They get goofy when the mood is light in the atmosphere, but their keen perception allows them to quickly adapt to dangerous situations when the need arises.

They always seem to know what’s going, when they should keep their distance, and when they are welcome to be an active part of the family dynamic. Overall, these are good-hearted dogs with joyful personalities, serious work ethics, and loyalty to their family members.

Are Coshelties Good for Families? 🏡

These designer breed dogs are great with families! They enjoy spending time with kids, which is when they are their goofiest. They’ll also protect the kids in their family as if they were their own children. Their excitement can cause accidental injuries to young children and small animals when they aren’t supervised. However, they are rarely aggressive to children or adults, making them safe to bring around people of any age. All in all, these are dogs that can get along in an environment with singles, farmers, hunters, and families alike.

Do Coshelties Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽

Even with their herding instincts in place, the Cosheltie is great with other pets. They’ll be happy to spend cordial time with pals at the dog park. They’ll also greet strange dogs introduced to them as time goes on. They should be socialized while still puppies, meaning that they should be introduced to other dogs regularly. This will help ensure that they don’t become too scared or threatened by other dogs as they live through their adult years. They could also get along with cats if introduced early in age and they are raised in the same household.

• See also: Sheltie vs. Collie: What’s the Difference? (with Pictures)

Things to Know When Owning a Cosheltie

There is still more to learn as a prospective Cosheltie parent, including the food they should eat, their training capabilities, and their exercise habits.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

As with all dogs, this crossbreed should be fed a high-quality commercial food that meets federal and AAFCO standards. Real meat comprised of beef, chicken, turkey, boar, buffalo, or pork should be the first ingredient on the list. Whole fruits and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins, squash, brown rice, and quinoa, should also be on the ingredients list.

What should not be included in this mixed breed dog’s food is animal by-products (they aren’t a whole form of meat: They are typically derived of things like bones and tendons) and artificial and/or synthetic flavors and colors (they don’t provide any nutritional value and could be bad for your pooch).

Exercise 🐕

These dogs are fairly active and should take long walks once a day. They should also have the opportunity to run and play outside for at least 30 minutes a day to make sure that they are satisfied and well-behaved when they spend time indoors. But even when inside the house, these dogs should have access to playtime with kids, other animals, or indestructible toys to ensure that they don’t become bored and destructive.

Training 🦮

Obedience training is an important part of raising a Cosheltie puppy. These dogs are extremely intelligent, though, so training should be a breeze even for those with no previous dog ownership or training experience. Obedience training can start for the Cosheltie when they are as young as 7 or 8 weeks of age, like most puppies.

They should know how to come, sit, and stay by the time that they are 2 or 3 months old. They learn extraordinarily quickly, which makes them perfect candidates for advanced obedience and trick training. They can also do well with agility training because of their athletic builds, and they can excel at watchdog training due to their alertness.

See also: Best Dog Clickers for Training

Grooming ✂️

When it comes to grooming, the Cosheltie should be brushed daily to prevent tangles and mats from building up. Daily brushing will also minimize the amount of shed hair around your house. They may need to be bathed once in a while after extensive outdoor activity. Their ears should be wiped clean regularly to prevent the onset of infections. Their nails will probably stay trimmed due to their outdoor activity needs, but they should be inspected once a month or so for cracks and chips that need to be taken care of.

Health and Conditions ❤️

Although the Cosheltie tends to be a healthy dog throughout their life, there are a few health conditions they are susceptible to that you should be aware of.

Male vs. Female

Both male and female Coshelties are independent, intelligent, and eager to please. Both genders are great herders and good with families. Differences owners do find are that females are harder to potty train than males. Also, males seem to bark more often than females.

Final Thoughts: Collie Sheltie

We know that you would love having a Cosheltie as a part of your family! They are intelligent, loyal, agile, kid-loving, and patient. They’re easy to train and handle. They also love to please their pack leaders. What more can a family ask for in a dog? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Related Reads:

• Shinese (Pekingese & Shih-Tzu Mix)
• Saint Berxer (Saint Bernard & Boxer Mix)
• Pit Heeler (American Pitbull Terrier & Blue Heeler Mix)

Featured image credit: OlgaOvcharenko, Shutterstock