Cosheltie Dog Breed

Coshelties come from two parent breeds that look alike, act alike and at one time were interbred significantly. There may not be a lot of specific information about this mixed breed, but it takes only a bit of research on the two parent breeds — of which there is a lot of well-documented info — to understand your Cosheltie.

PROS

• Alert
• Playful
• Responsive
• Very social
• Highly loyal
• Easy to train
• Good watchdog
• Willing to please
• Wonderful family pet
• Extremely intelligent
• Great with other dogs and pets
• May grow to be much larger than anticipated

CONS

• Tend to bark a lot
• Prone to hip issues
• Loves to chase things
• Suspicious around strangers
• Significant grooming required
• Separation and other anxieties
• Herding instincts may be very strong
• Not tolerant of warm climates or hot weather
• Needs a great amount of physical and mental stimulation
• Don't like rain, swimming or anything that makes their coat wet

The Cosheltie is a mixed breed that may be more like one or the other of her purebred parent breeds or perhaps even inherit a perfect mix of their traits. Because both parents are hard-working herding dogs, she will have much of the same desire to be extremely active, highly alert, and very loyal.

These dogs are very smart, and they learn easily and quickly. They will want a job and tasks to perform so they don't become bored. They can learn what is a threat and what is not, and they like to figure out things. Agility games and food puzzles are great for these dogs.

These dogs love to be close to their loved ones, so be prepared to snuggle! There is also the possibility that she may have "the gaze" for which Collies are known, or perhaps the desire to herd anything that moves (like children playing). They also tend to be reserved around strangers.

This is an extremely active hybrid dog, and they are not meant to lie around the house. They need long daily walks, several weekly visits to the dog park, and a lot of space to run as if they are training to herd sheep.

The Cosheltie is a new name to a mixed breed that was produced a very long time ago by herders in Scotland but became popular as a companion "designer dog" in the 1990s. The much smaller Sheltie looks a lot like a Collie, and mixing the two breeds will often make a much smaller dog that resembles a Collie. Some backyard breeders (BYBs) will term these hybrid dogs "Miniature Sheltie Collies," but there is no such thing; they are mixed breed dogs that are simply small.

Still, you should know that when a Sheltie and Collie are mated, the first litter will be F1 Coshelties, and they may inherit any combination of their parents' traits. If those F1 dogs are bred together, they make F2 puppies. If just one of those F1 dogs is bred back to a purebred parent — such as a Sheltie, to produce even smaller dogs — then that is called an F1b. Likewise, two F2 dogs will make F3 puppies, whereas one F2 bred back to an F1b produces a litter of F2b puppies.

There are also those breeders who use Rough Collies instead of the smooth-coated variety; both are variations of the Collie. If the rough-coated Collie is used, that hybrid variation is called a Rough Collie and Shetland Sheepdog mix, or a Rough Cosheltie.

Coshelties tend to be very healthy hybrid dogs, and their parents come from harsh environments where they are expected to work long days alone. Of course, no dog is free of health issues. You should understand that you have responsibilities to know your dog's health profile starting with meeting the parents (if possible), getting all the health papers available and regular vet visits.

The problems you should expect to possibly encounter are:

• Eye diseases
• Joint dysplasia
• Sensitivity to certain drugs
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

The average lifespan for a Cosheltie is 12-13 years.