SEMI-Sweet Shelties

05/12/2026

05/12/2026

it is with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to our dear suite Klover Ann born March 24, 2016 died April 17, 2026. our little pogo stick, so full of joy with plenty to say. from just a tiny little fluff ball who grew into such a beautiful girl. run free Havey's Klover Kai Lana where you can get into as much mischief as you possibly can without any consequences. "So you might as well jump!" we all love you so much Klover and you left such a big hole in our family!
https://youtu.be/SwYN7mTi6HM?si=vaxDFN4Uo5gKZzpG

12/03/2025

how well do you know a sheltie's heritage?
According to Grok: Ancestor / Influence
Contribution to the Sheltie
Approximate % (DNA studies)
Shetland Collie / “Toonie Dog”
Original small, rough-coated island herding dogs (now extinct)
35–45 %
Border Collie
Intelligence, herding instinct, work ethic
20–25 %
Icelandic Sheepdog
Thick double coat, curled tail, cold-weather tolerance
10–15 %
Scandinavian Spitz types (e.g., Norwegian Buhund, Pomeranian)
Early fluffier coat, fox-like face, small size
10–15 %
Rough Collie
Added size, longer muzzle, and the classic “Collie look” in the early 1900s (after the breed was already established)
10–15 %
King Charles Spaniel
Early 1900s cross for smaller size and sweeter expression (briefly used, later bred out)

10/10/2025

09/24/2025

We are using the fabulous Shetland Sheepdog to explain a term that occasionally shows up in the dog fancy, and it’s a phrase we’ve seen used two different ways.

The Shetland Sheepdog evolved from a mixture of small spitz-type dogs and early working Collies brought to the Shetland Islands to herd sheep. These dogs were later taken to England, where they were crossed with breeds such as the King Charles Spaniel and the Pomeranian, and possibly the now-extinct Greenland Yakki. Beginning in the early 1900s, additional crosses with Rough Collies were made to improve type and establish the breed’s modern appearance.

Because of the mixture of breeds and cross breedings way behind the Sheltie, undesirable traits like a rounded or broad skull, a deep and abrupt stop, a head or legs that are too short for the body – you get the idea – will sometimes show up. These are characteristics that point backwards towards the spaniel and spitz, and they aren’t welcomed in today’s Sheltie. “Too much Collie” isn’t welcomed either. The Sheltie is not a miniature Collie, but a dog that looks like one might be regarded as “overdone.” Either of these exaggerations, for lack of a better word, are referred to as being the “drag of the breed,” and it can be seen in other breeds, as well: A Pointer that has traces of houndiness reminiscent of the Foxhounds and Greyhounds in its family tree; a Chow Chow that looks more like a big Pomeranian (a “Pommie Chow”), herring gutted Great Danes, and others. Dogs that exhibit a ““return to from whence it came” syndrome as coined by writer, Arliss Paddock, are examples of being a “drag of its breed.”

We’ve also seen this term used to refer to dogs that show exaggerations, dogs that seemed to have been bred with the thinking that if a little of something is good, then a lot of it is even better. In a show ring, judges are challenged to reward the dog who is correct and not overdone, a dog that can contribute the most to his or her breed at that moment in time because ultimately (and contrary to what critics think), a dog show is a stock show in which animals are evaluated as breeding stock. This is why most dog show classes require entries to be intact.

Photo by Jerry Kavan/Unsplash

06/16/2025

02/08/2025

01/30/2025

I t is with a heavy heart that I post the passing of Havey's Cooper delight, Cooper Jayne, matriarch of semi sweet shelties our little Coop. DOB 7/12/2011 to 1/25/2025.
Mother to 12 mini coops. Stella, Sam, Tara, Maddie, Molly, Teufel, Arlo, Ajax, Bell, Claire, Stanly, and Kona.
Cooper had such a big personality and so much to say. You could even pick out certain phrases in her sass. from simple words like uh huh, don't know, and oh no, to bigger phrases like dad's home, good morning, and wanna go out. she will be greatly missed by all that knew her. Now go chase down all those frisbees like you once did in your youth. we love you Cooper!

03/15/2024

02/27/2024

these cuties are looking for homes. this breeder whelped our sweet Klover's mom. They are located in Missouri.