Puppy eyes

Question
I  have the choice of two shetland sheepdog pups.  They are both from a
reputable breeder/judge - 40 years in the trade.  One pup has had eyes - is it
called docked.  The other has not.  What will happen, if I choose the dog
without the procedure?

Answer
I no of no surgery called this for any dog. Docking is done on the tails of dogs. Shetland sheepdogs are prone to two types of eye problems, but neither one require surgery or I should say surgery won't help.

One is Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), which is characterized by degeneration of cells of the retina leading to eventual loss of sight.

They are also prone to Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), a syndrome that involves retinal degeneration, cataracts, and/or retinal detachment. CEA can be detected in young puppies by a veterinary opthamologist, and although it cannot be cured, it does not generally progress.

The double blue merle version of the Sheltie (when two merles are bred together) has a higher incidence of deafness, blindness and retardation than the other coat colors.

So you need to find out exactly what was done to these dogs before you decide.

here is a list of other problems they can have:

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
       As the name states Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a progressively degenerative eye disorder. It is hereditary in nature and detectable through screening.  Both parents should be registered with the CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation).  For more information regarding this condition please see: Medical/Progressive Retinal Degeneration.
Collie Eye Anomoly (CEA)
       Shetland sheepdogs being "evolutionary cousins" to Collies are prone to CEA (sometimes referred to as Sheltie Eye Syndrome SES).  This eye disorder results in the dog having "blind spots".  This conditional is not a life threatening disorder and the animals are capable of having normal, full lives.  It is only through screening and selective breeding that this problem will be eliminated.  For more information regarding this condition please see: Medical/Collie Eye Anomoly.
Corneal Dystrophy (CD)
       Corneal Dystrophy is a hereditary eye disease affecting only the cornea.  The impact of this disorder comes in varying degrees and the age of onset can vary with type.  It is only through selective breeding that this disorder can be reduced in the the Shetland Sheepdog population.  For more information regarding this condition please see: Medical/Corneal Dystrophy.
von Willebrand's Disease (vWD)
       von Willebrand's disease is a hereditary bleeding disorder.  It impacts the dog's ability to clot blood (similar to hemophilia).  This disorder is found in both males and females. For more information regarding this condition please see: Medical/von Willebrand's Disease.
Hip Dysplasia
       Hip Dysplasia is the result of an improper setting of the femur into the hip socket.  There are numerous combinations of types and degrees found in dogs.  Both parents should be OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) cleared prior to breeding. For more information regarding this condition please see: Medical/Hip Dysplasia.
Hypothyroidim
       Hypothyroism is a condition caused by the under-activity of the dog's thyroid gland.  It is usually controlable through medication, although the dog will have to be on thyroid supplements its entire life. For more information regarding this condition please see: Medical/ Hypothyroidism.
Epilepsy
       Epilepsy in Shelties is a hereditary seizure disorder.  Dogs with epilepsy should not be breed and a responsible breeder will remove dog's producing epileptic pups from their breeding program. For more information regarding this condition please see: Medical/Epilepsy.
       Shetland Sheepdogs were developed as a breed with a working (herding) pupose in mind.  They are sound, active, intelligent, and healthy animals.  The key to obtaining a good Shetland Sheepdog is to only deal with a responsible breeder.  Someone who has screened for genetic faults, who has their focus on producing the best animals they can - not lining their pockets.
http://www.barkbytes.com/bremed/sheltie.htm