Grooming

Question
Now that I have read through several of your answers, and feel you still have not answered my original questions, here is one.

I found this site, because of an online search I did about grooming.
I would like to know if it is recommended to cut a sheltie's coat short. My boyfriend wants our dog to have short fur, and I don't think it's a good idea. I don't think it's a big deal, but I like my sheltie to remain as he was born.
Which leads to my main question; cutting the fur under the tail. I have been told this is a good idea to keep them clean of fecal matter.
I was wondering if you could explain or direct me to where I could find an explanation of how to cut the fur, so that the fur doesn't get in the way.

My second question is, as follows:

My sheltie is from a pet store. Everyone tells me not to get a dog from a pet store; but I hadn't really been planning on purchasing one, and when I saw him I just had to take him out of that place. I would assume he's not from a respectable history, and I was wondering how to tell if your dog is from a puppy farm (or whatever it is they are called.)

I would also like to inform you that I read about that dog that had problems with chasing people, and you said that he should be sent to live in a new home. When my dog reached an age over six months he developed those same qualities, and I've managed to stop it for a period of time; then it starts again. I find that these behavorial quirks are a small price to pay for my dog, and I love him greatly. Since it is obvious that he can be helped, though not permanently, is there any way that he can be helped on a more permanent basis?

Answer
Hello again Diana:

Fur shaving:  would you recomend a human with a very pale complexion to not use sunscreen at the beach, or dress lightly in the winter?  Of course not.  The Sheltie fur is a protectant agains uv rays, cold AND excessive heat.  If they needed short fur they would look like Dachusuns instead of Shelties.  You can trim the fur if you choose, but I do not recomend it.

I have trimmed the fur under the tail, when my Tucker got into a tub of mink oil waterproofing.  He opened the lid and licked the entire container!  Well, it was a huge mess on the other end and wouldn't wash out.  Regular brushing and parting the fur away from the bottom as it does naturally will accomplish what you seek.  If you must trim just do so in the area above the "knee" and under where the tail lies if tucked between the legs.  I just used a pair of scissors and trimmed carefully, leaving about 1/2 inch of depth, but not cutting all the way out to the sides, just where the tail lies.

Pet stores are evil, as are the sources of their dogs.  How much out of the cage activity do the dogs at that pet store have?  It is considered cruel to leave a dog caged more than 8 hours a day.  Ask the clerk who sold you the dog how much time the dogs spend out playing?  Ask him how many dogs get negaive reports later about being hard to potty train because close confinement desensitizes them to their waste?

Puppy Mills take multiple bitches and force them into cages where they never leave.  There is no floor in the cage so the fecal matter and urine can filter below.  The dog lives on wires instead of a floor or bed.  The bitches are administered hormones to force heat so that they will make puppies faster.  Many of these mill dogs are badly treated.  Not all mills are like that, but enough are that you should never buy without seeing the mother of your pup.  Do a google websearch on puppy mills and I'm sure you'll have the details you need.  

You can get good genetic dogs from puppy mills if you are lucky, but mills are far more likely to be lax on stopping genetic defects than are professional breeders.  Defects that can hurt the breed such as hip displaysa, demodectic mange and other maladies are not checked for or cared about.  The mill breeder sees each pup as dollars.  The show breeder cares about the breed's future.  

Unfortunately the authorities of lineage such as the AKC only pay lip service to preventing puppy mills.  Their business is making money off of registrations.  They have no incentive to stop the mills.  Therefore, the papers don't really mean much when it comes to health.

On the dog that had problems with chasing that I recomended leaving the home...?  Please tell me the date of that question.  I looked but did not see it in my cue and would like to review my answer in full context.  I find that 80% of dog behavior is how the owner percieves the activity and reacts to it and maybe the person asking the question needed a less headstrong dog?  I would feel more comfortable addressing the nature of that question after reviewing the original question.

'sneezes
Dave