Shetland Sheepdogs require a balanced and complete diet just like any other dog irrespective of breed or mix.
These small sheepdogs are a relatively energetic breed so they’ll require the necessary minerals and vitamins to fuel their active lifestyles.
The American Kennel Club recommend a “high-quality diet” for Shetland Sheepdogs to promote a happy and healthy life next to their owners.
Shetland Sheepdogs can be prone to some health issues so it can be important that you find a dog food company that uses high-quality ingredients.
Some Sheltie owners describe having a dog that is a picky eater, fussy at mealtime or suffers from a sensitive stomach.
You may be surprised to learn that some traditional dog food contain lots of additives, fillers and nasties that are listed on confusing and lengthy ingredient labels.
Fortunately there are lots of dog food delivery companies who provide balanced, complete and fresh dog food meals for Shetland Sheepdogs and all dogs in the UK at the moment.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at our top picks for the best dog food for Shetland Sheepdogs in the UK right now.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. The content of our articles does not constitute veterinary advice. It’s always best to speak with your vet or a certified pet nutritionist before making any changes to your pet's diet or feeding routine.
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Shetland Sheepdog Nutrition
Shetland Sheepdog at check-up with a vet (Photo: Adobe Stock)
Shetland Sheepdogs are a relatively small dog breed, with a height ranging between 13 and 16 inches and weighing between 15 and 25 pounds.
However, Shelties, just like a lot of dogs in the UK, are prone to obesity if their diet isn’t managed adequately by their pet parents.
It’s estimated that 1 in 14 dogs are overweight in the UK, according to a study carried out by the Royal Veterinary College.
Obesity carries severe welfare risks for dogs. Obese dogs have shortened life spans, reduced quality of life and higher frequencies of some important conditions including arthritis, breathing problems, heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Sheltie owners should keep track of their dog’s calorie consumption and monitor their weight to prevent the onset of obesity.
Most of the dog food delivery companies listed in this article will ask Sheltie owners to fill out a detailed questionnaire so they can ensure that your sheepdog is eating the right amount.
Some brands such as Butternut Box have a number of low-fat meals to cater to dogs who need to lose weight.
Shetland Sheepdog Fussy Eaters
Shetland Sheepdog drinks from water bowl (Photo: Adobe Stock)
During our research on the breed, we encountered a number of Shetland Sheepdog owners who described their dog as being fussy or picky with their food.
I’ve had to endure the stress of trying to get two fussy dogs to eat their food with little success before I made the switch to fresh dog meals.
In my experience, my mini huskies would quickly get tired with their kibble despite regularly switching brands and recipes in an attempt to create mealtime excitement.
It wasn’t until I switched to a fresh dog food company that I saw a huge change in my Alaskan Klee Kai as they started to get excited about dinnertime once again.
Feeding my dogs recipes comprised of human-quality meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, minerals and vitamins led to a big change in my Klee Kai’s attitude, energy and overall health.
If your Shetland Sheepdog is a picky eater, you may want to give one of the fresh dog food companies a try in this article to see if it can help.
Of course, you should speak to your vet before you decide to make a change to their diet and it could be worth talking to a certified dog behaviorist to learn more about this issue.
What Shetland Sheepdog Owners Say Online
We encountered quite a few Shetland Sheepdog owners who have a picky eater that won’t touch their store-bought kibble or wet food.
So if you’re currently tearing your hair out about what to do with your picky Sheltie, you can take solace from the fact that you’re not alone.
Kenzie, for instance, shared her experience with her newest Shetlie pup on Reddit.
Most of my shelties growing up were picky but my new puppy has been the worst of all. She eats kibble but not her wet food. We’ve tried a few brands (royal canin, Purina focus, nourish, royal buffalo, pro plan) and she’ll usually lick a bit then ignore it. We end up giving her kibble later just to make sure she’s eating enough.
Another Sheltie owner shared her particularly frustrating experience.
The last few months she has been extremely hard to feed. Some days she won’t eat at all/maybe will take in a few kibbles all day. She is definitely not at her goal weight; she weighs 12 pounds and you can feel her ribs and spine through her furry sheltie coat. She still has tons of energy and isn’t listless. She doesn’t appear to have any structural problems that are causing her not to eat.
If you’ve got a picky Shetland Sheepdog, you’ll be able to relate to these two owners and their exasperation at the problem. However, you may want to ditch the kibble or unappetizing wet food in favour of fresh dog food to see if this will help with your Sheltie’s fussiness.
Best Dog Food For Shetland Sheepdogs UK
Shetland Sheepdog (Photo: Adobe Stock)
So, now that we’ve taken a look at some Shetland Sheepdog health considerations and we’ve heard from some Sheltie owners who have fussy eaters, it’s time to check out some of our top picks available for Shetland Sheepdogs in the UK at the moment.
1) Butternut Box
Website: butternutbox.com
Alaskan Klee Kai Copper with his Butternut Box recipes (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
If you’ve got a fussy eater or your Shetlie need to lose some weight, Butternut Box would be our first recommendation. They’re a British dog food company who have a fresh approach to pet nutrition. Having launched in 2016, Butternut Box are already feeding a staggering 170,000 dogs in the UK. That’s a lot of dogs! Their recipes are comprised of 60% human-quality meat and 40% vegetables with all the necessary minerals and vitamins included. By filling out their detailed questionnaire, Butternut Box will tailor their meals to meet your Sheltie’s specific needs. They’ve got 10 recipes available as part of their subscription service so your Shetland Sheepdog will have plenty of flavours to enjoy. Butternut Box, who have 4.9 stars out of 5 based upon over 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot, will ship your Shetlie’s food direct to their door. With a reputation for helping with fussy eaters, Butternut Box represent great value as they offer balanced and complete high-quality dog food at an affordable price. You can check out our full review of Butternut Box here.
We have an exclusive offer for helloBARK! readers who are thinking about signing up to Butternut Box. You can get 50% off your first Butternut Box order and 50% off your second Butternut Box order by clicking here.
2) Different Dog
Website: differentdog.com
Copper and Different Dog’s Health+ range (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Different Dog provide an alternative to Butternut Box if you’ve already tried the latter and your Sheltie wasn’t sure. Different Dog have a vast range of tasty recipes that are full of flavour and nutritional goodness. You can fill out their questionnaire to get started before selecting your Sheltie’s meals from their menu. Their dog food is gently cooked by their team of chefs before their packed in eco-friendly packaging and delivered to your door. Different Dog have a Health+ range if your Sheltie is suffering from a specific ailment so they might have a recipe that can cater to your dog’s needs. Different Dog are more premium than Butternut Box and their food does cost a little more but if you have the budget, they’re worth a try! You can read our full Different Dog review here.
If you would like to purchase Different Dog, you can get a 35% discount off your first 2 boxes by entering the HELLOBARKCC35 coupon code at checkout. To place your first order, click here.
3) Pure Pet Food
Website: purepetfood.com
Alaskan Klee Kai with their Pure Pet Food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
If you’d prefer to stick with dry food, Pure Pet Food could provide you with an alternative to store-bought kibble. They use high quality ingredients to create their air-dried dog food. As with the previous two dog food brands, you’ll have to answer some questions about your dog before Pure Pet Food will suggest some recipes. Unlike Butternut Box and Different Dog, Pure’s air-dried dog food can be store in the cupboard rather than a fridge or freezer. You’ll have to create your Shetland Sheepdog’s food by mixing the air-dried dog food with some water in your Sheltie’s bowl. Although I personally prefer fresh dog meals for my mini huskies, Pure Pet Food do have a good reputation for helping dogs who are fussy or struggle with sensitive tummies judging by their many Trustpilot reviews. You can read our Pure Pet Food review here.
4) ZENOO
Where To Buy: myzenoo.com
ZENOO freeze-dried raw dog food range (Photo: hellobark.com)
Switching from air-dried dog food to freeze-dried raw dog food, ZENOO is a good alternative if you’re interested in giving your Sheltie some raw dog food to try. This particular format is less hassle as ZENOO have done the hard work for you by using technology that is also used by NASA to create their freeze-dried raw food. You won’t have to worry about handling raw dog food and some of the health considerations that are associated with it. Instead, you can simply select your recipe and get ZENOO delivered to your door. They use high-quality ingredients to ensure your Sheltie will get a balanced and complete diet. You can check out our ZENOO review here.
You can save 30% on your first order by clicking here.
5) Bella & Duke
Website: www.bellaandduke.com
Copper with his Bella and Duke delivery (Photo: lifewithkleekai)
If you really want to test out a raw-dog food diet for your Sheltie, Bella & Duke are a respectable dog food brands. They’re a company who like to stay at the cutting edge of pet nutrition. They’ve got a range of tasty recipes that are made up of high quality cuts of meat and bones, as well as oils, antioxidants, herbs, season vegetables, fruits and berries. We really like how transparent Bella & Duke are – all their ingredients are sourced from within the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Of course, you should speak to your vet before you decide to switch your Sheltie onto a raw diet.
Anything Else To Consider
We’ve already touched upon this in the article but we can’t emphasise enough the importance of speaking to your vet before you decide to make a change to your Sheltie’s diet.
Your vet can offer advice and guidance on how to transition your Shetland Sheepdog onto a new type of dog food with minimal upset to their tummies.
All the dog food brands in this article offer good customer service so you can also speak to them for additional help on the transition.
Wrapping Up – Our Final Thoughts
We’ve reached the end of our article on the best dog food for Shetland Sheepdogs.
In this feature, we’ve taken a look at some of Shetland Sheepdog health and behavioural issues that could affect their diet.
We’ve heard from some Shetland Sheepdog owners who have experienced life with a fussy Sheltie at mealtime.
Our top pick is Butternut Box as they provide human-grade fresh dog meals that are balanced and complete at an affordable price.
All five dog food companies in this article could be a good choice for your Shetland Sheepdog.
We have an exclusive offer for helloBARK! readers who are thinking about signing up to Butternut Box. You can get 50% off your first Butternut Box order and 50% off your second Butternut Box order by clicking here.
