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Old English Sheepdog Breed Profile
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The Old English Sheepdog breed is thought to have descended from a Russian dog called the ‘Owtchar'
Bobtail, Bob, OES |
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Dog
Breed Profile  |
England
To drive cattle and herd sheep.
Pastoral
Bitch 52-56cm., Dog 56-61cm.
Bitch 27+kg., Dog 29+kg. Larger males can weigh 45kg.
10-12 years
The Old English Sheepdog is a true working dog with great energy and stamina. They need at least one and a half hours exercise daily. They love to splash around in water. Most of this dog's exercise should be off lead running and playing, to keep it in tip top condition.
The Old English Sheepdog is not a fussy eater and has a very large appetite. They thrive on a natural, home prepared diet and can eat around one kilo of meat, a large amount of rice and plenty of cooked vegetables. To keep the dog in excellent condition it should be given raw fish, cheese or an egg yolk at least twice a week. Plenty of fresh water must be available at all times as this dog can quickly overheat due to its thick coat.
Prone to deafness in old age, some skin problems and quite susceptible to illnes in general.
The Old English Sheepdog is a large, robust dog with a square skull and a large head. The muzzle is also square and is quite long. The eyes are dark or blue coloured and are usually hidden beneath a long fringe of hair. The ears are small and are also covered with long hair. The neck is slightly arched going down to a stocky, muscular body with well-sprung ribs and arched loins. The front legs are straight and powerful and the rear legs are muscular. The tail is traditionally docked and is hidden under the rounded shaped rear quarters. The distinctive feature of this dog is its double coat which is extremely long, flat and thick. The colours are all shades of grey, blue, blue merle, grizzle and all of these usually have white markings. This dog has a strange gait. It moves by lifting two feet on the same side at the same time rather like a camel does.
Old English Sheepdog K9 Obedience Dog Breed Summary:
The Old English Sheepdog is not for the town life or an apartment dweller. The OES is ideally suited to life in the country. They are gentle and loving and adore children.
They have retained strong herding instincts. This results in the dog always trying to herd the children together but unlike the Border Collie, the OES herds by bumping and not nipping or biting.
They are friendly and intelligent but they do need a firm owner to train them by using motivational dog training and obedience methods. This dog can be a bit stubborn and unless the owner knows what he is doing the dog will take control of the training session quite quickly!
The popularity of this dog increased in the UK due to its frequent appearance in television commercials. Lovable they may be, but they do need a lot of grooming, feeding and exercising, and can be quite expensive to keep.
The Old English Sheepdog is suitable for a country dwelling family with a lust for life and plenty of energy to keep up with this magnificent dog. |
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