The Old English Sheepdog

The Old English sheepdog is not one that will soon leave the memories of the ones that have met him. This dog is loving and affectionate and very loyal to his family, the Old English sheepdog is known as an intelligent breed with plenty of energy and enthusiasm for running and playing, the only problem is that they are big dogs so care should be taken when dealing with small children. This is a dog that likes to be the center of attention and get involved in all the family activities. That’s the reason why it is not recommended that people who don’t really have that much time for a pet get an Old English Sheepdog because boredom can lead to the development of a destructive behavior and that is something that nobody wants in a dog especially that size.

This is a breed of dog that loves to keep his family members happy and entertained and if you will let him, he will amuse you to no end! Because of this clown nature that the Old English sheepdog has, he kind of likes to play rough so again take care with children, it is best if this dog has older children to play with. This is an excellent breed for watch dogging, they will sound the alarm every time somebody comes and with strangers they tend to be a little aloof, other pets are enjoyed. One thing about this dog is that it is important to get him well socialized at a young age because aggression and timidity are things that are to be avoided.

It is best if the people that get the Old English Sheepdog are people that have experience with dogs because this can be an independent minded and stubborn breed, another thing about them is the fact that they love to herd, it really doesn’t matter if it is animals or people and they will do this by nipping at the heals…so again take care with this breed.

The Old English is a breed of dog that originated in England, he was originally bred to drive cattle and sheep, this is a breed that has a history dating back about 200 years, and believe it or not, it was first registered with the AKC in 1888.

The Old English Sheepdog or Bobtail is a breed that has a thick shaggy coat of a very harsh texture, the color of the coat is basically grey although there are different names for all the different hues, this is a dog that stands around 26 inches at the shoulder and they can weigh up to 100 pounds.

The Bobtail needs a lot of grooming, to keep the coat free of mats he needs to be brushed up to three times a week and every grooming can take up to two hours; because of this, many people resort to professional grooming just so that they won’t have to waist so much time. There are some people that shave the dog during the summer, this helps with the heat and it also brings down the grooming cost. This dog does shed some so he is not recommended for people that suffer from allergies.

The Bobtail lives to be about 12-14 years old and can suffer from many health problems like: cataracts, glaucoma, deafness, diabetes and heatstroke. Due to these issues, it pays to take your time and look for a dog that comes from a good breeder with a good reputation. These should be people that care for their animals and will most likely have forms to fill out concerning what the life of the dog will be like, living quarters and so on. Also, you should be aloud to see the parents of the puppy and evaluate their temperament because whatever the parents are like, will most definitely be in the genes of the dog that you are getting. Try to avoid puppy mills because poor breeding is usually used and there are usually no health guarantees that are offered for the puppy, these people do not care for their animals, they just want to have a good source of money.

The Old English sheepdog is not the dog for everybody, but the ones that have taken him in have not regretted it!