Old English Sheepdog

From Pet Encyclopedia

Old English Sheepdog

Origin of Breed

Great Britain

Breed Nick Names

Dulux Dog

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Origin and History 3 Appearance 4 Temperament 5 Health 6 External Links 7 References

[edit] Introduction

[edit] Origin and History

The actual origins of the Old English Sheepdog breed are still not fully known but it is thought to be a combination of the Scottish Bearded Collie and the South Russian Owtchar.

[edit] Appearance

Puppies are born with black and white patches. Around 1lb in weight when born they grow very quickly doubling their weight in 2-3 days. Coats are very soft and easy to maintain when in the puppy stage. As the coat changes to the well known grey white and black it becomes coarser and needs a great deal of attention. Dogs with all white heads have a tendency to deafness this needs checking.

[edit] Temperament

Don't be fooled.They are a very big dog with big teeth! Just because they look like a cuddly panda in the puppy stage and a bundle of fur in the adult stage does not mean they can be treated like lap dogs. They are fun,friendly and can take a table for a walk with no effort. Brought up correctly they are wonderful companions and very faithful friends. Just be aware that very lightweight furniture and low tables are not good company for an OES. They usually love children but prefer it if they are big enough to roll on the floor with them. Like some children they have no brakes and the steering is dodgy so expect to make ground contact on a frequent basis. These dogs need to know who is the boss!

[edit] Health

A dog with a good pedigree should have the history of the parents and will have been tested for all major faults. In my experience(I have had OES for 30 years these dogs do not fall ill easily. Given an excellent diet,keeping a check on weight and brushing teeth daily should give your dog many health problem free years.

[edit] External Links

[edit] References