These dogs can be deceptively heavy, perhaps because some people expect them to be all hair. Good training, setting boundaries, and even giving your Old English Sheepdog a job to perform are all good ways of establishing this hierarchy.Ī particularly weak-willed owner can sometimes find the Old English Sheepdog to be a handful, especially as the dog gets older and becomes more set in its ways. Old English Sheepdogs come from a clear hierarchy both in dog packs and in the farming structure in western England, which means they need to feel like they have a place within your home’s own hierarchy. The temperament of the Old English Sheepdog is quite friendly and happy, and although they have a reputation as being strong-willed at times.Īs with many assertive and sometimes strong-willed breeds, the training will be crucial. It can be hard to tell if your dog is gaining weight because of its thick coat. While this dog is relatively larger, keep in mind that it is still about a half or a third size of most humans and requires a similarly small diet. This probably reflects their general pedigree as workers and sheep herders, and certainly reflects their relatively clean lineage of both service to farmers and companionship.Ī good diet for the Old English Sheepdog will include lean meats and whole foods. Whatever the pedigree, there’s no denying the breed that has come before us: a thick-haired, strong and happy breed with a generally assertive personality. According to the American Kennel Club, the OES is “is believed to have descended from the Scotch Bearded Collie and the Russian Owtchar.” Other theories give relation to the Poodle and even the Deerhound. There are a few theories on the pedigree of the Old English Sheepdog. The tails of the Old English Sheepdog would actually be clipped off for tax purposes in old England, giving this breed the nickname of “bobtails.” That’s not all that would come off this breed – when the sheep were being sheared, the Old English Sheepdog was often clipped as well to produce good insulating blankets and other materials around the house. As a sheepdog, the Old English Sheepdog was definitely a sheep herder and assisted with handling the other animals on the farm, perhaps a good explanation for why it has a generally assertive, easy-going personality that gets along well with others. These dogs are, of course, English, having originated in the western section of that country as an aid to many farmers who worked exclusively off the land. The Old English Sheepdog can be considered a durable, loving companion. If that sounds good to you, than the OES might just be the right breed for you. This is the case for many stable, sturdy breeds of dog and the Old English Sheepdog is no exception. You can’t treat the Old English Sheepdog like a toy breed or ready-made companion on level with the pack leader of the house or else the Old English Sheepdog will begin to think its boundaries are larger than they really are. Of course, with a firmer dog a firmer owner will be required. Its strong personality makes it flexible to a number of social situations and they generally can be considered a “happy” breed that is able to make the best of new or unusual situations. But the Old English Sheepdog has a stronger personality than that and can be considered a durable, loving companion. Typically we associate longer, puffier coats as belonging to those in the toy group or indoor dogs. Although the coat of the Old English Sheepdog, also known as an OES, can be a bit deceiving, you might be surprised at just how strong and sturdy this breed of dog is.
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