| Old English Sheepdogs: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Old English Sheepdog personality and behavior. |
|
|
My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Old English Sheepdog, including these excerpts:
"Good-natured and sociable, enthusiastic and bumptious, the Old English Sheepdog does best in the suburbs or country, with at least an hour of daily exercise and space to move.
He loves people, can be quite the clown, and is demanding of attention. If left without the companionship of humans or other pets, he will become unhappy and destructive.
Most Old English Sheepdogs are polite with strangers and make sensible watchdogs with a deep, ringing bark, but they are not guard dogs.
There is timidity and skittishness in some lines, sharpness in others; extensive socialization is important to develop a confident, stable temperament.
Some Old English Sheepdogs try to herd children and other pets by circling, poking, and nipping. However, compared to other herding breeds, Old English are more commonly show dogs and pets, rather than working sheepdogs.
The rustic Old English Sheepdog is not for fastidious households -- he tracks in mud, splashes in his water bowl, and affectionately thrusts his wet and/or dirty beard into your lap. Some drool."
History
In England he drove sheep and cattle to market.
Size
21-26 inches and 60-100 lbs |
|
Old English Sheepdogs
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- There are energetic Old English, and placid Old English.
- Hard-headed Old English, and sweet-natured Old English.
- Serious Old English, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Old English, and Old English who love everyone.
| If you acquire an Old English Sheepdog puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
Now let's look at some common characteristics for this breed...
- Is large and shaggy
- Is enthusiastic, bouncy, and bumptious, and loves to romp and play
- Makes a sensible watchdog, but is usually not aggressive with strangers
- Is usually peaceful with other pets
An Old English Sheepdog may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- An extremely careful search to avoid highstrung, neurotic, nasty Old English Sheepdogs
- Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young
- "Separation anxiety" (destructiveness and barking) when left alone too much
- Suspiciousness, skittishness, or aggression in some lines, or when not socialized enough
- Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
- Chasing and nipping at things that move: children, joggers, other animals, bikes, cars
- Slobbering and drooling
- Gassiness (flatulence)
- Lots of brushing and combing
- Heavy shedding
- "Shaggy dog syndrome," i.e. debris clinging to the coat, water soaking into the beard and dripping on your floors
- Health problems
An Old English Sheepdog may not be right for you.
| If I were considering an Old English Sheepdog... |
My major concerns would be:
- Unstable temperaments. Unless carefully bred by people who know how to produce good-tempered dogs, Old English Sheepdogs are quite susceptible to genetically bad temperaments. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see LOTS of Old English Sheepdogs with neurotic behaviors, including biting, sharpness, extreme fearfulness, hyperactivity, and general nastiness.
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Old English Sheepdogs MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by destructive chewing. Bored Old English Sheepdogs can make a shambles of your house and yard.
| If you simply want a pet for your family, and don't have the time or inclination to take your dog out for frequent long romps, or to get involved in some canine activity such as advanced obedience, or tracking, or agility, I do not recommend this breed. |
- Separation anxiety. More than most other breeds, Old English Sheepdogs need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you.
| If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Old English Sheepdog puppies. Young Old English (up to about two years old) romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people. The temptation to play roughly and nip at moving people is simply too strong in many young Old English Sheepdogs. |
- Stubbornness. Old English Sheepdogs are not Golden Retrievers. They can be very stubborn and manipulative. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
- Grooming. Without frequent brushing and combing, Old English Sheepdogs become a matted mess. If you can't commit to the brushing, you have to commit to frequent trimming to keep the coat short, neat, and healthy.
- Shedding. Old English Sheepdogs she a LOT. You'll find hair and fur all over your clothing, upholstery, carpeting, under your furniture, on your countertops -- even in your food. Frequent vacuuming will become a way of life.
- "Shaggy dog syndrome." Like all shaggy dogs, the Old English Sheepdog is a messy dog. Leaves, mud, snow, fecal matter, and other debris cling to his rough coat and ends up all over your house. When he drinks, his beard absorbs water, which drips on your floors when he walks away. When he eats, his beard absorbs food so that when he sniffs your face or presses his head against your leg, YOU end up dirty, too. Big shaggy dogs are not suited to fastidious housekeepers.
- Slobbering. Some Old English Sheepdogs tend to slobber or drool, especially after eating and drinking.
- Gassiness (flatulence) that can send you running for cover. Fortunately, Old English Sheepdogs who are fed a natural diet of real meat and other fresh foods have much less trouble with gassiness. See my Old English Sheepdog Health Page for more information.
- Health problems. From joint problems to eye problems to skin problems to neurological disease, Old English Sheepdogs can be risky in the health department.
| If you're considering an adult Old English Sheepdog... |
There are plenty of adult Old English Sheepdogs who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
|
Copyright © 2000-2006 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
|
