Old English Sheepdog

Characteristics

Health & Longevity

Average Life Span: 10-12 years
The Old English Sheepdog is considered to be a healthy breed, but this does not mean that the pup is free from all health concerns. There are some medical conditions, genetic and inherited, that can affect your Old English Sheepdog. Some of the medical concerns include bloat, hip dysplasia, deafness, eye diseases and problems, and otitis externa.

Bloat is a serious condition that may occur if your pup inhales too much air. This air becomes trapped in the stomach and has nowhere to go. When this happens, the stomach expands to try and create room, but in the process, other organs are then impaired and cannot function correctly. The result can be death if not treated immediately.

Hip dysplasia may be passed down to your Old English Sheepdog. This condition is painful for your pup and can result in lameness in the limbs. Hip dysplasia occurs when the hip joint does not work properly and or fit into the socket properly.

Deafness is also a concern in your Old English Sheepdog. This condition usually does not occur when your pup is young unless he or she is born that way. Deafness often occurs as your pup ages and may result in partial or complete deafness.

Eye disease and problems are something to keep an eye out for and have your pup screened for. Eye problems can be in the form of an eye infection, eye allergies, or similar. Eye diseases are often either cataracts, blindness, or retinal atrophy.

Lastly, otitis externa is a problem where the external ear canal of your pup becomes inflamed. This can cause your pup to have difficulty hearing or may even cause pain.

The Old English Sheepdog has a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years.

Temperament & Train-ability

The Old English Sheepdog is known to be gentle, well-mannered, and very smart. This breed will impress you each and every day. Your pup should be incredibly kind and will not have an angry or aggressive bone in his or her body.

Your Old English Sheepdog will get along with children and makes a wonderful playmate and cuddle companion for even the smallest of hands. One thing to make a note of is this breed does like to look out for children and will guard and herd them appropriately to ensure they are always safe. This also means that your pup will become more of a friend, rather than just a pet. In addition to doing well with kids, this breed does amazingly with other animals as well and will get along with even the smallest pet in the home.

Trained to be a working dog, this pup is very active both inside and outside of the home and will make an effective watchdog. This breed will alert you to danger and has a keen sense of hearing that allows them to scare off a threat before it is within range to actually be a threat.

Your Old English Sheepdog needs a moderate amount of exercise and should ideally have a large yard to run around and roam in. You will find that your pup likes to be outside often. You can send your kids outside too, and they will all play together for hours.

This breed is considered easy to train, and you should not have any significant problems with it. You want to make sure that you are consistent with your pup’s training and that you do not take a harsh tone, as your pup will be sensitive to this.

Grooming

The Old English Sheepdog is not considered difficult to groom, but this breed does require a daily commitment. To keep your pup’s coat beautiful, you will need to brush it every day to remove tangles and mats. If you notice any debris stuck in your pup’s coat, remove it.

You may need to have your pup trimmed and occasionally stripped to keep his or her coat soft. Your pup will shed quite a bit, but with regular brushings, you can limit the amount of hair that falls onto the floor and throughout your home.

You do not need to bathe your Old English Sheepdog on a regular basis and should only do so as needed, meaning when your pup is visibly dirty or if he smells. You should clean his or her ears regularly though to prevent infection and to remove buildup.

Lastly, you should make sure that your pup’s nails stay trimmed and at a healthy length. You should clip his or her nails at least once per month.

Diet

Your Old English Sheepdog will consume somewhere between three to four cups of dry food per day. You should feed your pup a high-quality dry kibble that is packed with protein and the nutrients he or she needs to thrive.

You can feed your pup a raw diet if you prefer. A raw diet is made up of fresh foods and includes meat, vegetables, fruits, and rice.
 

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Cost

An Old English Sheepdog puppy will cost you approximately $1,200 to purchase. This price will fluctuate a bit, but the price does not determine the health of your puppy, so bear this in mind.

Paws ‘N’ Pups Ranking

Paws ‘N’ Pups ranks every breed out of 4 with 1 being easiest to integrate into your life and 4 being the toughest – The lower the ranking the better.

Ranking takes into account a few basic factors including cost, skill level needed, high vs low maintenance and how critical regular training is to success. The Old English Sheepdog is an awesome pup to add to your family. This breed gets along well with children and will protect them and help them out every day. You will find that your children and your pup bond closely and rely on each other’s company. This breed is active and loves to play both inside and outdoors. You will find that this breed is easy to train for the most part and provides you with many laughs. This breed ranks a 1.

 

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