Featured Pet Apology!!

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Happy Tortie Tuesday, Missians!

I know I was supposed to get a Featured Pet Post out to you guys yesterday; I'm sorry things got hectic, and I didn't realize I hadn't done it until 9 something last night.  I hope better late than never applies here, because in just a few sentences from now, I'm going to give you guys your featured pet:  The Sheepdog. 

But before I do that I want to remind everyone that after today, there won't be anymore blog posts until around October 25th or 26th, and that our Missy Show Pet Spooktacular episodes will return on October 29th.  Okay, with that out of the way, let's move on to today's Featured Pet. Today's information is courtesy of Dog Breed Info Center:

  http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/oldenglishsheepdog.htm

Old English Sheepdog

Information and Pictures

Summer the Old English Sheepdog with her coat groomed short


 

Description

The Old English Sheepdog is a strong, compact, square dog. The topline is lower at the shoulders, sloping higher toward the back end. The chest is deep and broad. The head is large with a well-defined stop. The nose is black. The teeth meet in a level or tight scissors bite. Eyes come in brown, blue or one of each color. The medium sized ears are carried flat to the head. The front legs are very straight and the hind legs are round and muscular. The small feet point straight ahead and are round with well-arched toes. The Old English Sheepdog is either born tailless (as the name Bobtail implies) or is completely amputated. Note: it is illegal to dock tails in most parts of Europe. The shaggy, double coat is long and profuse with a good, hard, textured outer coat and a soft, waterproof undercoat. Coat colors include gray, grizzle, blue, blue gray, blue merle, gray with white markings or white with gray markings.

Temperament

The Old English Sheepdog is stable and happy-go-lucky. It is able to adjust oneself readily to different conditions, is loving and friendly. Loyal, protective and intelligent, it makes a fine family companion. Friendly and gentle, this breed loves and is good with children and is very much part of the family. They have a strong herding instinct and may try to herd people by bumping, not nipping, and need to be taught not to herd humans. Meek or passive owners or those that do not make the rules of the home clear in a way the dog can understand will cause the dog to become strong-willed. This breed needs firm, but calm, confident and consistent leadership. The Old English Sheepdog is a very good worker and is able to follow commands, but will ignore the instruction if it thinks it is stronger minded than its human pack members. The bark of the Old English Sheepdog sounds like a cracked bell. This breed remains puppy-like for many years, and age tends to hit it suddenly.

Height, Weight

Height: Males 22 - 24 inches (56 - 61 cm) Females 20 - 22 inches (51 cm)
Weight: Males from 65 pounds (29 kg) Females from 60 pounds (27 kg)
Some can grow to over 100 pounds (45 kg)

Health Problems

Prone to IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia), hip dysplasia and cataracts. Some herding dogs carry a MDR1 gene which makes them sensitive to certain drugs that are otherwise okay to give another dog, but if tested positive for this gene can kill them.

Living Conditions

The Old English Sheepdog will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. These dogs are fairly active indoors and will do best with at least an average-sized yard.

Exercise

These dogs were developed for hard work and love a good run. They need to be taken on a daily walk, jog or run. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human.

Life Expectancy

About 10-12 years

Litter Size

About 5 to 12 puppies

Grooming

The coarse, longhaired coat needs constant care to keep it in top condition. Unless it is combed and brushed right through to the dense, waterproof undercoat at least three times per week, it will become matted and the dog may develop skin problems, making it prone to host parasites. Clip out any tangles carefully so as not to nick the skin. A grooming table will make the whole job easier. If the dog is not being shown, the coat can be professionally machine-clipped every two months or so, about one inch all the way around. In former times these dogs were shorn along with sheep. Trim around the eyes and rear-end with blunt-nosed scissors. This breed sheds like a human—not a lot, but in small amounts.

Origin

There are a few theories about the origin of the Old English Sheepdog. One is that it is related to the Poodle and the Deerhound. Other theories are it is related to the Briard and the Bergamasco, or from Scotch Bearded Collies and the Russian Owtchar, a hairy Russian breed brought to Great Britain on ships from the Baltic. The Old English Sheepdog was developed in the western counties of England by farmers who needed a quick, well-coordinated sheep herder and cattle driver to take their animals to market. The dogs became widely used in agricultural areas. Farmers began the practice of docking the tails in the 18th century as a way of identifying the dogs that were used for working so they could get a tax exemption. For this reason the dogs were given the nickname "Bobtail." Each spring, when the sheep were sheared, farmers would also shear the dogs’ coats to make warm clothing and blankets. The Old English Sheepdog has been used for reindeer herding because it tolerates cold weather so well. It was first shown in Britain in 1873 and by the AKC in 1888. Some of the Old English Sheepdog's talents include: retrieving, herding and watchdog.
I hope you guys enjoyed this one.  Even though we'll be gone for about two weeks, I promise we'll still be thinking about you all, and looking forward to returning with all new episodes, and blog post ideas!  Why not catch up on past blog entries or show episodes you may have missed?

Until next time,

This is your host J,
signing off................................................

Purse are comfy places to rest
 


 

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