Pastoral group · England
Old English Sheepdog
Also called OES, Bobtail, Bob.
Large dog, moderate energy, trains well with consistency.
- Adaptable
- Gentle
- Intelligent
- Playful
- Sociable
- Size
- Large
- Weight
- 27 to 45 kg60 to 100 lb
- Lives
- 10 to 12 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- Moderate
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training an Old English Sheepdog
Pastoral breeds. Give the brain a job or it will find one. Chasing, nipping and fixating are the breed doing its work.
Grooming Commitment
Start here
Coat requires 3-4 hours weekly maintenance. Consider keeping in shorter clip if unable to commit.
Gentle Giants
Clownish and playful but can be stubborn, use positive, patient methods.
Herding Instinct
May try to herd children by bumping, redirect this behaviour appropriately.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Old English Sheepdog and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, on video with Atlas and Shango.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to herd and guard livestock. Watchful, responsive, and wired to control movement.
Gets on with
- ChildrenVery High
- Other dogsHigh
- StrangersHigh
- CatsHigh
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1-2 hours daily. Moderate exercise, enjoys herding activities.
- Grooming
- Very high maintenance. Daily brushing essential, professional grooming recommended.
- Drool
- Moderate
- Coat
- Long, Shaggy, Dense undercoatGrey & White, Blue & White, Grizzle & White
- In a flat
- Needs more space than a flat gives.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Common in large breeds, affects mobility
Cataracts
Moderate
Eye cloudiness affecting vision
Hypothyroidism
Mild
Underactive thyroid affecting metabolism
Where they come from
History
Developed in the western counties of England in the early 19th century for droving sheep and cattle to market. The docked tail earned them the nickname "Bobtail."
- Max · Shaggy family dog
- The Dulux Dog · Iconic mascot for Dulux paint since 1961
