Amiga Plus 1995 #2/Amiga Plus CD - 1995 - No. 2.iso/internet/faq/englisch/rec.pets.dogs-sheepdog

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Archive-name: dogs-faq/breeds/oes
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Last-modified: 01 Mar 1995

This is a regularly posted faq and appears every thirty days in
rec.pets.dogs and news.answers.  The latest version of this file is
a hypertext document available via the Web at
http://www.io.com/user/tittle/dogs-faq/breeds/homepage.html

The most recently posted ASCII version of this file is available via
anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu in the directory
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It is also available via email: check the weekly posting Cindy Tittle
Moore ([e-mail]) puts out entitled "Complete List of
rec.pets.dogs FAQs" for details.



                             OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOGS

Author

     * Kyosti Kulusjarvi [[e-mail]] Oulu, FINLAND

   As it seems that there is a need for OES FAQ, I've put one together. I
   am not an expert o the breed, just have had one bitch, 'Moko', for 5
   years and read everything I ever have seen about the breed. So if you
   have something to add, change or whatever to this FAQ, please do so!

   I used other FAQs and some r.p.d. OES mails as examples and sources.
   Thanks to: Sharon Hope [[e-mail]], Rhonda Paprocki
   [[e-mail]], Joel Levinson
   [[e-mail]], Paula Wheeler [[e-mail]], Marlyn
   Isaac [[e-mail]], Aimee Baird Pharr [[e-mail]] and
   maybe some others. And thanks to Cindy Tittle Moore [[e-mail]]
   for making this FAQ public.

Revision History

     * Created Dec. 29th, 1994.


     _________________________________________________________________

Table of Contents

     * The Breed Standard
          + UK Standard for the OES, copyright The Kennel Club 1986
          + AKC Standard for the OES, copyright AKC
     * What is his temperament like?
     * Does he require a lot of grooming?
     * Do they shed?
     * What about the tail?
     * Do they eat a lot?
     * Are they protective of the home and family?
     * What kind of exercise do they need?
     * Do they drool?
     * What health problems are particular to the breed?
     * What about training?
     * What are the Rescue and Regional Club contacts?
          + USA
          + EUROPE
     * Where can I read more about the OES?


     _________________________________________________________________

The Breed Standard

   There is a slightly different standard in UK (used also in rest of the
   Europe) and in USA, look at the differences below.

  UK STANDARD FOR THE OES, COPYRIGHT THE KENNEL CLUB 1986

   General Appearance
   Strong, square looking dog of great symmetry and overall soundness.
   Absolutely free of legginess, profusely coated all over. A thick-set,
   muscular, able-bodied dog with a most intelligent expression. The
   natural outline should not be artificially changed by scissoring or
   clipping.

   Characteristics
   Of great stamina, exhibiting a gently rising topline, and a pear-
   shaped body when viewed from above. The gait has a typical roll when
   ambling or walking. Bark has a distinctive toned quality.

   Temperament
   A biddable dog of even disposition. Bold, faithful and trustworthy,
   with no suggestion of nervousness or unprovoked aggression.

   Head & Skull
   In proportion to the size of the body. Skull capacious, rather square.
   Well arched above eyes, stop well defined. Muzzle strong, square and
   truncated, measuring approximately half of the total head length. Nose
   large and black. Nostrils wide.

   Eyes
   Set well apart. Dark or wall eyes. Two blue eyes acceptable. Light
   eyes undesirable. Pigmentation on the eye rims preferred.

   Ears
   Small and carried flat to the side of head.

   Mouth
   Teeth strong, large and evenly placed. Scissor bite - jaws strong with
   a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely
   overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Pincer
   tolerated but undesirable.

   Neck
   Fairly long, strong, arched gracefully.

   Forequarters:
   Forelegs perfectly straight, with plenty of bone, holding body well
   from ground. Elbows fitting close to brisket. Shoulders should be well
   laid back, being narrower at the point of withers than at the point of
   shoulder. Loaded shoulders undesirable. Dog standing lower at withers
   than loin.

   Body
   Rather short, and compact, with well-sprung ribs, and deep capacious
   brisket.

   Hindquarters
   Loin very sturdy, broad and gently arched, quarters well covered round
   and muscular, the second thigh is long and well developed, the stifle
   well turned, and the hocks set low. From the rear the hocks should be
   quite straight, with the feet turning neither in nor out.

   Feet
   Small, round and tight, toes well arched, pads thick and hard. Dew
   claws should be removed.

   Gait/Movement
   When walking exhibits a bear-like roll from the rear. When trotting,
   shows effortless extension and strong driving rear action, with legs
   moving straight along line of travel. Very elastic at the gallop. At
   slow speeds, some dogs tend to pace. When moving, the head carriage
   may adopt a naturally lower position.

   Tail
   Customarily completely docked.

   Coat
   Profuse, of good harsh texture, not straight bit shaggy and free from
   curl. Undercoat of waterproof pile. Head and skull well covered with
   hair, ears moderately coated, neck well coated, forelegs well coated
   all round, hindquarters more heavily coated than rest of the body.
   Quality, texture, and profusion to be considered above mere length.

   Colour
   Any shade of grey, grizzle or blue. Body and hindquarters of solid
   colour with or without white socks. White patches in the solid area to
   be discouraged. Head, neck, forequarters and under belly to be white
   with or without markings. Any shade of brown undesirable.

   Size

   24 inches and upwards for dogs, 22 inches and upwards for bitches.
   Type and symmetry of greatest importance, and no account to be
   sacrificed to size alone.

   Faults
   Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault
   and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded in exact
   proportion to its degree.

   Note
   Male animals should have two normal testicles fully descended into the
   scrotum.

  AKC STANDARD FOR THE OES, COPYRIGHT AKC

   Skull
   Capacious and rather squarely formed giving plenty of room for brain
   power. The parts over the eye should be well arched and the whole well
   covered with hair.

   Jaw
   Fairly long, strong, square and truncated. The top should be well
   defined to avoid a deerhound face. /the attention of judges is
   particularly called to the above properties as a long, narrow head is
   a deformity.

   Eyes
   Vary according to the color of the dog. Very dark preferred, but in
   the glaucous or blue dogs a pearl, walleye or china eye is considered
   typical. (A light eye is most objectionable.)

   Nose
   Always black, large and capacious.

   Teeth
   Strong and large, evenly placed and level in opposition.

   Ears
   Medium-sized, and carried flat to side of head, coated moderately.

   Legs
   The forelegs should be dead straight, with plenty of bone, removing
   the body a medium height from the ground, without approaching
   legginess, and well coated all around.

   Feet
   Small, round; toes well arched, and pads thick and hard.

   Tail
   It is preferable that there should be none. Should never, however,
   exceed 1.5 or 2 inches in grown dogs. When not natural-born bobtails
   however, puppies should be docked at the first joint from the body and
   the operation performed when they are from three to four days old.

   Neck and shoulders
   The neck should be fairly long, arched gracefully and well coated with
   hair. The shoulders sloping and narrow at the points, the dog standing
   lower at the shoulders than the loin.

   Body
   Rather short and very compact, ribs well sprung and brisket deep and
   capacious. Slabsidedness highly undesirable. The loin should be very
   stout and gently arched, while the hindquarters should be round and
   muscular and with well-let-down hocks, and the hams densely coated
   with a thick, long jacket in excess of any other part.

   Coat
   Profuse, but not so excessive as to give the impression of the dog
   being overfat, and of a good hard texture; not straight but shaggy and
   free from curl. Quality and texture of the coat to be considered above
   mere profuseness. Softness or flatness of coat to be considered a
   fault. The undercoat should be a waterproof pile, when not removed by
   grooming or season.

   Color
   Any shade of gray, grizzle blue or blue-merled with or without
   markings or in reverse. Any shade of brown or fawn to be considered
   distinctly objectionable and not to be encouraged.

   Size
   Twenty-two inches and upwards for dogs and slightly less for bitches.
   Type, character and symmetry are of greatest importance and are on no
   account to be sacrificed to size alone.

   General appearance and characteristics
   A strong compact-looking dog of great symmetry, practically the same
   measurement from shoulder to stern as in height, absolutely free from
   legginess or weaselness, very elastic in his gallop, but in walking or
   trotting he has a characteristic ambling or pacing movement, and his
   bark should be loud with a peculiar 'pot-casse' ring in it. Taking him
   all around, he is a profusely, but not excessively coated, thick-set,
   muscular, able-bodied dog with a most intelligent expression, free
   from all poodle or deerhound character. Soundness should be considered
   of greatest importance.

   Scale of Points
   Skull, Eyes, Ears, Teeth, Nose, Jaw, Foreface, Neck and Shoulders: 5
   points each
   Body and loins, Hindquarters, Legs: 10 points each
   Coat (texture, quality and condition), General appearance and
   movement: 15 points each. Total 100 points
     _________________________________________________________________

What is his temperament like?

   These are definitely "people dogs" - they NEED attention and to be
   around their "family". These are not the dogs to have if they will be
   expected to live outdoors or kennel dogs.

   An OES does not wander, but it loves to visit neighbours because it is
   curious and loves everybody.

   If not given enough exercise or other (brain) activities he may
   (especially when a puppy) put his energy into destroying your house.
   However, if he is properly exercised and played with, it's easy to
   teach him to leave your house alone.
     _________________________________________________________________

Does he require a lot of grooming?

   Yes. Yes. Yes. When showing or when growing out of the initial puppy
   coat, a daily grooming is a necessity. If not a show dog, weekly
   grooming, taking acouple of hours, is the minimum. If the coat gets
   wet (swimming is not preferred, although they like it in hot weather)
   combing/brushing and drying is needed as soon as possible to avoid
   tangles.

   Even though the coat is thick, the OES is not an Arctic breed and will
   not survive outside in freezing temperatures (the pads are especially
   sensitive to the cold).

   Some owners do cut their dogs coat (e.g. down to one inch), and then
   it is easier to maintain. Of course it is then not possible to go
   shows and the dog does not look like an OES anymore.

   If you are not ready for lot of grooming, consider some other breed.
     _________________________________________________________________

Do they shed?

   As you must groom the dog daily/weekly in any case, most of the loose
   hair will be removed and not much is left to shed. And the hair is
   long, so it is easier to remove from carpets etc. than the short
   prickly hairs of some of the shorter coat breeds.
     _________________________________________________________________

What about the tail?

   As mentioned in the breed standard, the tail is usually docked a few
   days after birth. In some countries (e.g. Sweden) the docking of tails
   is forbidden and in most countries it is possible to find a kennel
   that does not dock tails. In European dog shows, the OES with tail is
   accepted and treated as ones without tail.

   In the US, the tail is typically docked. Dogs are not customarily
   shown with any more than a bob at most. It is difficult to find
   breeders that will not dock tails. Since tails are docked at a few
   days of age, its hard to ask a breeder to "leave the tail off your
   pup," since the breeder has not picked their puppy from the litter
   yet.

   This docked tail has given a nickname for the breed: Bobtail.
     _________________________________________________________________

Do they eat a lot?

   During their first year, OES grow from about a pound to about sixty
   pounds. They require plenty of food to support growth. Once they reach
   adulthood, however, they have a very low metabolism, and they do not
   eat a lot (IMHO). Of course this varies depending on exercise,
   individual variation, climate, etc.

   Overfeeding an OES is easy because the profuse coat easily hides extra
   pounds. Check your dog's weight regularly.
     _________________________________________________________________

Are they protective of the home and family?

   Some are, some are not. Of course the big size and barking is
   protective in of itself. But for example, the author's bitch welcomes
   everyone, friend or stranger.

   If you are looking for a protective or guarding dog, consider some
   other breed.
     _________________________________________________________________

What kind of exercise do they need?

   As a big herding breed, an OES needs regular exercise. The amount of
   exercise varies depending the dog's age. Puppies have lot of energy
   and they will use it to destroy your house if they have no other
   outlet. Aging dogs like to lay on couches and need less exercise.
   Between those ages, maybe 1-2 hours daily is good. Note that the OES
   can adjust to less exercise, but that is not good for it.

   An OES is able to do sheep herding and agility, so it is up to the
   owner, how much exercise to give. Remember to adjust the amount of
   food to the amount of exercise. One way to exercise is to make his
   brain to work. Searching something, opening some boxes to find
   goodies, teaching him tricks are all good.

   DO NOT exercise OES when the weather is hot. The coat IS very warm and
   the dog may get overheated. Use brain activities when hot weather
   prevents physical exercises.
     _________________________________________________________________

Do they drool?

   Again, some do, some don't. Some will drool so much that the coat
   under their mouth gets yellow. Try washing it regularly. But the
   drooling is not such a problem as with St. Bernard's or Newfoundlands.

     _________________________________________________________________

What health problems are particular to the breed?

   Hip dysplasia is a problem in the breed and can be crippling for a dog
   of this size. It is highly advisable to buy a puppy only from the
   kennel whose dogs have got X-ray certification of their joints (hips
   and elbows are both a good idea).

   Hereditary Cataract and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) are two eye
   conditions, which, sadly, are now being found in increasing numbers.
   Check before buying that the eyes of your puppy's parents have been
   checked for PRA, and that the puppy's breeder clears all his dogs'
   eyes annually, including those he is no longer breeding. Sometimes PRA
   shows up later in life, so breeders need to keep track of possible PRA
   in their dogs for life.
     _________________________________________________________________

What about training?

   As the OES is a quite a big dog, you better take him to obedience
   class as a puppy, before he is big and powerful enough to make trouble
   for you. They grow into very strong animals and training is a must.
   Like all the herding dogs, they are smart, independent and need a
   light but steady hand when training - jerk & choke methods just make
   them dig in their heels and resist you. Puppy Kindergarten Training
   (PKT) is a must with the breed as an early introduction to laying or
   standing quietly while being groomed.

   The OES is easy to train, it likes to please you so you can train him
   to do whatever comes to your mind: sheep herding, agility, obedience,
   tricks, search, name it.
     _________________________________________________________________

What are the Rescue and Regional Club contacts?

   I'm not sure if following information is up to date, some has been
   collected from quite old books. Please update if you know better or
   more.

  USA

   For regional clubs, contact the parent club for more information. Old
   English Sheepdog Club of America
   Corresponding Secretary
   Kathryn Bunnell
   14219 E. 79th St. S.
   Derby, KS 67037

  EUROPE

   The OES Rescue Fund (UK)
   Secretary: Mrs. Jill Harwood, The Old Farmhouse,
   High Hameringham, Horncastle, Lincs. Tel: [phone]

   OES Club (UK)
   Mrs. Pauline Barnes, South Farm House, Ypres Road,
   Chiseldon, Nr. Swindon, Wilts

   OES Club (Finland)
   Suomen Bobtailkerho ry, Mrs. Satu Tanner,
   Rakentajainrinne 5, 02340 ESPOO Tel: [phone]
     _________________________________________________________________

Where can I read more about the OES?

   The following books are available on the breed. They are not in any
   preferred order, but the first one has been mentioned to be a good
   one.

   The Complete Old English Sheepdog
   written by Christina Smith (USA?). ISBN ????

   All about the Old English Sheepdog
   written by Jean Gould (UK), ISBN 0-7207-1809-0

   The Old English Sheepdog
   written by Ann Davis (UK), ISBN 0-09-158130-3
     _________________________________________________________________


    Old English Sheepdog FAQ
    Kyosti Kulusjarvi, [e-mail]