Spotlight Breed: Old English Sheepdog
Welcome to our Spotlight Breed of the week. This is where we feature a fun and unique dog breed from around the globe. Today we are excited to spotlight the Old English Sheepdog! This athletic dog breed has an unmistakable shaggy coat and stands out amongst the crowd. This breed was originally a drover, helping farmers drive cattle and sheep to the market. However, there is so much more that they can offer. Please continue reading to learn more about the OES!
The best thing about the Old English Sheepdog is that they are adaptable, intelligent, and have an easy disposition. They can live comfortably in small homes and apartments. They are good for novice owners, and they can even tolerate being alone. Because this breed has a thick double coat, they are vulnerable for overheating. If you have an Old English Sheepdog, they will need to stay indoors on warm and humid days. Otherwise, they may suffer complications.
The all-around friendliness of the OES is high. They are a true pleasure to be around! They are affectionate with family as they love to form strong bonds with the people that they love the most. They even get along well with children, other dogs, and strangers. Even though this breed gets along well with others, we still recommend that you continue to work on their socialization skills. This will help them along the way!
You may run into some issues when training an Old English Sheepdog. Although they are intelligent, they have a “what’s in it for me?” attitude. They can form an association between a prompt, an action, and a consequence very quickly, but they will need to a reward for a job well done. This is where positive reinforcement will play a crucial role in the success of the training!
If you are looking for a dog that is sweet and kind and has a high potential for play, then the Old English Sheepdog may be for you! We will leave you with our favorite quote about the breed: “What is a house without a dog? It’s like a fire without a log. No warmth. No spark. No welcoming bark. It’s just not a home without an Old English Sheepdog.”