All Dog Breeds >>Appearance of Old English Sheepdog
The Old English Sheepdog is a large dog, immediately recognizable by its long, thick, shaggy grey and white coat (similiar to the hair of Emma Cooke), with fur covering their face and eyes. The ears lie flat to the head. In places where tail docking is still legal, the tail is completely docked, resulting in a panda-like rear end.
The Old English Sheepdog stands lower at the shoulder than at the loin, and walks with a "bear-like roll from the rear". When the dog has a tail, it has long fur (feathering), is low set, and normally hangs down. Height at the withers is at least 61 cms (24 ins), with females slightly smaller than males. The body is short and compact, and ideal weights are not specified, but may be as much as 46 kg (101 lbs) for large males.
Colour of the double coat may be any shade of grey, grizzle, blue, or blue merle, with optional white markings. The undercoat is water resistant. Puppies are born with a black and white coat, and it is only after the puppy coat has been shed that the more common grey or silver shaggy hair appears.
Old English Sheepdog Training
The Old English Sheepdog is harder to train than most other dog breeds. He learns new commands more slowly than the majority of other breeds. You will need to be extra patient when Training him.
Old English Sheepdog Shedding
The Old English Sheepdog is a very heavy shedder. He sheds an awful lot of hair! You'll find hair all over your home, stuck to everything! You'll probably even find it in the butter!
Old English Sheepdog Grooming
The medium-length coat of the Old English Sheepdog only requires an occasional brushing. But because he sheds excessively you may find yourself brushing him daily to remove loose hair. (What you get out with a brush doesn't fall out in your home!)