Old English Sheepdog Information
According to some old histories, the Old English Sheepdog is said to have sprung from the Himalayan herd dog. The Old English Sheepdog is said to be an ancestor of the Russian Sheepdog, which was a larger breed but similar in coat and color.
They were used largely for driving sheep and cattle to markets of the metropolis. The drovers dogs were exempt from taxes and to prove their occupation, their tails were docked. Some believe that the nicknames "bob" and "bobtail" come from the docking of the tails. It is not true that the practice of removing the tail ever produced a breed with naturally bobbed tails or tailless dogs. Very few dogs were ever born without tails, or with very short tails. The tail is removed at the first joint around 3 days old.
Existing records show that the first Old English Sheepdog to have been imported from England into the United States was one "Bob", bought by the Glencho Kennels of East Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1885. Soon after, Bob was exhibited at a show in Philadelphia. By 1890, the breed was in the Westminster Kennel Club Show. At this show, a total of 56 Old English Sheepdogs were entered into competition, showing the breed was beginning to catch on in popularity among American fanciers.
The Old English Sheepdog has great intelligence, affection, and makes an ideal house dog.
Males should be 22 inches and up, females 21 inches and up. Their coat is profuse but not so excessive as to give the impression that the dog is overly fat. It has a good hard texture, not straight but shaggy, and free from curl. They can be any shade of gray, grizzle, blue or blue merle with or without white markings.
Health concerns in the breed include Hip Dysplasia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, and Bloat.
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