Old English Sheepdog Bobtail ~ Bob ~ OES found in Russia, Baltic, Great Britain and France

Family: Canidae

Description The English Sheepdog is a large, strong, squarely proportioned dog. It weighs about 60-100 pounds and stands about 21-24 inches tall, with females being slightly smaller than males. It is about as long as it is tall (from paw to shoulder). The rump stands slightly higher than the shoulders, though this characteristic is often exaggerated by its fluffy coat. The head is square-shaped with a large black nose. The eyes are brown or blue or one of each. The medium-sized ears drop down. The legs are well-proportioned with the body. The tail is either naturally bobbed or docked (amputated).
This breed has a heavy double coat with the undercoat being soft and downy and the guard hairs being long and coarse. They are neither straight nor curly, but simply wavy. Coat colors include blue, gray, blue gray, and blue merle. All color varieties can be seen with or without white markings. The facial hair grows long, impeding the dog's vision. If the dog is not going to be shown, the hair can be cut. Otherwise, some owners use a band to keep the hair out of the dog's eyes when they are not at shows. This breed has a low pitched, loud bark. Its average lifespan is 10-12 years.

Care and Feeding This breed requires no special diet. However, they do have rather demanding grooming needs. They require thorough brushing at least three times a week in order to prevent matting. The brushing must address both the outer and undercoats in order to avoid compacting the undercoat. Each brushing can take an hour or more. It is also important to trim the hair between the toes and the balls of the feet. If the dog is not being shown, it can be trimmed to ¼"-1" by a professional electric shearer in the spring.
Old English Sheepdogs need regular checkups. Vaccinations are due as follows:

• 6-8 weeks: Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo, and Corona virus (DHLPPC)
• 10-12 weeks: Second DHLPPC
• 14-16 weeks: Third DHLPPC and rabies
• Annually: DHLPPC and rabies booster