The Old English Sheepdog is a breed of dog used for herding livestock, and as a pet. They are best known for their shaggy grey and white fur which also covers their face, including their eyes, which leads some casual observers to wonder how they can see.
With very few exceptions, the Old English Sheepdog's tail is cut off at or below the first joint as puppies. The procedure, known as docking or "bobbing" the tail produces the panda-like rear end. Puppies are born with jet black and white fur further likening them to the panda bear. It is only after the puppy coat has been shed that the more common gray or silver shaggy hair appears. A nickname for the Old English Sheepdog is "bobtail".
In some areas, they are often known as a Dulux dog, as a result of their prolonged use in advertising Dulux paint.
Appearance
Males generally weigh 70 to 100 pounds(45 kg); females, 60 to 80 pounds. They stand around 22 inches at the withers. Their long coats can be any shade of gray, grizzle, blue, or blue merle, with optional white markings. The undercoat is water resistant. The Old English Sheepdog's abundant coat is an effective insulator in both hot and cold weather.
Temperament
The Old English Sheepdog breed is intelligent, funny, social, and adaptable, although they sometimes seem to not be all that intelligent on first impressions. It generally gets along well with children, other dogs, other pets, and visitors. Like all herding breeds, it requires plenty of exercise, both mental and physical. They are bubbly and playful, and some times may be stubborn, depending on their mood. Sheepdogs are excellent, intuitive and loving companions, even earning the title "babysitter" or "Dear Nanny" around young children. The herding instinct that has been carried down through the generations is still astonishing. An example of how this instinct would apply to modern times would be when recently a group of 8 young children were playing in the sand on a beach. The children had staked an 8' diameter plot for their endeavors. The male sheepdog, not knowing any of the children quickly assesses the situation. When one of the children gets up and tries to leave the group, the sheepdog, constantly vigilant, circles the group and barks at the children, intimidating the standing child. The child becomes frustrated as he seemingly cannot overpower the sheepdog, quickly tires of the situation and resumes making mud pies with the others. The sheepdog then lies down, one eye open to continue watching the children.
The Old English Sheepdogs are tender and catch on quickly to things like boundaries and little things such as doing a trick for a treat. These animals are gentle with other dogs and are always willing to play.