Buyer question
Is an Old English Sheepdog good for beginners?
It can be: our Animal Library rates the Old English Sheepdog 3 out of 5 for beginners (coat is the hard part).
Source: the Old English Sheepdog page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Old English Sheepdog in the Animal Library
The detail
An English drover's dog bred to move cattle and sheep to market, the Old English Sheepdog is big, playful and clownish, with one of the most demanding coats of any breed. It is gentle with family but needs exercise and serious grooming.
- Temperament
- Playful, gentle, smart
- Best fit
- Families with grooming time
- Trainability
- 3 out of 5 (Smart, independent)
- Energy
- 3 out of 5 (1 hr exercise daily)
- Grooming load
- 5 out of 5 (Hours weekly or clip short)
What to weigh
A full coat needs several hours of brushing a week or regular professional clipping, and it carries dirt and water into the house. Puppies are large, bouncy and slow to mature.