Old English Sheepdog

Before giving an Old English Sheepdog a forever home, consider any possible health issues. Not every dog experiences them, but it’s important to be prepared.

For more advice on potential health issues for Old English Sheepdogs, speak to your local vet. Some practices offer ‘pre-purchase consultations.’ These tell you about potential health conditions, management options and an idea of financial costs.

If you’re considering buying a puppy, they can advise you on finding a responsible breeder and testing for genetic diseases.

Any breed of dog needs basic preventative healthcare like vaccinations and flea and worming treatments. Pet insurance is also important to help cover your vet bills. 

There is no set amount for how much food your Old English Sheepdog needs. This depends on their:

• age
• size
• activity levels
• fitness
• weight.

The information on dog food packets can be a helpful guide, but you still need to adapt the portion size to your dog’s individual needs.

It’s helpful to know your Old English Sheepdog’s body condition when deciding how much food to give them. You can find out about body condition scoring through the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WVASA).

Check with your vet to find out more. 

Old English Sheepdogs are usually moderately active dogs who need regular exercise and stimulation to keep them physically and mentally healthy.

They need daily walks, plus plenty of time and opportunity to explore, burn energy, and play. Like all dogs, they need training and benefit from daily enrichment.

If you enjoy regular time outdoors, this breed could be a great match for you.

Old English Sheepdogs, like all dogs, need training and daily enrichment. When exercising your Old English Sheepdog, consider their:

• age
• health
• personality.  

Young or growing pups, for example, might need a few short walks instead of one long one. Exercise plans for older, injured, or ill dogs may need to be adapted based on advice from your vet. Quiet, peaceful walks may suit some dogs, where others may require something more sociable.

Ask your vet for advice on exercising your dog. 

Old English Sheepdogs shed heavily. Introduce handling and grooming slowly and in a positive way. This will help your pooch feel more comfortable with it. Grooming is more enjoyable for everyone if your dog feels relaxed and confident. 

When inside their crate, your dog should have plenty of space to:

• sit and stand up at their full height
• turn around without touching the sides
• lie down fully stretched out
• comfortably wag their tail.

It's important to build up the time dogs spend in their crate gradually and to help them associate it with good things happening.

Just like you, every dog is an individual with their own unique personality and prior experiences. So, every Old English Sheepdog temperament is different.

As dogs grow from puppies, they learn all about the world. They develop their own likes and dislikes and learn to respond to situations in different ways.

For example, some dogs might like meeting other dogs and some may not. Some might like new experiences and others may need to go slowly. 

Any dog can be taught new tricks, whatever their breed. It’s all about positive learning. Find out what motivates your dog, whether that’s treats, toys or praise. You can use this as a reward throughout training to make it a positive experience for everyone.

They also need some useful life skills like recall, loose lead walking and settling. This will ensure that you and your pup can both feel relaxed spending time together out and about or at home.  

Every dog has a different personality shaped by their life experiences. They develop likes and dislikes as they grow, and react differently to situations.

However, some ways of respecting and behaving safely around dogs are universal to all pooches.

It’s important for the whole family to know about this. To learn more, why not book one of our family workshops on living happily together? They’re suitable for children aged seven to eleven.