Old English Sheepdogs

The Old English Sheepdog is nicknamed the Bobtail, since tail docking was traditional in the old sheepdogs. The breed is well known as the Dulux dog, as a result of their long-running use in advertising Dulux paint. The Old English Sheepdog is a large dog, immediately recognizable by its long, thick, shaggy grey and white coat, with fur covering their face and eyes. The ears lie flat to the head. In places where tail docking is still legal, the tail is completely docked, resulting in a panda-like rear end. The Old English Sheepdog stands lower at the shoulder than at the lion, and walks with a "bear-like roll from the rear". When the dog has a tail, it has long fur (feathering), is low set, and normally hangs down. Height at the withers is at least 61 cms (24 ins), with females slightly smaller than males.The body is short and compact, and ideal weights are not specified, but may be as much as 46 kg (101 lbs) for large males. Colour of the double coat may be any shade of grey, grizzle, blue, or blue merle, with optional white markings. The undercoat is water resistant. Puppies are born with a black and white coat, and it is only after the puppy coat has been shed that the more common grey or silver shaggy hair appears.

History

The origins of the Old English Sheepdog are not well-known, but the general theory is that it was created from the combination of other English or Russian dogs.  The modern version of the breed was created in England and was used for herding cattle and sheep – that much is known.  Some farmers would shear their Old English Sheepdogs and use their plentiful coat to make blankets or clothes as if it were one of the sheep being herded.  The breed was first shown in the UK in 1873.  

There are also few theories about the origin of the Old English Sheepdog. One is that it is related to the Poodle and the Deerhound. Other theories are it is related to the Briard and the Bergamasco, or from Scotch Bearded Collies and the Russian Owtchar, a hairy Russian breed brought to Great Britain on ships from the Baltic. The Old English Sheepdog was developed in the western countries of England by farmers who needed a quick, well-coordinated sheep herder and cattle driver to take their animals to market. The dogs became widely used in agricultural areas. Farmers began the practice of docking the tails in the 18th century as a way of identifying the dogs that were used for working so they could get a tax exemption. For this reason the dogs were given the nick name "Bobtail". Each spring when the sheep were sheared farmers would also shear the dogs coat to make warm clothing and blankets. The Old English Sheepdog has been used for reindeer herding because they tolerate cold weather so well. It was first shown in Britain in 1873 and by the AKC in 1888. Some of the Old English Sheepdog's talents include: retrieving, herding and watchdog.