Among the many large breeds, Bobtail attracts attention. A dog with chic hair and an original suit is also remarkably friendly. Shepherdâs instincts make them formidable protectors and caring nannies for children. The ability of the animal to adapt to the rhythm of the host's life makes the breed attractive to all segments of the population.
History
The British themselves believe that the origin of the Bobtail dog (photo see text) goes back centuries, almost until the time of the Druids. Her ancestors were old shepherd dogs, unknown today. Perhaps some of the animals were brought in by merchants from Europe, but it was so long ago that they are already considered to be the indigenous inhabitants of the British Isles.
Some dog experts say the breed is relatively young. An Old English Sheepdog came from "emigrants": a very large South Russian shepherd dog (from the south of Ukraine) and a French long-haired shepherd dog called briard. They were specially brought into the country to protect the flocks of very expensive fine-fleece merino sheep.
Tribal breeding of large shaggy dogs involved in the counties of Cornwall and Devonshire. Geographically, they are located in the south-west of the country. A mild coastal climate with vast pastures has long favored farmers raising sheep. From the preserved manuscripts of the 17th century, it is known that peasants used large, shaggy âall-weatherâ shepherds to protect the flocks.
The ancestor of all bobtail is considered the dog, presented in London at the Islington exhibition in 1865. The breeders came to grips with the shaggy guard. They set a goal: to get an animal not only with good working qualities, but also attractive in appearance. There is information about attracting the blood of some Russian breeds and long-haired French shepherds.
In 1873, the result of breeding work was presented at an exhibition in Birmingham. He did not delight the audience or the judges. The breeders, Tilly's brothers, continued to work with the breed in the network of their Shepton kennels. Ten years of hard work have borne fruit: standards for the desired type of dog have been approved. The breed received its official name - Old English Sheepdog (Old English Shepherd). Under this name, dogs are included in all pedigree books, including FCI (International Cynological Federation).
In 1888, the eldest of the brothers, Henry Arthur Tilly, headed the first English club of breed lovers. Animals quickly gained popularity around the world. At the end of the XIX century, the breed appeared in the USA and very quickly gained recognition. In 1904, The Old English Sheepdog Club of America was created - an American club of breed lovers that still exists. In Russia, live Bobtail saw only in the seventies of the last century. Today, Moscow is considered a center for breeding dogs.
Description
When describing a Bobtail dog, the appearance of the animal is primarily noted. A large, good-natured, shaggy bear with a funny gait. Has a strong, muscular, proportionately folded body. It features excellent security features. Earlier, when the bobtails still grazed sheep, they coped well with strangers and wolves. An alarm was raised by a powerful uterine bark.
Today it is more of a companion or nanny for children. Dogs are unconditionally loyal to man, they need his company. Itâs easy to walk with them, they never let the owner out of sight, ready at any moment to defend him. Get along well with other pets. They never start a fight, but if the dog is pissed off, he boldly enters into a duel.
Decades of work by breeders have not been in vain - the modern Old English Shepherd dog has a cheerful and friendly disposition, rarely barks. It is distinguished by its excellent ability to learn and intelligence, it can make independent decisions.
Breed standard
According to the FCI classification, animals belong to group 1 âShepherd dogs and cattle dogsâ (excluding Swiss shepherd dogs), section 1 âShepherd dogsâ, the country of origin is Great Britain. Description of Bobtail Dog:
- Sizes. Males grow up to 61 cm at the withers (on average 54 cm), sometimes taller, bitches - up to 55 cm. The weight of animals is not defined by the standard, as a rule, for males - 30-45 kg, females - 25-30 kg.
- Head. The skull is massive, square, medium length. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is clearly pronounced. The muzzle itself is massive, stupidly cropped. The nose is black, large with wide nostrils.
- To fall. Strong and evenly spaced large teeth. Scissor bite - the upper teeth are perpendicular to the jaws and densely overlap the lower teeth, a direct bite is undesirable. The jaws are strong.
- Eyes. Wide-set, blue or dark, multi-colored eyes are acceptable, it is good if the edges of the eyelids are pigmented. The section is oval.
- The ears. Hanging, medium-sized, tightly pressed to the head.
- Neck. Strong, long enough, set high, with a pronounced scruff.
- Torso. Compact, muscular, strong. Withers below the sacrum. The chest is wide and deep. The loin is wide, strong. The back is flat and wide. Tightened line of the abdomen.
- Limbs. The front ones are straight, the skeleton is massive, the elbows are snug against the chest. Hind - muscular, well-developed long legs. The metatarsus is short, and the back is completely straight. The angle of the knees is well defined. The hocks are low. Paws are rounded, small, fingers tightly brought together. The pads are hard and thick. Dewclaws are removed.
- Tail. The original form, sometimes with a thickening at the end up to 5 cm long.
When moving, the swinging of the body is clearly visible, especially when viewed from the rear. It has an elastic gallop and a strong push of the hind legs. At the step and trot manifests amble. Dogs can withstand severe physical exertion.
Color
Bobtail is a dog with a chic coat and original color. The coat is stiff, very thick, has a disheveled appearance without curls. The undercoat is a waterproof down, may vary in length. The coat evenly covers the entire body. Most of all, it is in the area of ââthe croup, neck and hind legs.
Puppies are born black and white, with age, the shade can change. Acceptable colors:
- silver;
- blue;
- all shades of gray.
The back of the body and hind legs are colored uniformly. Paws can have white âsocksâ. On a solid dark area, white spots are undesirable. The front of the body, head, forelegs are white, spots are acceptable. The thoroughbred bobtail cannot have a brown shade of hair. Brown color is not considered a deviation, but not welcome.
Color can have an original pattern in gray-blue, bluish-marble or white colors. Such dogs often have an iris, blue or pearl. When evaluating the animal, not only the length and color of the hair is taken into account, but also its quality, structure and density.
Health
The decent weight of a bobtail dog provokes a disease that is very common for large, massive animals - dysplasia of the hip joints. Dogs in the United States and Great Britain, after a comprehensive study of the genetic predispositions of dogs, identified heritable diseases. These include:
- allergies, including veterinary drugs;
- congenital underdevelopment of the acetabulum (provokes dysplasia of the hip joints);
- century inversion (entropy);
- progressive or congenital deafness;
- diabetes;
- predisposition to thermal shock;
- problem skin;
- cancer (localization and form is the most diverse) - one of the main causes of death of dogs;
- functional disorders of the thyroid gland.
Vision problems:
- glaucoma;
- cataract;
- progressive retinal atrophy.
With proper care, the average life expectancy of Old English Shepherds is 10-12 years.
Character
The balanced nature of the bobtail dog makes it popular among all age categories of owners. Very faithful and courageous dog, without any signs of nervousness or unreasonable aggression. Calm dog, and in apartment conditions even a little lazy, will sleep with pleasure and lie on the couch.
The Old English Shepherd Dog has not lost its protective qualities, and if it violates the borders of its territory, it will definitely give a voice. Easily adapts to new conditions, tolerant and caring for children. Dogs are flexible and non-conflict. They adore the company of the host or family members. Despite their size, they have an instant reaction.
In the reviews about the Bobtail dogs, the owners praise, saying about them only in superlatives - âthe mostâ:
- clever;
- right;
- devotee;
- judicious
- understanding;
- disciplined;
- obedient;
- good-natured.
All these qualities are manifested in shepherds only under the condition of proper education and maintenance.
Care
Keeping a Bobtail dog is a snap. A private country house is perfect, but this breed feels great in the apartment. The activity of the animal requires long walks, preferably with physical activity. Ideally - twice a day. Sheepdogs living in private houses with their own yard are recommended to actively walk a couple of times a week.
Bobtail ears require careful care. They must be regularly cleaned and their hair cut. The eyes are wiped with a damp cotton swab or disc, removing excess mucus and dust. You can use a decoction of chamomile or strong tea. Paws also need to be processed in a timely manner: wash after a walk, cut the wool on the pads, cut the nails.
Excessive salivation leads to discoloration of the hair around the mouth. Prevention is washing the dog several times a day and always after eating. They brush their teeth weekly to ensure fresh breath and prevent tooth problems.
Hair care
Bobtail is a dog that stands out for its luxurious hairline. In order for the long coat to please its appearance, it needs appropriate care. In the hot summer months, animals are sheared (not too short), this facilitates grooming and protects the pet from overheating.
The dog is thoroughly combed two to three times a month. To do this, use special combs. Frequent combing leads to the removal of not only dead hair, but also completely healthy. The appearance of the animal will deteriorate significantly, it will look slightly shabby. Carefully and very carefully comb out the soft undercoat of puppies, this allows you to accelerate its update. The resulting wool is used for knitting warm clothes.
Combing technique:
- wool is treated with a special conditioner;
- the dog is laid on its side;
- combs begin from the spine, the hair is thrown up and the comb is directed against hair growth;
- brush directly on the body of the animal, removing the dead undercoat and simultaneously massaging the body;
- paws scratch against the growth of wool;
- the stomach and chest are combed arbitrarily;
- to cover their eyes, the hair on the head is combed forward.
Bobtails are bathed no more than 4-5 times a year using special shampoo for long-haired dogs. After bathing carefully comb.
Feeding
Bobtail is a large breed dog, and feeding should be appropriate. Animals can be accustomed to a full-fledged natural diet or ready-made dry food. Despite their size, adults eat one to two times a day and are not prone to overeating. Puppies are fed four to five times, gradually reducing the number of feedings. The pet is provided with round-the-clock access to fresh water.
To maintain good physical shape and quality of coat it is better to choose premium feed. For wool, the presence of a water-soluble B-vitamin of biotin is very important. The diet for natural feeding include:
- low-fat raw meat (up to 500 grams per day);
- flour products and cereals;
- raw vegetables;
- eggs
- fish (boneless);
- dairy products: for puppies - milk, for adults - low-fat sour cream, cottage cheese, kefir fermented baked milk;
- offal.
Using
Bobtail dog, a photo of which can be seen in our article, is able to master several "professions". In addition to their direct duties - the protection of farm animals - they perfectly established themselves as circus performers, sled dogs, watchmen, hunters (they can bring their prey), companions. The Old English Shepherd Dog is an indispensable participant in a wide variety of dog shows and sports:
- dog agility - overcoming obstacles and shells on the site;
- obedience training - demonstration of pet obedience;
- rally obedience - the passage of a specific route drawn up by a judge with the owner;
- flaball - catching the ball.
There is one more kind of fascinating competitions where âworkingâ bobtail demonstrate their cattle dog skills. It includes:
- sheep shelter in a small pen;
- a choice of mixed flocks of the sheep of the owner;
- search for a âlostâ sheep in the area and others.
It should be noted the role of these dogs in the rehabilitation of children with disabilities. Good-natured nannies in special English schools âworkâ as professional educators.
Puppies
Before acquiring a friend, you should pay attention to reviews about nurseries. Bobtail is a dog with certain pedigree requirements that are inherited by the offspring. Unscrupulous breeders do not pay attention to the quality indicators of the parent couple. Unsuitable for breeding animals (with congenital defects) will give a weak and defective litter.
Choosing a pet, carefully examine the nose and hair. The nose cannot be pink or gray. Let's say black with a pink spot. The coat is black and white. The fatness of the animal, its mobility, and bite are noted (the upper jaw can slightly go beyond the lower or be even). Gait must be correct and confident.
If the goal is not to acquire a puppy for breeding or to participate in exhibitions, then the suit and some shortcomings, such as the wrong bite, do not play a role for the future owner. Bobtail dog puppy is an expensive treat. In Russia, the average price (depending on the region) ranges from $ 800-1,200. Itâs not worth buying puppies cheaper on the market, not the fact that Bobtail will eventually grow. No one can guarantee that the baby is healthy.
Training
The quick-wittedness and high intelligence of the bobtail makes you train them from early childhood. He will only obey the man who has earned his trust and respect. Training is carried out in a persistent, but friendly form. Physical punishment is unacceptable.
Smart shepherds do not need to explain the essence of the exercise many times, they understand everything the first time. If the dog feels the ownerâs weakness, it will manipulate it without a twinge of conscience. Patient and persistent training will help you get an educated and devoted friend.
It is interesting
A few interesting facts about Old English Shepherds:
- it is one of the oldest breeds;
- if you break the pottery, you can find out how the bobtail bark sounds, only louder and with a little hoarse;
- they are ideal for communicating with children, usually animals of this breed are kept in English schools for children with intellectual disabilities;
- the literal translation of the name of the breed is âshort-tailedâ, puppies are born with short tails or without them at all;
- animals categorically cannot stand loneliness;
- to put it mildly, dogs are not very neat: they molt a lot, drool profusely and smear quite quickly;
- grooming takes a lot of time and effort;
- puppies need a solid upbringing, kids are very active, prone to manifest some violence;
- shaggy dogs are unusually photogenic, only in the USA they managed to make them already in 23 feature films.
In addition, they are frequent heroes of animated films. The famous English company Dulux for many years uses the image of a dog on its logo. In England, there is a legend about the purposeful breeding of a short-tailed large dog. The fact is that in the XVIII century the tax on dogs depended on the length of its tail, the longer it was, the higher the fee. The owners of the Old English Shepherd are many celebrities, among them Sir Paul McCartney.