The OES Breed Standard ......
Color Any shade of gray, grizzle, blue or blue merle with or without white markings or in reverse. I have never seen an OES that didn't have white on it, yet the standard says with or without white markings??? Is this correct? If so where are these dogs?? |
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| A lot of the dogs way back when had more grey or darker markings on them. Due to people breeding for white heads we have gotten a lot more white in the "normal" dogs that you see. Look at a lot of the European countries where you can't even show a dog that has any flash (grey above the shoulder or in the whites) on it.
http://tolkienoes.com/Seminar_Coat_color.htm About halfway down the page you will see a good description of different markings. Here's one of the darker dogs that you will see now. http://tolkienoes.com/Tolkien_Sweet_Galena.htm She actually looks like she has even more dark markings in person. You probably will not see an all black or all white OES unless it's a fluke in genetics. Because they have 2 colors, so to say, both of those colors will almost always show up. Although, if you get a dog that has no white on it, it would not be a fault. Heavily marked dogs are very difficult to show though. Most judges have a hard time seeing neck and length of leg with the darker markings so they get passed by a lot. Just some trivia! The BYBs and puppy mills of this world also don't breed the more heavily marked dogs because they don't look like the atypical OES and aren't that marketable sitting in a window somewhere. |
| Sweet Galena is a beauty! |
Thanks Mandy. I do think they should clarify their definition, makes it very confusing for people that don't know. Maybe adding something to the fact that the majority of OES are Gray and White. 
Galena has very similar markings to Rags.  |
| I would like to see a compare and contrast article about different OES breed standards around the world.
Any volunteers to help? |
Pepsi's Mommy wrote: Galena has very similar markings to Rags.
Dixie, too! But now that I have seen it I don't think I care for those markings too much in full coat. I don't think I will grow Dixie's out. She looks better in a puppy cut... |
Bosley's mom wrote: Pepsi's Mommy wrote: Galena has very similar markings to Rags. Dixie, too! But now that I have seen it I don't think I care for those markings too much in full coat. I don't think I will grow Dixie's out. She looks better in a puppy cut... I think Dixie is a cutie pie just the way she is. |
| Elissa I have seen a totally all grey OES back in the mid 1990's. Stunning dog, all breed judges did not know what to do with him, he excelled under breed specialist judges as they knew the standard. And he was correct according to the standard.
He did have the tiniest patch of white on his chest, up high, but you would not know that was there. I think because it was fashionable years and years ago to have an OES with White head and white front that these heavier marked dogs were becoming a rarity. If you ever see some breed books on early OES in England around the start of the 1900's you will see pictures dogs nearly all grey in some of the old photos. Now-a-days the trend is towards soundness more so then what the markings are on the dog, so there is a slow return to heavier marked dogs. So maybe in the future we may see an OES that is totally grey without white markings.  |
| Just so they stay healthy and goofy.......they can be all grey. |
| I have another question about coats and eyes. Back when my mom and dad had an OES, they were told something about their oes and I am wondering how true it was or if they were passing on misinformation. Tangham, was huge, he was bigger than usual and had a blue and a brown eye. Friends of my mom and dad told them that it was because he probably decsended from Austrailian OES because they tend to be bigger and have the blue eyes. Is this really true. I have been a member here for a couple of months and havent seen that much difference in size in the OES. Beauford is 6 1/2 months and weighs close to 65lbs. This seems to be close to norm for males. Anyone have any ideas.
PS Mandy and Linda?? it was so cool to meet you and your dogs at the dog show a few weeks back!!!! Your sheepies are adorable. |
| No not true at all, Wall eyes (One Brown, One blue) is common in the breed world wide as is the two brown eyes. Two blue is acceptable but the wall eyes and two brown eyes is preferred.
Size is of no importance, dogs can be 22" and upwards, bitches slightly smaller, there is no height restriction on an OES only that whatever size it is, that the dogs body is balance and in proportion to it's size. Mostly OES in australia have two brown eyes which is more common here then the wall eyes or two blue ones. If you go back in history, a dog in the UK back in the early 1900's was called "Wall Eyed Bob" his name says what his eyes were.
Wall eyes have been in the breed forever since the breed became established.
We have our share here of OES both smaller and bigger like anywhere else in the world. |
| Ron this is the FCI standard which applies to most of Europe. It does vary slightly from our standard here in Australia and the Americas.
FCI-Standard No 16 / 28.11.2003 / GB ORIGIN : Great Britain. DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 29.10.2003. UTILIZATION : Sheepdog. CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs( except Swiss Cattle Dogs). Section 1 Sheepdogs. Without working trial. GENERAL APPEARANCE Strong, square-looking dog of great symmetry and overall soundness. Absolutely free from legginess, profusely coated all over. A thick-set muscular, able-bodied dog with a most intelligent expression. The natural outline should not be artificially changed by scissoring or clipping. Of great stamina, exhibiting a gently rising topline, and a pear-shaped body when viewed from above. The gait has a typical roll when ambling or walking. Bark has a distinctive toned quality. IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS Muzzle measuring approximately half of the total head length. Dog standing lower at withers than loin. BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT A biddable dog of even disposition. Bold, faithful and trustworthy, with no suggestion of nervousness or unprovoked aggression. HEAD In proportion to the size of the body. CRANIAL REGION: Skull : Capacious, rather square. Well arched above eyes. Stop : Well defined. FACIAL REGION : Nose : Large and black. Nostrils wide. Muzzle : Strong, square and truncated. Jaws/Teeth : Teeth strong, large and evenly placed. Scissor bite. : jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Pincer bite tolerated but undesirable. Eyes : Set well apart. Dark or wall eyes. Two blue eyes acceptable. Light eyes undesirable. Pigmentation on the eye rims preferred. Ears : Small and carried flat to side of head. NECK Fairly long, strong, arched gracefully. BODY Rather short and compact. Dog standing lower at withers than loin. Loin : Very sturdy, broad and gently arched. Chest : Deep, capacious brisket. Ribs well-sprung. TAIL Customarily docked or natural bobtail. Docked : Customarily completely docked. Undocked : Unobtrusive when standing. Low set. Never curled or carried over back, with no kink evident. Well feathered with abundant hard-textured coat. LIMBS FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs perfectly straight, with plenty of bone, holding body well from ground. Shoulders : Should be well laid back, being narrower at the point of withers than at the point of shoulder. Loaded shoulders undesirable. Elbows : Fitting close to brisket. HINDQUARTERS : Quarters well covered, round and muscular. Stifle : Well turned. Second thigh : Long and well developed. Hocks : Set low. From the rear, the hocks should be quite straight. FEET : Turning neither in nor out. Small, round and tight. Toes well arched. Pads thick and hard. Dew claws should be removed. GAIT / MOVEMENT When walking, exhibits a bear-like roll from the rear. When trotting, shows effortless extension and strong driving rear action, with legs moving straight along line of travel. Very elastic at the gallop. At slow speeds, some dogs may tend to pace. When moving, the head carriage may adopt a naturally lower position. COAT HAIR : Profuse, of good harsh texture, not straight, but shaggy and free from curl. Undercoat of waterproof pile. Head and skull well covered with hair, ears moderately coated, neck well coated, forelegs well coated all round, hindquarters more heavily coated than rest of body. Quality, texture and profusion to be considered above mere length. COLOUR : Any shade of grey, grizzle or blue. Body and hindquarters of solid colour with or without white socks, White patches in the solid area to be discouraged. Head, neck, forequarters and under belly to be white or with or without markings. Any shade of brown undesirable. SIZE Dogs 61 cm ( 24 inches) and upwards. Bitches 56 cm ( 22 inches) and upwards. Type and symmetry of greatest importance, and on no account to be sacrified to size alone. FAULTS Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog. Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified. NB : Male animals must have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. This amended breed standard will become effective from April 2004. |
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