I need to know the basics.
How much do they eat? How often do they need shots? How hard is it to train them? Things of that nature. I'd be thankful for any helpful information. I need to convince my dad that me getting one of these beautiful dogs is a good idea, and to do that i need to know the facts. Who better to ask then the people who know first hand? Thanks again.  |
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| I would recommend that you browse the many posts on this forum. There not much that hasn't been discussed about care, feeding, grooming, training and health issues. I would also recommend you bookmark www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamerica.org.
Sheepdogs truly are wonderful creatures; however they are a HIGH MAINTENANCE AND EXPENSIVE BREED: Figure on 4 hours a week of brushing if you keep them in full coat or $75.00 a month for grooming. Feeding an 80 - 100 lb dog will cost you about $30 to $40 a month. Figure on $150 per year on vet bills for basic shots and annual check up, assuming no health problems. A pet quality dog from a reputable breeder will cost $800 - 1200, a show quality dog will run up to $2500. A good breeder will not just sell you a dog, but will qualify you as if you were adopting a baby, and their pups will come with a guarantee and may require you to sign certain agreements. The sire and dam will both have certificates of good hips and eyes. They will not let you take a pup home with you before it is 8-12 weeks old. Then there are the initial capital outlays: Kennel, grooming table and grooming tools, and training: housebreaking, obedience classes. Sheepdogs are a highly active breed and require daily exercise. An adult dog requires at least an hour of exercise a day - that's typically a 3 to 4 mile walk. Otherwise they get bored and develop behavioral problems. Dogs are pack animals; the pack must have a leader. Either it you, or your dog. With a 100 lb dog, it better be you. So you have to learn how to establish that position. Finally remember that you are committing yourself to caring and loving that pup for 12 to 15 years; regardless of whether you eventually get married, have a family, are transferred to another country by your employer, or join the armed forces. He's your baby! Good luck on your decision. George, Barney and Maggie |
| Thanx for the info!
Much appreciation!! |
| Hi, and WELCOME to the forum! You're at the beginning of your exciting years in your life! There will be plenty of time to own a dog of your own.
Most of the successful owners of this dog are people who are "well established" already -- they have a life partner and a home of their own and things in their lives have started to settle down. Frequently they own their own home and have already had children or plan on not having any. Dogs require a routine. I know that when I was 17 or 20 my life had very little of that! Dogs require you to come home and to take them for walks several times per day, rain or shine, party or no party, prom or no prom. Your life will revolve around the dog in some ways more than having a child. A child you can take with you when you go shopping, or visiting with all your relatives or at Thanksgiving and they are welcome (or at least tolerated) everywhere. Frequently your dog will have to stay home, and you will have to leave to go take care of him/her. After the destructive and difficult puppy years (2 years for this breed!), you will have a four-footed 2 year old for the next 12-13 years. Will your spouse like this breed? So where will you be when you are 30 and your dog needs special senior care, and carrying around as his hips aren't working too well anymore, and he can't control his potty time anymore? Please don't feel unwelcome here! I'm just trying to answer your questions honestly.  |
| Thats some of the things i was thinking about. But i figured if i get it now, i will be able to work her into my life easier. I have a basoc routine but nothing is to set in stone, so the pup would be able to be amended in nicley. Im 100% dedicated to taking top notch care of her. |
| The first thing that came to my mind when I read this:
Are you going away for college? Because sheepdogs can't live in dorms, so your dog would then become your parents' dog...are you parents okay with this possibility? Also, many apartments don't allow dogs, especially big dogs, so it might making finding a place to live in the future more difficult if you have the dog with you. Sheepdogs are great dogs, so I hope it works out for you...good luck! |
| Thats one of the things i have to figure out. "where am i gunna keep my dog when i go to school?" but im sure that my aunt and uncle would take it. They have a dog already, a nice sized yard, and i'd pay for the food and visit as often as i could. I still have to ask them if they would be willing to do that for me of course. Nothing is set in stone yet. Even if i cant get one now, i will get one someday. And the collage im gunan goto is only 3 years (full time all year round) so i'd be done with it pretty quick. I love these dogs. Ive wanted one since i was 7. |
| I wanted one since early childhood as well. I got my first one when I was 30, married for 6 years and we bought a house.
Somethings like sheepdogs are worth the wait. I really think you ought to wait. School will be hard enough, inconvenient enough, expensive enough, time consuming enough without a really deep commitment to a sheepdog "weighing you down." I have an idea: Until your life reality catches up with your desires, how about spending some time with Sheepdog Rescue (or even an all-breed shelter) to get your K9 fix? Maybe find a Sheepdog gathering in your area? That passion for a sheepie will keep, and it will be SO COOL when you finally get one! Not many things in life are SO COOL when you're 30 !
Anyway, I'm so glad you're thinking these things through before acting. More questions are welcome! |
| By the way, that's a really cool avatar of Paul & Martha. Where'd you find it? |
Ron wrote: By the way, that's a really cool avatar of Paul & Martha. Where'd you find it?
To be honest i dont remember. lol Ive had it on my photobucket for a real long time. Im a bit of a Macca fan. i know this is a little of topic, but are there any other macca fans here? |
Ron wrote: I wanted one since early childhood as well. I got my first one when I was 30, married for 6 years and we bought a house.
Somethings like sheepdogs are worth the wait. I really think you ought to wait. School will be hard enough, inconvenient enough, expensive enough, time consuming enough without a really deep commitment to a sheepdog "weighing you down." I have an idea: Until your life reality catches up with your desires, how about spending some time with Sheepdog Rescue (or even an all-breed shelter) to get your K9 fix? Maybe find a Sheepdog gathering in your area? That passion for a sheepie will keep, and it will be SO COOL when you finally get one! Not many things in life are SO COOL when you're 30 ! Anyway, I'm so glad you're thinking these things through before acting. More questions are welcome! Really the only thing that is stoping me is i dont wanna neglect it when im at school. But i dont wanna wait 3+ years either! lol If i were to wait till i was out of school, i'd say it'd be around 2013 or so when i did get a dog. The school i am hoping to get into helps you find a job after you graduate. so that should help a bit! make life a wee bit simpler. There is just this void i feel, and i need something to fill it, and i believe that a loving caring fun ball of poof is just what i need. |
| Macca fan? Do you mean you're a Paul McCartney fan?
I'm a Beatles fan... but Ringo was always my favourite. I uploaded a bunch of pictures of Martha that I've collected... found them on the internet. When they're approved you can save copies of them.
Why would you have to wait until 2013? Wouldn't it be best to wait until you have a stable income and stable home/family situation.... i.e. when you are done school, have a job and a place of your own? |
| Hi!
Great advice from the posts above for you. In the meantime, see if there is a OES rescue picnic or an OES breeder near you. As a matter of fact, the rescues love volunteers. You could learn to work with sheepies and get your sheepie hugs too. You can have first hand experience and ask questions of an experienced owner at picnic or breeder. You could learn what is involved in the day to day care. They also require alot of your time. This is not a breed who likes to be alone. They adore company and want to be with you (or a reasonable substitute who likes to play frisbee  )
You appear to be dedicated to your love of animals, and specifically sheepdogs. Learn all you can now. One advantage of waiting, is when you are at a settled point in your life, you may want to get involved in showing your OES. There are many more comittments for showing, but several members here are very involved and can let you know what that experience is like. Good for you for doing your research and please keep in touch here at the forum. Sheepie hugs to you from Bogart! Best wishes to you! |
| In the meantime you could sign up with a sheepdog rescue group and you can be a foster home for sheepdogs in need of a permanent home. That could certainly fill the void you feel.
Then when you go away to school you can stop being a foster mom for a few years, then get a sheepdog when you're done school. |
Sheepie Heaven wrote: Macca fan? Do you mean you're a Paul McCartney fan?
I'm a Beatles fan... but Ringo was always my favourite. I uploaded a bunch of pictures of Martha that I've collected... found them on the internet. When they're approved you can save copies of them. Why would you have to wait until 2013? Wouldn't it be best to wait until you have a stable income and stable home/family situation.... i.e. when you are done school, have a job and a place of your own? All that would happen (if all goes well) by 2013. School would only be 3 years, and i tacked on a couple years just for settling down. I graduate High school in 08. College would be 3 years straight thru, no summer vacations ( O_O) so that would all end in 2011 or so. So by 2012 or 13 o could probably get the dog and have some sense of stability on my life. I'd rather have a dog, then kids, cuz i'd hate for the kids to beat on a little pup, ya know? If she is a bit bigger she could take the hair pulling and all that. I would of course tell the kids thats a no no, but still, thats what kids do. |
Sheepie Heaven wrote: In the meantime you could sign up with a sheepdog rescue group and you can be a foster home for sheepdogs in need of a permanent home. That could certainly fill the void you feel.
Then when you go away to school you can stop being a foster mom for a few years, then get a sheepdog when you're done school. That would be really cool but i think i'd have a hard time saying good bye. And to do that over and over, it'd brake my heart. and ya, by macca i meant McCartney. |
| Are thre any other key things i should know that have not been mentioned in here? |
| Well, in a two-page thread with shortish responses, we've probably missed something you should consider. In fact, were you to read every post on the forum, we'd probably still miss something.
The main things to consider (in my mind) are: 1. Time committment (grooming, walking, playing, for 12-15 years) 2. Monetary committment (vet bills, food, toys, grooming tools/groomer) 3. Location (our pup got pretty stressed out when we moved) 4. Your future (what the future holds for items 1-3) At the end of the day, your situation is different from mine and different from everyone else's. There could be factors critical to your decision (cleanliness, drippy beard, bringing in small rodents in the voluminous coat) that are of far less importance to us. Given your unwillingness to have to be separated from your dog while at school, and the likelihood that you won't have a lot of spare time to visit (and groom and walk and train) while in school, I'd suggest waiting. I know it's hard (and I do - see below), but waiting just makes it that much more special when you do get one. To chime in a little on the waiting game - my parents had an OES when I was born. She was put down (rescue with bad hips, bad eyes, terrible arthritis) when I was 5, and I've wanted one ever since. Due to circumstances beyond my control (school, moving a lot, no backyard, no time, etc...), I put off getting a dog until I was 25, in a stable relationship, with a house and a backyard, stable work environment and all that. Man, I sound like Ron. If no one else has mentioned it, think of a dog as your child. Are you ready and prepared to have a baby? If not, then you're probably not ready for a dog. A lot of the concerns (time, money, moving, known changes in the future) are the same for both decisions. If so, all the better, and I hope you're successful in finding an OES who warms your heart and enhances the next 12-15 years of your life. What part of the world are you in? There are members here from most parts of the globe - they can probably put you in touch with a local shelter/rescue group where you could volounteer and get to play with pooches that way, without the committment of having one of your own. |
| I have been hesitant to chime in here, because I hate to sound like a parent and tell you things you don't want to hear...
But, unfortunately, I agree with what everyone else has been saying. I know I wanted a dog SOOOO badly when I was in college. But, in the end, I'm glad I waited until I graduated to get one. It's easy to think now that you know where you'll be or what you'll be doing for the next several years - I know I had my life exactly planned out when I was your age. Needless to say, none of it happened the way I had planned. If you really want a dog, which I can tell that you do, then you'll want to be there with it all the time, for all those special moments in its life just like you would for a child. When you go to college, if your aunt and uncle agree to watch it (and feed it and bathe it and groom it and train it), then it will essentially be their dog. It will bond with them more than with you, the occasional visitor, and you will miss many of those special moments. Plus, you never know what opportunities may come your way in college. When I entered college, I had no intention of going overseas. But an opportunity came up and I ended up spending several months in Ukraine. You don't want to miss out on things b/c you can't take your dog with you or take away from your experiences by feeling guilty that you're leaving your dog at home without you. Enjoy your freedom now. You have the rest of your life to enjoy a dog. Okay, I'll stop blabbing now, I just wanted to give you some more things to think about... If you happen to be in east TN, you can come over and play with my sheepie anytime! I could always use a good petsitter! |
martha0my0dear wrote: There is just this void i feel, and i need something to fill it, and i believe that a loving caring fun ball of poof is just what i need.
Perhaps a hamster or guinea pig would suffice until you're established in life after college? Seriously, if you leave your sheepdog with your aunt and uncle, she will become their dog. I fostered a sheepdog while in high school and it was an eye opening experience. A local OES rescue group may be happy to have your help and you could gain valuable experience. Hanging out here on the forum until then will give you a great head start. Be sure to consider the welfare of the dog before you jump into this decision. Changes in jobs and housing and lack of time are top reasons for owners surrendering their OES. Please don't let your dream of owning an OES turn into another rescue statistic. |
| I got Walter when I was in college, and he currently lives with my parents. I visit him every weekend and take him to the vet, do his grooming, give him meds, buy his food, etc. I plan on taking him back when I have a place and a job. So my opinion is that it can be done! The number one thing would be to make sure you have someone to help you out, like parents or your aunt and uncle. Good luck! |
| I'd say there are more than a few Beatles/Macca fans here...but I'm the biggest!
My male OES is named Maxwell Silver Hammer (a song from Abbey Road)....my female is Stella Blue (Paul's daughter is named Stella). I'm a musician and songwriter because of the Beatles...saw them on Ed Sullivan when I was nine amd my world changed right then and there. I played the John Lennon parts in a all Beatle band here in Memphis called Daytripper and I still play private parties as a solo act doing all Beatles and 60's British Invasion music. Now...to get to your question...I would NOT get a OES until you were ready to settle down in one place...these dogs are very task oriented and like a great deal of familiarity in their lives. Until you have the time to devote to a OEs, I would not get one...but when you DO...you will be rewarded with all the love and devotion you can handle. It's not a decision to take lightly...the expense and maintenance can be overwhelming if you're not 100% ready. That said, get one when you're ready....you won't regret it! |
| Ive come to the conclusion ( with a little help from some friends...lol) to wait till im out of school and all that. It wont be too long, but it still kinda pains me, ya know. I was thinking about that whole thing, the leaving her with my A&U, and how she would no longer be mine. i'd hate that. once i took her back she'd probably be sad and miss them a lot, and i'd hate to put some one thru that. so im gunna wait. Plus, right now i should probably be saving up for school costs. Ug.
Thanks for all yur help everyone! And im SO the biggest Macca fan here. |
 I wonder if he would like another sheepdog... |
| He may still have some. Martha had babies and as far as i know he kept them.... or at least one. |
| But that was 40 years ago... at least 6 or 7 generations, I'd guess. |
martha0my0dear wrote: Ive come to the conclusion ( with a little help from some friends...lol) to wait till im out of school and all that.
I am so happy to hear that. I've been avoiding posting because I didn't want my views to sound like a "your too young" speech! I am the youngest child in my family and I heard that phrase too many times in my life!! 
I'm very impressed with the way you have approached this situation from the very beginning. Looking to learn the facts and figures of owning and properly caring for an OES, and listening to everyone's opinions even though you probably wished they were saying something else! I think you have made a very mature decision. When the time is right you will no doubt make an excellent "mom" to a sheepie! Consider the suggestions to volunteer, dog-sit, etc. but most importantly enjoy the remainder of your high school and college career. It really does fly by! Oh! By the way, my sheepie is Lucy...as in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds! |
| Now that you've made one decision, now work on getting involved with sheepdogs in some of the ways suggested previously!
I wanna see pictures of you with a shelter dog or at a sheepdog show! |
| Paul still has sheepdogs...descendents of Martha...as a matter of fact, he has one on the cover of Paul Is Live
http://www.maccafan.net/Albums/PaulIsLive/Paullive.htm if that don't work, google Paul Is Live under images http://www.maccafan.net/Albums/PaulIsLive/Paullive.htm |
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