Shed or not?
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| I would stay VERY far away from the sites that say OES' shed.
They are no different than any other "non-shedding" dog you can think of... Difference would be their size compared to many of them. Humans are not "shedding breeds" but we have hair strands that fall out here and there, and more strands ...the longer the hair gets. OES' are the same way except have quadruple the amount of hair on their body. If your neighbor has a sheepdog, why not go over and pet their dog wearing a black shirt. A HEALTHY OES will not shed EVEN IN THE SPRING. You may have a few strands on your shirt, but nothing that won't come off like the fur on a lab, pug, retriever,etc. BTW, hope you join the forum to learn more about the breed and share your sheepie experiences  |
| I've only owned one sheepie which passed away over 2 months ago at age 10 1/2. She harldy ever shed her whole life. My husband and I were just discussing this today as we are dog sitting for my sister's Blue Heeler.....she sheds WAAAAAY more that Roxy ever did. I have had to vaccume every day since she got here and she is here until next Saturday. She sleeps on the foot of the bed on her blanket which I washed when she got here a few days ago...thinking that my sis hadn't washed it for a while becasue of all the hair on it. Turns out...sis wash's her blanket quite often. I'm not used to all this dog hair in my house....yikes!! She's a sweetie tho and has been great company for our Andy......although Andy at 13 has to put her in her place once in a while.....(Sugar) is only 2.....and gets too out of control for him at his old age. |
| Having 2 OES and 1 Beardie I would say they dust- bunnie more than shed.
In my humble opinion, they do not "blow" their coats in spring and fall so we do not have small hairs in the fibers of our clothes..we do have strands of hair that a lint brush easily take care of, along with my own hair  |
| Thanks for the help! That's what we thought - we should take the neighbor's word for it. But, I was surprised to see so many sites distributing incorrect information. Thanks for setting us straight! |
| It almost seems like the people who write on those
'informative sites' think that all large dogs, especially long haired breeds, shed a lot. If you keep your dog in a long coat you'll be brushing so much you won't notice much shedding at all. I do agree that they tend to produce dust bunnies, but not shedding like most double coated breeds. Keeping your sheepie in a shorter coat also cuts down on the hairball bunnies that crop up with the longer coat. Shellie |
| I totally agree with Shellie. Those people that are giving that info know nothing about OES. I have two and neither have ever shed.
OES do not have fur, they have hair. Just like humans they will occassionally lose some hair here and there. Of course the longer the hair, the more you will notice it. If you keep up with brushing your dog should not be shedding. |
| A lot of people who say that OES shed are not grooming their dogs appropriately so they get a lot of breakage and the like which leaves hair. Just as if you didn't brush your hair regularly, you'd see a bunch of gross hair around.
Keeping up on the brushing or shaving your sheepdog will leave you with no real hair residue. The other problem, and one that happens at my house, is that if you have multiple dogs and they play with each other, they'll end up tearing out hair. Also, if you have jagged surfaces in your house, they could tear out hair. The cabinet pulls that I have in my kitchen have points on them and the dogs like to lean. Well, every so often there will be tufts of hair laying around from that. If someone had no clue what they were talking about, they'd think that that hair was from shedding. |
Quote: The other problem, and one that happens at my house, is that if you have multiple dogs and they play with each other, they'll end up tearing out hair. Also, if you have jagged surfaces in your house, they could tear out hair. The cabinet pulls that I have in my kitchen have points on them and the dogs like to lean. Well, every so often there will be tufts of hair laying around from that.
AND.........ACCIDENTALLY stepping on a laying sheepie's (hair), them getting up and finding hair under your feet............  |
| I hate to always be the one speaking up [negatively] on the shedding issue but ;
SOME SHEEPIES DO SHED I know conventional wisdom says they don't and many may not but SOME DO. Tasker has ALWAYS shed, TERRIBLY. We groom and groom and groom but at certain times of the year I MUST vacumme on a daily basis. The canister of my Dyson is full of dog hair AS WE SPEAK. One of the reasons I keep him clipped is because I cannot deal with the hair all over everything. It isn't as bad a say a labrador or golden but because the hair is longer it seems like more. I don't know if it's is poor breeding (Tasker come from a backyard breeder) or health (Tasker has had allergy problems but I don't consider him "unhealthy", old but not unhealthy) but he does shed. |
Tasker's Mom wrote: I don't know if it's is poor breeding (Tasker come from a backyard breeder) or health (Tasker has had allergy problems but I don't consider him "unhealthy", old but not unhealthy) but he does shed.
Um yes X2? |
I also wonder if it is people's perception of what shedding is. I think if someone sees a hair on the ground, they call it shedding...Even if it's just the one hair  |
barney1 wrote: I also wonder if it is people's perception of what shedding is. I think if someone sees a hair on the ground, they call it shedding...Even if it's just the one hair
Right. True "shedding" usually occurs in a season. We've all seen dogs like, say a Norwegian Elkhound or Chesapeake Bay Retriever that have to be plucked a couple of times a year because that's the season that their hair begins to shed. (I only use them as an example because it's so obvious when it happens). When I brush Lucy in the spring, I swear half of her coat comes out. Every time she shakes, hair flies! The only pieces of Clyde I ever find are on the brush and in Bear's mouth. |
Maxmm wrote: Tasker's Mom wrote: I don't know if it's is poor breeding (Tasker come from a backyard breeder) or health (Tasker has had allergy problems but I don't consider him "unhealthy", old but not unhealthy) but he does shed. Um yes X2? 
Well, that may be the case but I think the statement should read; sheepies should not shed. With so many backyard breeders at work out there I think it's unfair to prospective owners make a blanket statement. Just another reason to do ou homework and go with a reputable breeder. |
| I just take it for granted anymore that with all the education we do both here on the forum and in person that people would buy from a reputable breeder.
Yes, amend to read: a properly bred Old English Sheepdog should not shed. |
I am trying to remember what site I was on the other day when I read that OES shed profusely. I was really shocked. It was an all breed sight and gave general information about different breeds. Just made me wonder if any of the other info they had on there was correct.  |
| When I was trying to get info on OES, I also read on several websites that they shred profusely. When I think shedding, I think of the life-size sculpture of Sydney in the corner...you thought it was the cat, but it's just the hair he left behind. When (if) he sneezes, his hair floats away like a cloud. We have cat hair tumbleweeds on the tile floor. Now, that is shedding! (We brush him daily and I do clean up the tumblweeds!)
There are probably just a lot of misconceptions going on out there. I've also had probably a dozen people or so ask me, "How can you get a sheepdog in this Texas heat?!" As if I'm cruel or something! I told them their hair helps to protect against cold AND heat, and plus, she'll be an inside dog. And you can trim their hair in the summer. It gets hot lots of places, not just in TX!  |
1st Time OES Mommy wrote: As if I'm cruel or something! I told them their hair helps to protect against cold AND heat, and plus, she'll be an inside dog. And you can trim their hair in the summer. It gets hot lots of places, not just in TX!
Actually, that's a myth. Their coat does NOT protect them from the heat, which is why many people clip their dogs down. It's important to take precautions in the heat because of this so the dogs don't overheat. Please read this thread: http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?t=2554 |
ButtersStotch wrote: Actually, that's a myth. Their coat does NOT protect them from the heat, which is why many people clip their dogs down.
Really?! I've read that in so many places! Geez, I guess you can't trust a lot of what you read out there (like the profusive shedding comments). Regardless of the temperature outside, our dog will live indoors. We'll take her outside for walks and playing and stuff, but I won't ever just leave her out there. And since we won't show our dog, she'll never have a super-long coat. |
| http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?t=2554
Goodness that thread is technical! Maybe the myth started because people mean that the coat will help protect against sunburn, as opposed to protecting against the dog being hot? I'm sure the coat would do that much, right? Regardless, I'm sure it's best to be trimmed in the summer. |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: I am trying to remember what site I was on the other day when I read that OES shed profusely. I was really shocked. It was an all breed sight and gave general information about different breeds. Just made me wonder if any of the other info they had on there was correct.
Was it this site: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/oldenglishsheepdog.htm It's NOTORIOUS for giving wrong info. I have written them before about a mistake they had about Briard's (before I knew about this site). Their website almost always comes up first when researching a breed. I used them to get to know what breeds are out there back when I was 19 or so. |
| Dog.com isn't much better either. I think every personality trait they have for the Komondor is off. It makes them sound like savage beasts. |
| No, that wasn't it, but it is a similar site. This one listed dogs by AKC groups. I'll look through my history and see if I can find it. |
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