Should I?
My mother-in-law has a 3 year old male OES called Albert. As she looks after our 8 month old girl, both dog and baby are familiar with each other and there have been no problems. We are looking to get a family dog and there is the possibility of our adopting Albert. My concern is that Albert has not been well looked after and has not been trained. He is in poor physical condition for his age, he pulls when he walks and does not 'do what he is told'. |
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| No dog is going to ''do'' what he is told unless he is trained to do so...and sometimes it takes a lot of training and patience!
if albert and your daughter get along, then some small battle has been won...but remember, youll have 2 ''kids'' to deal with...and you cant leave albert alone with your daughter no matter how well trained he is. i guess, you can only go by your heart...but there is never going to be a dog that you can just bring home and not train..small or large, every dog needs to be trained to find and fit his/her place in the family. |
| Thanks, Darcy.
I understand your point about any dog needing training. Is it possible to know (roughly) how difficult it's likely to be with Albert, as he's no longer a puppy at 3 years old? |
| If I were in your shoes I would ask myself....
1. Will I have the time it takes to get Albert the training he will need? 2. If he is in poor physical condition...will I have the funds it will take if he has a serious illness or physical problem that needs be taken care of by a vet? Can you be more specific on what you mean by "poor physical condition"? 3. Will I have the time to properly excercise him? Three year old's are FULL of energy and need to be able to run and play every day to use some of that energy up or they may become bored which can lead to destructive behavior. 4. If I keep him in full coat...will I have the time to keep him properly groomed? Will Albert be an inside dog? OES's love to be with their family. They don't like to be kept out doors. I'm not trying to scare you away from adopting Albert...I'm just trying to give you imporant things to think about before making a decision. Good Luck!! |
| Thanks, tdelanoit.
In reply: 1. Time-wise we should be fine - but we both do work and need to make sure we are prepared to go through with this for the long-term. 2. AFAIK there is nothing seriously wrong with him, just long nails from lack of walking and matted hair - stuff I can get sorted easily. If there is anything else we are ok financially. 3. Same as 1. 4. Same as 1. 5. Yes, he'll be an inside dog, although we have a small garden. Thanks for your reply, tdelanoit. The time factor is the one that we really need to consider. |
| Panda is now 4 1/2 and still acts all puppy...she is very routine orientated..
she can be sweet and gentle and she can play rough and knock me to the ground... training wise, i thought she would never get it..and just when i was about to pull all of my hair out, she got it!! it was pure consistancy...over and over again...a dog is trainable at any age..you just have to be willing to do it, do it again and again  |
| Pulling when walking....
I thought Tonks and Luna would rip my arms from my sockets on walks! I thought I'd NEVER be able to walk them both together. I had a couple of trainers tell me I'd never be able to walk them together. Well 3 weeks into our new training (we do one on one training, not a class. Its more expensive, but worth it) and Luna walks at a perfect heel without being asked to. Tonks still pulls, but if I use a Gentle Leader she gives up immediately and walks at a heel next to Luna. And? My dogs are 7 months old. If they can do it, so can Albert. BUT. I paid for two 6 week training classes for basic obedience, and am now paying for one on one sessions with a really good trainer. The joy I get from walking my girls alone is worth it. However, you have to be prepared for the expenses involved in wanting a "well behaved" dog. And be prepared for the time involved. We re-inforce our training every day, multiple times a day. I don't think any dog "gets it" and never needs to re-visit training. Though I could be wrong.... And as for "doing what he is told"... my guys are pretty good about that, but I don't expect them to be 100%. Do YOU always do what you are told? I can tell them to sit, and 80% of the time they will. Add a squirrel in the yard to the equation, or a new person in the house, and its all questionable. Its like having another kid; they are going to challenge you, constantly, to see if you are "up to being the boss"; much like a kid would. And thats just the nature of dogs, unless you find one that is REALLY submissive. |
| I agree that with time and patience almost anything is possible.
If you think you are able and willing to give Albert a good home and you have the time to care for him properly then go for it. I almost think it sounds as though you have made your mind up anyway  |
| The reward is worth the effort you put into Albert. A sheepie makes the house come alive. |
Sheeps over Aces wrote: The reward is worth the effort you put into Albert. A sheepie makes the house come alive.
Ahh, nothing like plain spoken truth!! |
| I don't know ware you live but I keep my OES rescues in short fur. The groomer does a great job not to short and clips nails. I think it will work for you if you use some of these things, and you can help and get him trained. Nothing like a big sloppy OES kiss
don't try and do it all right away. |
Sheeps over Aces wrote: The reward is worth the effort you put into Albert. A sheepie makes the house come alive.
I couldn't agree more. Our two girls, have really made a difference in our lives in the short time we've had them, and its a big change for the better! |
| I agree with what everyone has said about training and never assuming they are 100% trustworthy. My other concern is your daughter. She and Albert may get along okay right now as she is only 8 months old, but you don't know how Albert will react to her once she starts walking, then running. And how he will react if she goes to jump on him, pull his hair, take the food from his bowl, etc.
Worst case scenario, if Albert is badly matted and his nails are too long is that your mother-in-law should give him up to rescue anyway. She doesn't appear to be able to handle the work involved, or maybe can't afford to have it done. |
Drezzie's Mom wrote: I agree with what everyone has said about training and never assuming they are 100% trustworthy. My other concern is your daughter. She and Albert may get along okay right now as she is only 8 months old, but you don't know how Albert will react to her once she starts walking, then running. And how he will react if she goes to jump on him, pull his hair, take the food from his bowl, etc.
Still; if you are really dedicated to his training, alot of the stress can be relieved with that. She might walk and run, but you can tell him to sit and stay, and if YOU have been diligent in training, he will. The question isn't whether or not the dog has been good; the dog will always be a dog. Its how good the owner has been regarding the dog's training and well being!!!! |
| You know what I might do is to give a call to "Grannie Annie," the placement director of New England OES Rescue. She has placed LITERALLY thousands of OES in new homes, and she is so dedicated to making things work out right for every OES on the planet, that I'm sure she'd love to talk to you and help you decide.
If you decide that Albert isn't right for you and he still needs to be re-homed, I'm sure she'll be able to help or to point you to someone who can. Her contact info can be found here: Old English Sheepdog Rescue Contacts or at www.neoesr.org Good luck! |
| Thanks for all of the replies.
Drezzie's Mom - you outline some of my concerns. Also, my mother-in-law knows that I don't think she has the wherewithal to look after Albert. I'm in England, so the alternative for Albert is to be taken to a dog's home. He would have a pretty good chance of being re-housed, as OESs are quite a popular breed here and he's a nice friendly dog. |
| Whereabouts in the UK are you from? We're in Norfolk and - welcome to you! |
| I recently rescued a 3 year old OES (he could be 5 - We're not sure!) who had been kept in a kennel solely as breeding stock. He had never spent time in a house and is totally unfamiliar with basic commands. All that being said, he has enriched all our lives beyond measure in the 3 months we've had him. He is a gentle, sweet beautiful soul that wants only to be with us and does everything he can to please us. He blended perfectly with our pack (2 other very territorial dogs) He's a sheepdog! and there's no other creature on earth like a sheepdog.
If you have the time to spend, I encourage you to take this dog into your life. The rewards are impossible to describe - It's pure love and devotion 10 times over. |
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