Are OES's active dogs?
the #2 thing is we want to be active with our dog, were training for marathon runs. So my question to all you sheep dog owners is will this work for us? or our we better of with another breed? |
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Welcome to the forum! This is a fantastic place to learn about everything sheepie. I'm glad to hear you've been researching about different breeds before you decide which is right for you. So from my experience, here's my two cents worth. 
OES are VERY active dogs, and well into their senior years, too. My dog is 11, and we recently had new neighbors go by on a walk and ask if she was still a puppy! As for kids, since your son is still a baby, I would be very careful with a puppy around him for a variety of reasons. The puppy will be VERY playful and they truly don't know their own strength. To them, they may just be playing and running around, but to you, you're watching them knock down your son over and over again. And as toddlers will do, your son will want to climb all over the dog, pull their hair, ears, etc. Some dogs will tolerate that very well, others will not. A general rule of thumb is to never let the dog alone with the baby/toddler. Sheepies love nothing better than to be with their people, so they would love to do anything outdoors with you. Most of the activities you mention would be great for them, but within reason. Walks are great, short runs would be okay if the temperature isn't too hot, but in my opinion, sheepies are not meant for marathon running. Being a large dog, they are prone to hip dysplasia and that much running would put a lot of strain on their hips. (Of course, if you buy from a reputable breeder and they certify that the dam and sire were OFA certified, the likelihood the pup will develop hip dysplasia is less.) Also, if you keep the dog in full coat, running a marathon is not a good idea for the heat factor. Most sheepies love water. We have a pool, and Drez would live in it during the summer, if we'd let her. Since she's a senior, it lets her move around with less joint discomfort, plus it keeps her nice and cool. She sleeps like a baby after a day of swimming! Sheepies' coats require a LOT of grooming or they get matted to the point of having to completely shave them down.  With the active lifestyle you mention, would you have the time to devote to the grooming? In addition to keeping the coat in shape, the time you spend with the dog in grooming serves as a wonderful bonding time.
All that said, sheepies are a wonderful, loving, loyal breed. We're on our third, have had sheepies for 25 years. This breed is my heart, as much as my kids are my heart. I couldn't imagine being without either. 
Good luck with your decision. We're all here for any and all questions. And if you get a sheepie, pictures are ALWAYS welcomed! Chris |
| Hi and welcome to the forum!
I am the Mom of 2 children....7 and 4, and the sheepies are Jack and Annabelle, which are almost 21 months old and almost 18 months old. I have noticed that with both of ours that it really depends on our mood for that day. Some days we are very active, we can go all day long and they can keep up with us with no problems, and on the days we are having a lazy day, then they can relax and sleep all day. It seems they always mimic what ever our moods are. We got Jack when Joey was almost 3. It was our personal decision to wait until our children were a little older before we brought a pup or two into our family. Our sheepies love each and every person in the family (and outside the family). They want to be with you at all times. Our sheepies will go outside with us, but are not happy being left alone for very long. I am a stay at home Mom, and it took us about a year of constant, daily training, to get them well trained. Even now we still have to do daily training sessions just to let them work their mind. IMO, the sheepdog is extremely smart and can learn new tricks in a very short time.
I have never had a problem with any type of aggression with either of our sheepies. They have always shown great patience with my son. He had to be trained as much as Jack and Annabelle did on how to interact with a puppy. When Jack got older and almost 90lbs, we had to teach Joey that even though Jack was a large a miniature horse, he was not to ride or sit on. 
I think it is great that you are doing your research. This is the place to be for sheepie advice.
Good luck and sorry for the long post. 
Stormi and co. |
| Thank you both for your replies, I think it will help in our decision.
One more question... I also read that sheep farmers used to sheer thier dogs right along with their sheep. Now if we shaved the dog in the summer do you think the dog would be more comfortable running with us say on 5k or 10k runs 3 times a week? We live in Madison Wisconsin and the summers can get hot and humid here. |
| Absolutely! In fact, we never let Drez grow into a full coat. She gets cut down to a puppy cut (a few inches long) 2-3 times/year. She's not fond of grooming. Will sit for a short period of time, but not for as long as it would take to groom her properly. Plus, she's ALWAYS hot, so a shorter coat is in her best interest. I'm always amazed at the amount of heat that pours off her skin during her haircut. And personally, I think the puppy cut look is just so darn adorable!
Chris |
| Hi Bucky,
You received great advice so far and good for you for wanting to do research before you decide the best dog for you. The only thing I would be concerned about and would suggest you need to do more research on is regarding your long distance running. No doubt a sheepie could keep up but something in the back of my mind tells me there's something regarding dogs being unable to perspire like humans. I think they do it either through their pads or tongues. I may be wrong but a little warning bell went off in my head and for the life of me I can't remember why. I do remember reading an article loooooong ago (which is why I can't remember the details) but I do remember the question as someone had asked why X dog had a heart attack when his owners had him in such great shape by jogging many miles with him each day. The answer explained why that was. Perhaps do a search to find out more about long distance running and dogs? I wish I could be more helpful with that article and not to say one should never run with a dog as it was regarding running long distances daily or weekly. I wish you the best of luck! Marianne and the boys |
| I'm hoping there are other members of the forum who might chime in about running with their dogs but I personally don't feel that an OES could do a 10k run, a 5k maybe at a slow pace. With conditioning I guess they could keep up with you but I think they do much better with smaller bursts of running, like if you walked a few blocks - ran a few blocks. Not that I'm trying to discourage, you but I'm wondering if maybe you would be better off with a greyhound if running is a big criteria with you. It's really hard to say what your pup might or might not do. For example we are the type that like to bring our dog with us every time we go some place and our new OES has motion sickness & car anxiety so unfortunately that activity has changed dramatically so you need to be prepared that your pup might not do what you want it to do. Also if you get an OES as a puppy please give them plenty of time to let their bones develop before you take it on a run. They are very adaptable dogs otherwise and will always want to be with you but I am just throwing the "what if's" out there I would hate for the pup to be excluded from your lifestyle. Good luck with your decision, it sounds like your pup will have a nice life being a part of your family. |
| Hi Guest,
It seems we missed each others post as we posted within mins of each other and then I had to edit mine for errors. You brought out good points and it seems like Bucky would be a responsible owner as he's doing research. I also wondered what effect the running would have on an OES's hips as this breed may be subseptible to hip or leg injuries. Something to think about. Bucky I hope you come back and let us know your decision and thanks so much for asking for our advice. No matter what dog you choose I'm sure it will be happy in a house such as yours. Marianne and the boys |
| OES are active - but they are also alot of work - which may or may not fit into your lifestyle. Grooming and Training in particular! Also - they CAN be good with children - but not all of them are and they are a very large breed - and grow fast - so it's like having a 100 lb two year old!
Make sure - whatever you decide - you go to a responsible breeder - that can mean all the difference in the world! Kristen |
| Hi Bucky, welcome to the forum.
I'll agree in the fact that OES are very active but are not made for prolonged running or excercise. By design they are sprint dogs, with short burts of high speed for chasing sheep. I once clocked lennon and he seems to be around 40 or 50 MPH in quick frisbee chases, but they get tired quickly and need a 5 minute break before stating all over again... If you give them their breaks, ours can chase a ball of frisbee for an hour or so before they plop down, rest for a while and then they are ready to go crazy all over again. Also, if you keep them in full coat (Which is a LOT of work to keep, but it looks great!) they have the tendecy to overheat quick, so you must let them rest before continuing. They love to be around people, and will want to go everywhere you go, inside and outside the house. If you don't mind a furry friend next to you all the time, then an OES is for you. Good luck with your choice! |
| thank you all for the great info. We decided to go with a labrador. Labs are in the top 3 best dogs to run with, posted by the AKC. Thanks
Bucky |
| Hi Bucky,
Thanks for getting back to us and letting us know of your decision. I'm still impressed that you did the research before choosing which would best suit your family and needs. I wish all potential owners would do the same. Sounds like the pup/dog will have a forever home with your family and I wish you all the best!! Marianne and the boys |
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