Help! My Family Will Not Get Another OES!
Trouble is I am the only one who wants to have another darling sheepie. All my boys say that Sammy can't be replaced and they feel that another OES would be a betrayal to her memory. I totally disagee with that. There will never be another Sammy but I love the breed so much that I need another OES in my life. The breeds being discussed are St Bernard, Newfie, German Shepherd, and Husky. While I love all dogs, the Old English Sheepdog is my only choice. I rather be dogless than have any other breed. Any advice on this impasse will be much apreciated. Loving and Missing my sweet Sammy girl.  |
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| Wow that stinks! I don't like emotional blackmail but you could suggest it is more a betrayal to her memory to choose another dog, as if her kind of dog was not good enough to have again. Honestly, I think you have to choose the breed based on the qualities you are seeking in a pet companion. None of those others will be like a sheepdog. Maybe you guys could talk about qualities and then see where that comes out. If they want jolly, playful, silly, etc. then sheepdog is the way to go. |
Tell your family that FAR from being a "betrayal" of your beloved Sammy, loving and giving a home to another sheepie would be the best tribute possible to her memory! 
It may also help is you can convince them to look over this forum a bit, and see how very unique and individual each and every OES is 
Good luck! |
| You could Thank them all for their input and say after careful consideration you're going ahead with an OES and you're sure they'll love the puppy as much as you will once it's there but if they want to ignore it that's fine as you'll be looking after it mostly anyway ....I'd bet within minutes of the pup bounding into your home they'll all love it as much as you do .
Julie x |
Archie's Mum ( Julie ) wrote: You could Thank them all for their input and say after careful consideration you're going ahead with an OES and you're sure they'll love the puppy as much as you will once it's there but if they want to ignore it that's fine as you'll be looking after it mostly anyway ....I'd bet within minutes of the pup bounding into your home they'll all love it as much as you do .
Ditto. |
Show them what shedding is. 
A Husky or Shepherd.... wow... I can't imagine the mess! |
| I was set on getting a different type of dog after we lost our first OES. I researched a bunch of dogs, seriously considered a Beardie, but the OES kept filling all of my requirements of what we would like to get out of a dog. |
| I'm lucky that I'll never have that argument. In fact, it was Josh that said we would never own any dog other than an OES. He was the one that refuses any other breed. |
well you get an OES and they get whatever they want (and can take care of) - we always had four dogs and four people in our house  Actually now we have 4 dogs and two people  |
| LOL. I always pick the dog...seeing as I am the one brushing, feeding, cleaning up poop, making vet and groomers appointments and doing all the training, and general worrying when they are ill. My family has no choice. You may want to bring up spme of those topics...and get a male this time. You always get a different dog with these guys. I have had 6 and they have all been different personalities.
Good Luck P.S. I told my husband that OES are part of the package with me.  |
| All the ones you mentioned have serious shedding, gobs of hair can be pulled out or end up on your clothes, furniture, etc. I say get another OES and then later another breed. I'd have another Newfie or StB in a moment but I realize I'm also getting slobber back in my life. Now my walls only have dog rub on them, not the slimey silver ropes from the slobber being thrown about.
GSD can be a nice stable dog, but not near the clown of an OES. Good companions but short on sense of humor. Fine for following commands and thinking their way out of a box, OES just play inside the box. Husky.......our first dog. Sweet, willful, not much on playing cuddles. Make a deal.........you will honor Sammy by getting another OES and they can have whatever breed they are willing to clean up after. Dogs do better in packs anyway. I can't imagine being sheepless.......... |
| How old are the boys?
At first I thought they just didn't want to hurt again when the new dog passed on... but then I read they're looking at other breeds. Will they still be at home for the projected lifespan of an OES or other breed or will they soon be off to college or living on their own in the next couple years? Who will provide the daily care for the dog? Wondering if they might just want a breed that's new and different. Has your family researched each of the breeds mentioned? Me? I'd get the OES.  If you find a nice rescue that matches your family and lifestyle, it's saving a dog because of Sammy. What a nice way to honor her.
Good luck to you with your decision. |
| I have a OES, and two Shepherds, wouldnt be without either.
My Willow is soppy, silly, nutty, funny and above all very loving, it is she that graces my lap with her presence, it is she who looks into the very soul of my eyes, we speak a language her and me that know one can ever understand, I adore my OES. My two sheps, fearless, clever, obedient, ever watchful over me, my protectors ,my friends, my heroes. I have the very best of both worlds
Debsx |
| Hi Janet.
Everyone here has made really great points. You came to the right place for assistance.
How old are your children, again? I'm with Jaci. If they are out of the house, or almost out of the house, whose dog is it really going to be? No dog, OES or otherwise, can replace your beloved Sammy. She was one-of-a-kind. I think I mentioned that we were in a similar situation after Quincy passed away. I would have had a difficult time with another adult sheepdog in the house at that time, but a puppy, no problem. A fresh start, with a little pistol. It certainly kept us busy and really helped our hearts heal.
If you need further ammo, let us know. 
Laurie and Oscar |
| Is your youngest boy 12? In six years he's the last one out the door. Who's dog is it going to be after that? |
| Great feedback everyone!! I understand why my boys don't want another sheepdog. They want Sammy to be their only one. However, a lot of you have raised the point...whose dog is it going to be anyway? Two of my boys are already in college and my youngest will be a highschool senior this fall, so only one more year at home.
Sammy joined our family when the boys were 11, 9, and 7. Now they are gown men. They still love the OES but now want a breed they can jog with ie husky or shepherd. My youngest definitely still likes the cuddly kind ie, St Bernard and Newfie. But ultimately as many of you have pointed out, it will be ME who will be taking care of, cleaning after, and training the new puppy. I even talked about getting an OES rescue first to ease our way back but eveyone is against that right now. More discussions are needed. Janet |
| I agree if they're all growing up and living their own lives more then you should get the dog that you want in your home.
It might also help to explain that when you get another dog of the same breed you have the benefit of knowing what you're getting and I really enjoyed being able to recognise behaviours in common when we got our second dalmo. Its one of the things I like about this forum, I read things that everyone's dogs are getting up to and think "oh Tiggy does that!" However if they're being teenagers who like "different" then you may just have to say my house, my dog, my choice  and they can have the dog of their choice in their own homes one day.
Bet they fall hard and fast for a sheepie puppy when you get one. MY DH did. He came back from an O/S work trip and asked whose puppy I was minding. He was grumpy for a few days and now he completely dotes on her. |
| I would say that in this situation it would be "MOM RULES".
If your heart is really telling you 'need' another sheepdog--go with it. After we lost our first two sheepdogs years ago- I let my children talk me in to getting a Lab. I loved the dog--but it wasn't a sheepie-- It chewed EVERYTHING including the gutters on our house and the wall from the garage to the family room.
And it shed like crazy. My parents took it to their farm and it lived a long and happy life with them. That experience made me realize that 'my breed' is a sheepdog!! Follow your heart! |
Quote: They still love the OES but now want a breed they can jog with ie husky or shepherd. My youngest definitely still likes the cuddly kind ie, St Bernard and Newfie.
Could you foster one of these other breeds for a shelter or rescue? It might be a way to get your OES yet still allow the boys to experience these other breeds. You could end up with one of these other breeds also though
Yeah, the shepherd and husky shed like crazy but stripping the coat (once a month?) with a tool like an Oster rake really helps. I use it on my Border Collie-mix and Schip-mix and it works great. I've started using it on my OESs too rather than shaving them down. |
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