Help Buying OES Puppy
Does anyone have any advice on what I should look for? Is it important to buy a $1000- $1500 dog? I don't want to be cheap or anything! I definitely want a healthy, quality dog. I know certifications are important but what else should I look for? There are also a couple other things I'm curious about that may be nothing? -I've seen some puppies for sale with spotted noses and they just don't seem right. Is this an undesirable quality? -Patches or masks on the face... I've read the Oes is supposed to have a white head with a color of grey body. Does it matter is they have spots on the face? - Blue eyes I think they are really pretty is there anything I should know about them? Thanks for your help in advance!!! Last time I bought the first puppy I could find in my price range in my area and I lucked out and haven't had any problems out of my dog but I've heard lots of horror stories and want to be sure I know everything I need to know beforehand. |
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| I am so happy to hear that you are asking all of the right questions and have decided to make an educated decision when deciding on where to get your new pup. I recently wrote an article for the Old English Sheepdog & Owners Club of Canada's new website. I encourage you to read it. Here is a link. http://www.oesocc.com/choosingabreeder.html As for markings and the breed standard, any markings are allowed....white heads, black heads, eye patches, etc. As for the spotted noses, that is a lack of pigment. Personally I have never had any puppies with pink spotted noses, however I know it can happen. I hope my article is helpful! |
| Unless you are in the UK or other places where too much white in the body is not desirable for a show dog, I wouldn't get hung up on markings. As far as heads, I have had both masked and white heads, not big deal. As puppies masks are fun but as they coat matures and becomes long, it blends together and the distinctive markings fade. Health and temperment are critical! A breeder who cares enough to maintain healthy lines and regularly tests will charge more......those tests aren't cheap. So yes, you can find cheaper dogs but your chances of getting one with problems increases. I'd much rather spend the money up front for a well bred dog whose chances of problems are way low (nothing is guaranteed) instead of being cheap up front and paying out the nose for hip replacements or other orthopedic problems. Don't fall for markings, eye color, parent's size, etc. Health and temperment are are primary! |
| Both of my puppies had pink patches on the nose. They blacken as the pup grows, but my one was patchy up to about 4 months. In fact several litters I have seen have had patchy noses early on, but most are black before they are old enough to leave home. None of the pups that were patchy nosed stayed that way. Every single one turned black FWIW. Shellie |
| Darby had no pigment on her lower eye lids as a 9 week old but she does now. http://oesusa.com/Darby-ThenNow.jpg And Emma's nose had a pink blotch on it as a 9 week old but it turned totally black in just a matter of months. http://oesusa.com/Emma-ThenNow.jpg Focus on health AND temperament. A healthy dog with a lousy temperament could make for 15 long years of misery or euthanasia. On the other hand, a dog with an endearing temperament but also with health problems may leave you broken hearted and at a young age or he/she may suffer due to careless or profit-focused breeding. You don't want one without the other. Note too that price alone is not an assurance that you'll get both health and temperament. Some breeders appear to simply be mimicking the higher prices of quality dogs but have no basis to be doing so. |
maybe you should post what State and area you live in so someone in that area may be able to give you a heads up on a good breeder. just a thought  ... |
not sure where you are but I just read a post on here about a 11 month old sheepie needing a home. Look under rescuring a sheepie. Might be a right fit.  |
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