This is how I fall in love with the OES
 , how and why I become a Old English sheepdog owner/fan and why I make them my bread of choice.  When was the first time I saw one of this dogs? Well that was easy to remember , we were visiting my grandmother in Mexico City for summer vacation and she decide to take us to the movies, the movie of choice was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I wont go into how old is the movie, lets just say that is an old movie,and yes it is in color. Well , we were setting in the movie theater watching the movie and then I saw the more adorable huggable dog  that I ever saw in my life, big, fluffy , funny ,I fall immediately in love with that dog, I did not know what breed it was but I knew that I wanted one !Let me tell you that OES are not a really well known breed in Mexiconot now or back then, I ask my grandmother what kind of dog it was and she could not tell me. My grandmother raise poodles, she was a poodle lady, and before that day I tough I was too , but Edison change my mind.After we left the theater I did some research , sorry no internet back then only books, I maybe have spend like 2 days looking at books trying to find out about the breed and the name, finally I found it in the encyclopedia , Old English Sheepdog. I never have seeing one in the flesh but I knew that I wanted one, well years pass, and I meant years, we move from Monterrey , NL. to Mexico City and I meet some people in the girls scouts, so, one day I was going to visit my friends and when I turn the corner just before there house I came face to face with no one but 2 big, adorable ,friendly ,funny OES, her new neighbored had 2 of them, they come and jump on me and lick my face and I almost steal both of them and take them home, but my mother will have kick me out of the house so fast, but for then on I will try to go to her house as much as I could so I could get to see the dogs. It was wonderful. We always had dogs, we had poodles, Dalmatians, beagles, strait dogs, cockers, you name it we did have one of them, my mother did not like big dogs, but we always manage to convince her to take the next that come along, but never ever was allowed to get a OES, beside they were a little bit to expensive for me at the time. Time past and I come to USA, almost 22 years ago, my first dog here was a Siberian Husky, my partner give this dog to me , I never had a more stubborn dog than that one, anyway then we got 2 miniature poodles, again no my dogs of choice but she really did not like big dogs. One day we went to the pound and there it was and OES! I plead, I beg, I cry, I promise everything under the sun but she did not let me rescue the dog. I was heartbroken, I really wanted to rescue that dog. Anyway, years later we got to a financial position to be able to get a house, so we wear about to move and checking the news paper I saw it, OES puppies for sale $135 Wow the dog I wanted at a price, I did not know about BYB or any kind of breeders I just wanted a OES, and this time I could afford a puppy, I diden't even ask, I jump in the car and I went to see them. It was a farm outside of Springfield IL, they had a pair of them and they really did not meant for them to have puppies but they did, and 10 of them, it was night when I went to see them so I did not get a good look at all the pups but I choose the little girl that was kind of hiding behind a bush, pay a deposit and say that I will come back the weekend to pick her up, when I pick her up I discover that she had one blue eye and one brown one , she was my girl and I name her Hope My dream come thru, this pup name Hope was my one and only love.  Why I choose them?, I don't really know, it just felt right, like that was the dog that belong to me, it was part of me, it make me feel complete and happy, fill my life with love, happiness, peace, rewards and of curse hair ! I want it to tell you that I love all my other dogs, every single one of them is very love and well care for, but my OES is very special for me, she is the one an only. I love Camille because she has been a challenge to train and raise, she was a rescue, she spend the first 3 months’ of her life tie to a tree , she ate the house the first week she was here  , she found all the holes in the fence take off and don’t come back for ½ and hour, now she is my dancing dog and goes everywhere with me. I like Kelly and Ruby they are cute and funny for small dogs, Sparky and Cooper my other 2 rescue dogs that the only thing the want in there life is to be love and be pet it, Piper my dear Golden I love her because she is very sensitive and loyal and she will do almost anything for a piece of food don’t matter what it is she will eat it, and Noel my corgi, she heard all of us in a very close circle and use her big mouth to do it, God that dog can bark.Now I have Matilda “Tilly” Hiccup Hallows Eve , she is my new OES, I lost Hope at the age of 14 and a half and she was the best, Tilly has a big paws to fill but she is doing a wonderful job. Really doesn’t matter that she is deaf, you can not really notice, she is an OES, caring, loyal, happy go get it, loving, funny, stubborn, so intelligent that she plays dumb to fool you, ornery, mischievous, a #### head sometimes, disobedient, insistent, tender, cute, big, playful , brainless sometimes, and the more important thing is that she is MY OES and she owns me !That is why I love this breed and I will continue to have an OES in my life, for the rest of my days in this earth.And what is your excuse?   |
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| Wow Monica, a great story!! You are truly an animal lover. I'm so glad your grandmother took you to the movie that day. (I remember that same one). That one afternoon by chance set you on a lifes course for an OES. I find those moments amazing. I fell in love with OES as a young girl also. I thrived on Disney films, and they produced several with our favorite canine. And then, Peter Pan and ANNIE(?) both featured the big shaggy dogs. It seemed the OES was everywhere. I adored them and every other dog. But our family was too busy adopting every stray to consider purchasing a dog and money was for essentials. Then, married to first(I can't even say husband), my BIL needed a weekend sitter for his new dog. He'd gotten her from a friend. Much to my delight, Maggie was an OES!! We spent a whole week( I didn't mind) enjoying her, and she loved my boys!! Sadly, they moved away, and I moved on  Now, many years later, married to the love of my life, and empty nesters, we were needy. Our last Yorkie had passed away, and too much quiet. I convinced my honey that we needed to pursue a big ole shaggy furkid. Being the great guy that he is, he left me in charge  I found this forum, researched, learned and sought rescues. We found our sweet 3 yr old Chloe in March 2009, and lost her to lymphoma August 17 2010. She etched our hearts for eternity. We will own another in time. Meanwhile, I'm living the OES life thru all the cute and frolicking sheepies here on the forum. ( and their human bloggers too). It is such a great community and I feel privileged to be a part of it. Thanks Monica, this is a great (interesting) thread!!! |
| Monica, that was a great story. I first fell in love when I saw the Shaggy Dog movie. My first oes was the stuffed shaggy dog and never really thought I would have a real one. Finally in 1988 I got Pache and have been in love ever sense. Like you I saw an ad in the paper, called and the kids knew darn well we weren't coming home empty handed. Butchy is my 3rd and I'm sure my last because of age but if only. |
| Loved hearing the stories and great topic!! My story is similar to both yours. Saw my first OES as a kid in the Shaggy DA Disney movie. I also had to wait something like 20 or more years until that would be a reality. Think the ink hadn't dried yet on the new bank papers for our house when I wanted to get a dog as that's all I talked about since my childhood dog had passed 8 years earlier. I loved him and my earlier dogs with all my heart but always wanted an OES but had never seen a real one. Fate played her hand- six days before Mothers Day I visited the shelter with my children and there was Shaggy!!! I was told she was 4 months old and later found her growth had been stunted due to near starvation and she was actually an adult. She weighed a mere 25 pounds, a horrible tangled mess who had that high pitch bark which now i recognize instantly as OES. I wanted her so bad! I had to wait and convince my then partner that she was the perfect dog. He didn't see it that way. However, my children were on board too and so on Mothers Day I officially became Shaggy's mom. Shaggy eventually made it to 47 pounds and was the love of my life. Shaggy and Big Dog are now at the bridge and I hope they know the impact their lives had made and the impact that it carried over to other dogs. Along the way,I also acquired Big Dog, Merlin, Panda, Gilligan. With the passing of each one - I got another, never to replace, but to honor the one lost. To give a home to one that needed it most. Marianne |
| I have enjoyed reading about how you all fell in love with a sheepie. My grandparents (who I lived with) had 5 OES so they have been in my life since my first memories and now it is 73 years later and I still have them in my life . After a span of of about 25 years (marriage and children) there was Sam (Samantha) she was my first OES and she came to us after the death of her young owner at about 6 mos of age , she was quiet and gentle then Dudley ,Duke of Earl my big beautiful boy came at 8 weeks as a gift from my hubby, , then we had 2 beautiful GSDs Hitchhiker and Shadow and now I have the pleasure and love of Dutch .. Duchess of Earl , who is my best friend. She arrived at 8 weeks of age and is sassy and a real bouncey gal and now 5 years later she has proved such a blessing to me since the passing of my hubby this past January who I miss terribly . Once you have an OES in your life no other breed compares  |
| Weird. I was just writing yesterday about what is it with these dogs? What makes us so gaga on them. Dh came in the room and started talking and I lost my train of thought and erased the story. Garfunkel came to us as a rescue at 2.5 yrs old. This boy was wild. Not house broken, no manners, thin as a stick but oh so loving. He and Simon became instant friends and cohorts in crime. I always tell dh that if he wasn't so darn cute, he'd be dead. This dog with the huge head(that should be stuffed with brains) eats everything. I thought I got a dog but its just a goat dressed in dog clothing. He will forever be a work in progress. Simon...he challenges me at every turn. He likes to think he is in charge. He came to us as a 8 week old cute as a bug puppy. He turned into cujo if he didn't like something. It took time and effort and he is now a wonderful dog. He's playful and of course bouncy and on his terms, snuggly. If I am watching TV he will come and put half his body in my lap and lay his head on my chest He is my agility dog and rewards my mistakes with body slams. He is my hiking partner, he loves to chase a ball(that also came with time) and he has recently re-discovered his love of TP.They have my heart and my life without them would be so boring. |
| Great post, Monica, and lovely story! I am enjoying the other stories too! I didn't know that I would love an OES. I knew that I liked dogs, but honestly thought that people who LOVED dogs were a bit, um, don't hate me for saying this, well, frankly, I thought that you were all a bit dotty!!  I was frustrated one day with feeling fat and out of shape and past my prime. I called David at work for sympathy and said 'That's it, I am having one of those miracle, make you skinny surgeries'! He said 'No you are not, we are getting a dog!' When he came home that day, he turned his own puppy dog eyes on me and talked about how he had always wanted an OES. So I started to do some research, as I don't just say yes to everything he uses those puppy eyes to get!  Our research led us to Blueshire, Amber and to Mady. I would like to say that it was instant love. It was certainly instant like and an instant affection. But that first week I wondered what we had done to our formerly peaceful lives. It didn't take long, though, for that sheepie charm to work. To say that I fell in love with Mady would be an understatement. I GET it. I am one of you now. Dotty.P.S. David bought and WEARS OES socks. In public. So he is worse than I am. |
Mady wrote: P.S. David bought and WEARS OES socks. In public. So he is worse than I am. One word.... Photos. Carl P.S Where did he get them, definetly a market here!!!! |
| Great story! The story of Lily: I never was too fond of OES. I liked them but I always more of a Rotti, Dobie, Pit kind of girl. My step mom had the first one I ever met. Chewie was the happiest sweetest clumsiest dog ever but I still was a Rottie girl. My first dog ever was Indo, Rottie/german shep/lab mix. I got her at 17. She was my best friend, my heart, my world. Last year I was having BBQ for/on my birthday and it was getting late so we locked the dogs in the bedroom. Someone or Ritz opened the back bedroom door and let all the dogs out. Indo preferred not to be around people besides me (people aggressive) and took off down the road. The boys came running back to find us. We looked for her forever and my brother finally called me. She had been hit. (the person didnt stop, she was only a block away and my neighbors saw the whole thing) My fiance and best friend went and got her. When we took her to the e-vet the diagnosis wasnt good. She had a broken back (spinal cord cut in half), shattered both legs and had sever internal injuries. Even if the vet opted for surgery, she probably wouldn't have made it or would never walk again and have to take pain meds the rest of her life. So i put her down. My step mom had bought me lilies to plant in my garden for Indo. I was in a depression for awhile. My step mom asked me if i would want one of her OES pups since hers was preggo. I wasn't going to until about a month before they were born, I was tired of being with out a girl. When they were born she emailed pictures and I wanted a female that was mostly white. My step mom was sure that the little masked female was going to be mine but it was my choice. When I finally went to see the puppies, I knew instantly that that little masked female was destined to be mine. Since the pup was a gift from my stepmom, I could only think of one thing to name her, Lily. No matter what I will always have a Lily for my Indo. I didn't realize til I got Lily. Indo's personality was close to an OES. Unfortunately because she didn't like other people, no one got to see it but me. Now I am an OES girl. |
Mady wrote: P.S. David bought and WEARS OES socks. In public. So he is worse than I am. I saw a couple pair of sheepdog tennis shoes online yesterday and the temptation is great. They are $76.00 so don't really know if I can justify them or not and then there is which ones do I chose. |
| It is unbelievable,that we all share similar stories. My parents came home from visiting my cousins in LA. My mother had a picture of herself with their OES puppy. (I was young, but from that first sight, I knew I had to have one). So once I got married, I got my first OES. I am now on my third. I can't even imagine owning another breed! |
I was in love with The Beatles in my early teens and of course, I saw a photo of Paul McCartney with Martha. That was it! When I was 18 still living at home I saved the money from my job and got my first OES. I named him Percy. This was in 1976 and I knew nothing about puppy mills, but I got lucky. He was a healthy dog. I paid $125.00 for him. He was the best dog, but unfortunately we had two other male dogs at the time. It was all fine until we moved, then the fighting started. Last one in had to go, but I found him a home with a previous OES owner. He woke the family when the house was on fire and saved their lives. I never want to be without at least one for the rest of my life! Ihave had Percy, Pandora, Benji (rescue named),Winston, and now Bella and Nigel. Anything else is just a dog to me. |
| like all of you i fell in love with the movie please don't eat the dazies the one that came out in the 50's i think .. at 16 i got my first oes shaggs i had run away from home and moved to miami from phila with her .. 11yrs later i got pita another oes from of course not knowing anything about pup mills so go her from drs. petshop anyone remember them .well come to find out she was blind and deaf.. they took her back remember i was still young--i would have kept her now-- then got shelby poor thing suffer for 9 yrs with the worst allergies what a shame for her.. i then rescued giggs she was my best friend till she died of cancer.. my vet then got me daytona she was a handful but lived one great life.. in between all of miss daytona life i got a call from miami police they found 6 pups in a crack house no food or water for over 20 days all in a cage with the father dog oes mom no where in site chow we think .. so i got dolly sadly the rest died after thousands of dollars dolly lived ,she never was touched by humans for her first 6 months it took almost a year for her to let me touch her ..but boy did she become the best oes/chow girl i ever had she sadly passed last year of cancer.. also durning this time i rescued derby another very sick pup but now he is living with my girlfriend and husband and their lab and is very happy! boy never had realized i have had oes longer then my husbands .. and now of course i have my 2 chuckleheads |
Well, I knew nothing about OES but I had a boyfriend who thought OES were a smart sort of dog to have.  He encouraged me to find an OES, my first dog, named Toby. Luckily, the boyfriend left (he was a bad sort!)  but I had Toby, a great adventurer. When he died, I was was grief striken until I found Bentley, a rescue.  And I have been bonded with OES since Toby. |
| I loved the show starring Doris Day--"Please Don't Eat The Daisies"--for ONE REASON Nelson the OES! I would not ever miss an episode. When I married (too young) I decided that I wanted an Old English Sheepdog. We lived in Married Student Housing at the University of Tennessee which had a strict NO PETS policy and we were starving students...BUT I did it anyway! Sometimes things just have a way of working out and we were able to get our first OES Duffy and make payments to pay him off! As fate would have it the Breeder lived in Maryville Tn. a town north of Knoxville--he was acquainted with Doris Day and her personal sheepdog fathered the litter. This was in the 70's and there were not many OES around our area--so she shipped her dog to him to be bred to his dog. I went to look at the puppies not thinking I would ever be able to afford one of his puppies-- and brought Duffy home that night much to my DH's surprise. It was love at first sight on his part and he agreed to the payment plan and the rest is history. Of course we had to move--we did not eat well for awhile until Duff was paid off--but none of that mattered because we were totally in LOVE. Duffy was our first 'child' and he went where ever we went. We moved 13 times in 8 years and Duffy never had a problem adjusting he was happy as long as we were together. Recently I have been putting all of our old slides on the computer and have had so much fun remembering the Duffy Days! It is amazing that during the 10 years he was with us--he or at least a part of him, is in almost every photo taken during that time. Many sweet and happy memories! Duffy was our first and we had an agreement with the Breeder to let him breed Duffy twice--we kept a son from the second litter and named him Sherman (just found some great pictures of him too and need to post his pic too-after I get them in the computer). My daughter was 5 and my son was 1 when we lost Sherman. During the years that the children were growing up we did not own a sheepie but fostered one for 18 months. We felt that there were too many demands on our time to get a puppy to raise and to give a sheepie the time it deserved--so we were sheepieless for a number of years. Then when Alison went off to college we got Baley and 3 years later when Justin went to college we got Baxter. I will never be sheepieless ever again!! I now have all the time I need and want to share our home with sheepies forever. To me there is no other breed! Below our first guy:   |
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