new here with a question....
I'm not an OES owner, but am seriously considering this breed. I am currently trying to do as much research on this breed as I can, to make sure it is the right dog for my family BEFORE taking that next step. I find there is A TON of conflicting information out there when it comes to the OES and allergy sufferers. I am not allergic, but my hubby and son do suffer from allergies, depending on the breed. My son mostly suffers when he comes in contact with saliva. My husband also has mild asthma. SO, I guess I'd like to know what YOUR experiences have been with YOUR dogs. I find this is the best way to get answers, as books seem to give conflicting information when it comes to topics such as these. Thanks so much in advance for your replies! PS: If this question has already been posted, I apologize. Again, I'm new here!  |
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| Hello and welcome to the Sheepie Corner of the web. So happy that you found our community. You are so wise to research the OES prior to owning. There are so many important facets to their well being. I'm certain that you can find most any answer you need, either from the search feature above or directly from a member. I wish I could help you with the allergy question but no experience. Someone will come along soon to advise. You may want to find an OES rescue in your area if available and meet a few sheepdogs. Sometimes owner clubs are an option to meet and greet. Or maybe a reputable breeder could introduce your family to the OES. The latter can be researched at http://www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamer ... ferral.php Welcome again and I hope an OES is in your future. They are wonderful family members. |
| We have three OES and my husband's close friend is very allergic, but does fine at our house. We have also had people visit us before getting an OES just to test being around so many. I would suggest doing that if you can. If you have a breeder in mind, explain about the allergies and ask if you can go over and hang out for a bit with his/her dogs, maybe get a brush out and brush a dog and send some hair flying and see how you all react. |
Welcome to the group! We are expecting our first OES puppy in a couple of months.  We picked this breed because of the allergy issue. I am allergic to certain breeds. And not just the sneezing, runny nose kind of allergy, we're talking the break out in welts and eyes swell shut kind of allergy.  I love animals of all kinds and we had been looking for a while to find a dog breed that I wasn't allergic to that also had the personality/temperament we wanted. OES fits the bill for me. I was so excited to learn that they don't bother my allergies!  The best advice I can give you is to find a dog you can hang out with for a bit and see how your son and husband do around it, no matter what the breed. That's how we tested it. If it's the saliva that sets off the allergies, make sure the dog licks him. If it's the dander, make sure he buries his face in the fur. And then, see how it goes. Usually, dander on short hair breeds gets me, but, on other breeds, it's the saliva. When we tested this, I made sure to spend quite a while petting, and making sure to get lots of kisses...first on my hand/arm, and then, when that didn't cause a reaction, on my face. Then we waited.  Normally my eyes would swell shut from close contact within a couple of minutes. When I was still good half and hour after we left, I was over the moon!  The worse the allergy, the slower you would want to take it, and the more you want to test it. Pet allergies are different in every case, so there's no substitute for testing by personal contact. I also find it's better to test this way with adult dogs of a particular breed that haven't been bathed in a while. That way, you get a more 'natural' experience. LOL! Good luck! I hope you find the perfect breed to fit your family! |
| I would highly suggest hanging out with one. Just me without the dogs (the dander from living with them) makes my family sick. My poor sister ended up in the hospital one Christmas with breathing problems, she had a cold to start but the dogs just was that deciding factor that put her over the edge. No dog is "hypo" |
| Thank you everyone for your helpful advice! So glad I found this site! I totally agree with the suggestion of spending time with an OES prior to taking that next step. My parents owned a Lhasa Apso which is supposed to be a breed good for allergy sufferers, but my hubby couldn't be around him. So I'm convinced that each breed and each person is different. The problem is, I live in British Columbia, Canada (Vancouver area) and this breed does not seem to be too common around here. I'm having problems finding a breeder in the area, where we would be able to spend some time with a dog. I'm afraid that my only option will be to get a pup from Ontario, where there are 2 awesome breeders who I have in mind. But I'm not crazy about this option, as it means that we wouldn't be able to spend any time with the dogs or meet the pup prior to purchasing. I think this is SUPER important. Thanks to the person who gave the link. I am going to check it out right now. Appreciate all your words of wisdom! Thanks again! Amy |
| I agree with the whole "spend time with the dog" as all allergies are so different. We have a close friend who is so allergic to animals her eyes will swell shut and her throat will start to close. She isn't bugged by Leonard our OES but is very bugged by our cat at our lab mix (who if you look at the info on the breed we think he is should be "hypo"). She does better with labX if he is freshly bathed. We also have tile and wood floors so before she comes over I vacuum the furniture and mop and she isn't bugged unless the cat shows up. Too bad you aren't closer to Manitoba as I have an OES who loves kids and is if full coat so would be a good test subject! We got him from tasiahills in Ontario and we didn't get to meet him before we got him either as the distance was so far and our planned trip to Toronto ended up falling through. I know that the breeder was more than willing to let us meet the dogs if we had ended up in the area. I know how sucky it is to live so far away from the OES capital of Canada (Ontario). Good luck! |
someone put on the marianne light in vancouver. then amy can visit the vancouver menagerie.   |
| I have families in Vancouver who have pups from me who I know would be more than happy to meet with you. Let me know. Also I know that Jill Parsons, Justbreezyn OES in Victoria BC is doing a breeding today with one of my boys so she may have pups available this summer. |
| I'll just add to the "go visit" camp. My friend with Samoyeds (we are both obedience instructors at the same facility, and do lots of dog events together), has Sammies because they are a low oil breed and don't set off her husband's allergies. When Chewie (my OES) started hanging out with them, it was great to find that an OES was a "good" breed too. We have gone on long trips together, and shared a rental apt too at dog sledding training camp - so that would have been bad if Chewie triggered his allergies. Now my lab...NOT good for him at all.  |
| I'm allergic to cats and dog breeds with short hairs like rat terriers and such. Yes, the best idea would be to hang out with some OES in close quarters to see how they do. Welcome to the forum and good luck! Cindy |
Amber....you are actually one of the breeders I had in mind, if we choose to get a pup from your area instead.  Also, you mentioned you know a dog breeder in Victoria....that may be more doable for me. My husband and I love Victoria, and are due for a visit there soon. And if your clients in Vancouver would be willing to meet with my family and I so that we have a chance to experience being around a sheepy that would be FANTASTIC! My husband and I are trying to decide right now when the right time would be for us to get a dog. But I feel now that I have some options, so I thank you so much for your reply. When the time is right, I'm hoping that I can message you and maybe you'd be able to see if your clients would be willing to meet with us? It certainly would be a big help for us. The more I think about it, the more I feel that if we are not able to spend time with an OES first, than there is no way that we can commit to a pup. It wouldn't be fair to the dog or my children if we find out after the fact that allergies are too big an issue, and we couldn't keep the dog. I'll let you know when we'd be ready to meet one of these dogs. Thanks again! Amy |
| Interestingly I developed asthma when I first got Archie it could have been the skin from the brushing it could have been a puppy stage thing or a total coincidence. It mainly showed it self when walking him leaving me gasping and needing to take rests, and I only used inhalers for about a year and subsequently had no further attacks in the last 4 years, so who knows what that was about? My son who'd already had asthma who suffered when handling our cats or other people's dogs has had no reaction to Archie whatsoever! So it is definitely worth doing some reaction tests experiences |
| Hi Amy Absolutely contact me when you are ready and I will arrange for you to meet some sheepdogs! That is a must, as everyone has mentioned, to make sure there are no allergies. No reputable breeder would even consider letting you go home with a pup without exposing the person with the allergy to the dogs to be sure of no reaction. In my experience I have only had one gentleman with allergies react to my dogs - all others with severe allergies have been a-ok. Just remember there is no such thing as a hypo-allergenic dog so there is always a chance of a reaction, although the odds of having a reaction are less with an OES. |
| I have just one other thought as well. My nephew has severe allergies, but he is minimally bothered by the 3 OES I have had. But, I get puppy cuts during the summer months, and only grow out the fur during Nov-April-ish months, and since they limit trips to the snowbelt (from the sunny south - wonder why?), my nephew gets mostly "short-hair exposure". I personally have gotten to appreciate the ease of working with the shorter style (but I do appreciate a full coat . . . maybe after retirement..........). |
| Hi Amy Absolutely contact me when you are ready and I will arrange for you to meet some sheepdogs! That is a must, as everyone has mentioned, to make sure there are no allergies. No reputable breeder would even consider letting you go home with a pup without exposing the person with the allergy to the dogs to be sure of no reaction. In my experience I have only had one gentleman with allergies react to my dogs - all others with severe allergies have been a-ok. Just remember there is no such thing as a hypo-allergenic dog so there is always a chance of a reaction, although the odds of having a reaction are less with an OES. _________________ Amber Dupont Blueshire Reg'd OES http://www.blueshireoes.net CHOOSING A REPUTABLE BREEDER http://www.oesocc.com/choosingabreeder Oh Amber....I am THRILLED. What a load off. I simply could not see how it would of been possible to spend time with a sheepy as I haven't been able to find ANYONE around here, especially anyone who I would trust. Now my dream of owning a OES may be able to come true after all. Also, with your excellent reputation, I feel SO much better about this. Thank you a hundred times over. I will totally let you know when the time is right. Soon I hope. Thanks to everyone else for your replies! My question has totally been answered! |
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