Large, athletic herding dog of great strength with distinctive profuse, shaggy double coat in gray and white, famous for its peek-a-boo hairdo and characteristic bear-like gait
Developed in western England in the late 18th century likely from breeds like Bearded Collie and Russian Owtchar. Bred as drovers' dogs to drive cattle and sheep to market. Tails were historically docked to identify them as working dogs exempting them from taxes. Recognized by AKC in 1888
Males typically weigh 32-45 kg and stand 56-61 cm at the shoulder; females 27-39 kg and 53-56 cm.
“A biddable dog of even disposition. Bold, faithful and trustworthy, with no suggestion of nervousness or unprovoked aggression”
Quoted from FCI standard n°16. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
FCI standard · Old English Sheepdog
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged undesirable.
Profuse, of good harsh texture, not straight, but shaggy and free from curl.
Undercoat of waterproof pile.
Head and skull well covered with hair, ears moderately coated, neck well coated, forelegs well coated all round, hindquarters more heavily coated than rest of body.
Quality and texture to be considered above length and profusion
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Base colour
Any shade of grey, grizzle or blue
Shortened from FCI standard n°16 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
Quoted from FCI standard n°16. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Old English Sheepdog in general; any individual animal can differ.
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Old English Sheepdog on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
This is where Old English Sheepdog owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
No Old English Sheepdog breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.
