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| All of this info is available here on forum.oes.org | Vanda,
My OES is almost 11 months old now. She doesn't smell - we bath her about 1 time per month - she doesn't drool, although after eating or drinking a wipe with a rag is a good idea- and she is the smartest, easiest to train dog I have ever owned. Each dog is unique and each will have different "challanges", but if you are committed to spending the time on training a dog properly and understand their grooming requirements then an OES is a wonderful choice. When I was researching dog breeeds I found tons of information on the internet. Use a good search engine like google and type in Old English sheepdogs and you will have more information than you will know what to do with! Good luck with your decison.
Ann | |
| This is not a grooming issue, however I thought that I should share some of the great information I received last week.
While at the NEOESR picnic one of the grooming demonstrators, Kelly, offered to show me how to groom and clip Baxter if I brought him to her house. All she asked is that he be clean and brushed out. If you were at the picnic, she was the one with Monty - the absolutely gorgeously groomed sheepdog that was in full coat. So, after thinking about it for a bit (she lives in Waterford Connecticut and we live in New Hampshire), I gave her a call and set up a time.
This wonderful woman spent four hours showing me what were the best tools to use, how to groom him and how to clip him and patiently answering all of my questions.
Tools that Kelly used are a #1 All Systems pin brush, Matbreaker Dematting tool, an Oscar Frank Universal Slicker brush with a curved back, 10" straight shears with a short shank, and an #1 All Systems Dematting Comb (this comb is about 5 1/2 inches long with teeth spaced about 1/4 inch apart), nail clippers and ear powder. I was able to find all of these tools except for the Dematting comb at http://www.petedge.com. I found the comb at http://www.mjm-1allsystems.com.
The pin brush pins are 1" long - the brush that I got from the local pet store has pins that are about 5/8" long. I could hear the difference between the two brushes when she ran it through Baxter's fur. The brush I had been using sounded as though it was extremely rough and breaking the fur. The #1 All systems pin brush ran through the fur smoothly.
To start the process we put Baxter on his side and proceeded to "line brush" him. Basically that means making a part in his fur and brushing the coat away from you - if he is on his side with his paws closest to you, brushing the fur up - against the grain. Kelly used the slicker brush on the mats that he had on his paws (amazing how those snarls develop so rapidly). Once she finished brushing one side, she had him stand up and used the Dematting comb to fluff up his fur and then trim off the "peaks" or ragged edges of the fur. The 10inch shears made the long cuts that looked a lot better than my old shears did. I think that the long cuts help the fur fall better and hide the cutting marks. When she finished trimming one side, she brushed out the other side. The reason for brushing one side, trimming and then brushing out the other side was so that the fur on the brushed side didn't clump up and the rough areas would be easily seen (since Baxter has never been professionally groomed there were a LOT of these).
To trim the fur on his paws, she lifted the paw up and cut the fur on on his hocks even with the bottom of the pad. Then she trimmed all the fur growing between the pads even with the bottom of the pads.
Kelly then used the Matbreaking Dematting tool to thin the fur on his neck and chest. This made it obvious that he really did have a neck. She then trimmed his beard to about 2 1/2" long. She trimmed all the ragged fur around his ears - the objective was to have the ears blend smoothly with the fur on his head. She also trimmed a bit of fur around his nose - to help his beautiful big nose be a bit more obvious and cleaned up my hack job on his bangs. I have to admit that I don't think that I am brave enough to use the 10" shears around his eyes as Kelly did. I think that I'll have to depend on my old round tipped shears for that.
As for his backside, she trimmed the fur to about 1" from the top of his thighs to top of his back following the curve of his body. I suspect this will make it a lot easier to keep him clean.
A couple of points - she did let me know that sheepdog fur is extremely forgiving. This is useful since my skill levels are no where near hers (she had a grooming shop and she also shows sheepdogs). I have several books on how to groom a sheepdog, however, having it done in front of me was extremely helpful. She also mentioned that she was willing to show other OES owners how to do this. Since I don't want to put her phone number and last name up publicly, if you are interested, pm me. | | Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that the navigation menu on the OESCA website (http://www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamerica.org/) is missing. Used to be that there was a menu with links to all sorts of information including breed standards, competition results, grooming advice, top kennels, etc. But for the past couple weeks, the only information is to the Centennial Store. Can't even reach information about the Centennial event. There is not even a link to a webmaster so I can report the problem. . . | Depends on the type of book you want, most are on the breed and history, the one mentioned above is a great "the complete old english sheepdog". Another great one if you can get your hands on one is "The Old English Sheepdog" by "Ann Davis (Arch)", excellant one too. There is a lot around on the breed. There 2 of my favourites.
However if you want more and in great detail about the breed, including history, training, and detailed grooming, trimming, clipping, bathing, drying and all over general coat care then one of the best is -
"Care and Grooming Of Old English Sheepdogs" by "Monique Carriere". It covers so much, just about everything and is the most detailed book I have ever read on general coat care & Information on OES.
Very hard to get now, but you might be able to seek out one in a 2nd hand book shop, if you are lucky, as it has been out of publication for quite awhile.  | No not me Michelle it is Carl Lindon, he has put an awful lot of detailed time and information together to help people learn, especially if it is there first experience with OES.
Another link from Carl and if it is your first OES, this one is on Proper line Grooming an OES, the best detailed helpful instructions I have ever seen, especially as it comes with detailed pictures too. THANKS CARL.
http://www.oes.org/html/sheepdog_grooming.html
AND GEORGE, What ya talking about????, Mine do LOL  |
Bosley's mom wrote:
80 pound lapdog....  |
80 pounds? We haven't seen 80 pounds since before Clyde was a year old!
I've said this before but however much you think a lot of grooming is, multiply that by about 20 and that's the realistic amount of time that it takes to keep a dog in full coat. That being said, a well bred dog will have an awesome, sweet, playful and lovable temperament that is impossible not to fall in love with.
For all the background (health, standards, etc.) information that you're looking for, go to http://www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamerica.org/ | There is one that is full of grooming information, what tools to use, grooming, trimming, bathing, quick clean ups etc.. It has been out of publication for quite a few years and is hard to get, might be able to source one from a second hand book shop. It also comes with diagrams too.
The Care and Grooming of Old English Sheepdogs" by Monique Carrie're.
Published by " Best Read Books Ltd, 444 Pleasant Park Road,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. K1H 5N1." |
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