Can OES be Aggressive?
Thanks! |
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| When we got our first Sheepie, Bentley, he was very aggressive but that was due to how he was kept prior to us getting him. After being with us, he mellowed out as time went on. We worked with him constantly to correct this as were well on our way until his demise. Do you currently have any dogs? According to the OES breed standard, they're not supposed to be aggressive or passive. I don't really thing any dog is aggressive by nature. I think it's all to do with HOW they're raised. Vance |
| Not any other dogs currently. We will be bringing a puppy into our home. We were just concerned that with time an aggressive streak might come out - we would like a dog that we would never have to worry about hurting someone but one that is friendly to absolutelty everyone! |
| Our sheepie was temperament tested and he is the sweetest dog ever. We hope to train him to become a therapy dog. We have a special needs son and needed a good well bred dog and our Cambridge is amazing. Find a good breeder with good lines and you'll be fine |
OES are sheepdogs and are basically big collies. They can have a tendency to bite/nip things, but that is their herding instinct. Bloo isnt aggressive but hen he has had enough he will tell you.  OES are fab dogs wwith tonnes of personality they are like little clowns. Find a good breeder and you should be fine GOOD LUCK XX |
| An Old English is definitely NOT suppossed to be aggressive in any way. It is unfortunate that some breeders just do not care and breed dogs with less then desireable temperaments. A recent seminar stated that temperament is 50 % inherited and 50% environmental and how they are raised. There are critical periods in a pups development. Ask how the breeder socializes they pups. How long is the mom with the pups. Be sure to meet the parents, and talk to other families who have their dogs. Finding a good breeder is key. An OES with a correct temperament should be a playful yet a very laid back dog who is great with everyone. |
| Speaking of great breeders Amber... Do you still have your little girl available? I went on your site the other day but didn't see pricing. Thx |
| I guess any dog can be aggressive, if poorly bred and/or raised but I have not found this to be a tendency among OES. When we got our first OES two years ago, we researched quite a bit to find a good breeder. We live on Ontario, Canada, so did our research here first and got very lucky and found a great breeder. We just got another puppy and a retired dog from her a week ago, so we are now a 3 sheepie home! One of the reasons we went with that breeder was that her dogs, in addition to being very healthy and health tested, are well socialized. We have alot of nieces and nephews and I wanted a dog that could handle the chaos of big family gatherings with young children. This breeder has 3 active kids, so her dogs are exposed to that kind of noise and activity level. But even if a breeder doesn't have kids, the good ones will expose their dogs to all kinds of situations to socialize them. Below is something that find helpful as you begin your search. Now this is Canadian, but I imagine it is the same or similar for Americans or from other countries, so at least it gives you something to start with. Good luck on your search. I hope we see pictures of your OES on here one day!  CHOOSING A BREEDER So you have decided that an Old English Sheepdog is the right breed for you. You are ready to provide a warm and loving home for a puppy. Now on to the biggest question, “Where do I find the right puppy”? Let’s start by examining where not to go. You've likely heard of puppy mills -- places where dogs are neglected, possibly abused, and where bitches are bred with no concern for their or their pups' welfare. Puppy mills are not defined by the numbers and variety of breeds kept, but rather by the breeder's attitudes: a puppy mill can have over 100 dogs of consisting of different breeds, or only one or two dogs representing one breed. If you arrive at a kennel and find it to be a puppy mill, leave immediately. There are many stories of people who bought a puppy because they couldn't bear to leave it in such a horrible place, only to lose a sickly dog after massive vet bills and a lot of grief. The more pups these puppy mills sell, the more they will continue to produce. Only informed consumers who refuse to buy from these people, have the power to put them out of business. Purchasing a puppy from a pet store is another bad idea. These puppies are usually from puppy mills. Often puppies are advertised by individuals or families who have bred their family pet. While these people may love their pet very much, they are unlikely to have considered the long-term health of your prospective puppy in their decision HOW TO RECOGNIZE A REPUTABLE BREEDER Anyone selling purebred dogs in Canada must abide by the Animal Pedigree Act and the bylaws of the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), which state that all dogs represented as purebred must be registered or registerable with the CKC, registration papers must be included in the purchase price, and dogs must be identified (either by tattoo or microchip) before leaving the breeder's premises. You would usually be shown a copy of the pup's litter registration certificate at the time of sale; his individual registration certificate must be sent to you within six months. So, remember: any breeder advertising "unregistered purebreds" or charging a higher price for registered pups than for their unregistered litter mates is breaking the law. Health Clearances: All Old English Sheepdogs used for breeding should possess at least the following minimum clearances: Hip Dysplasia: A potentially crippling deformity of the hip joint. Dogs may be certified by the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at 18 months of age, or by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) at two years. Some breeders are also working with a new method called Penn-Hip. Watch out for breeders who obtain preliminary diagnoses for animals too young to certify, and then breed them. "Prelims" are not certification; a satisfactory result on a youngster does not ensure clearance at 18 or 24 months. If it did, clearances would be available at the earlier ages! Hereditary Eye Disease: Dogs may be certified clear of hereditary eye disease at any age, following examination by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist. Certificates are issued by the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) Dogs used for breeding should be examined yearly. Ask the breeder to see both parents’ Hip and Eye Cetifications. This is a must! Any breeder who has done the necessary testing will be proud to show you them. Below are examples of what the Certificates look like. CERF OFA OVC You can also look up any kennels certifications by either their kennel name or the registered name of the dog. Please visit our “Health” page for a list of breeder members dogs certifications. Any dog who has been certified can be found by visiting the following links. Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) Showing - Whether you are looking for a show prospect or a family companion, a breeder who shows their dogs before breeding them is taking yet another step to ensure they are breeding only the best examples of the breed. Conformation shows are considered the benchmark for affirming that a dog meets the physical standard for the breed; herding instinct testing & trials, among others, demonstrate that a dog possesses the instincts and work functions that are part of the breed's purpose; agility trials, flyball, etc. show athleticism, skill, dedication, and trainability; and obedience trials show trainability and hard work. There are more, of course, and the list is growing. Participation in these events, and proving dogs prior to breeding them, shows a strong dedication to the breed and high personal standards in breeding. A Good Breeder will ask questions about your family, your lifestyle, and the type of life your dog will have. They may use a questionnaire, or a telephone interview. They may insist on meeting you before agreeing to sell you a pup. This can seem intrusive and time consuming, but this person is acting in your best interest. This breeder will give you and your pup lots of support, guidance on training and grooming, and, if the impossible happens and you are unable to keep your pet, welcome him back with open arms. They will encourage your questions, and answer all of them. They will be proud to invite you to meet their dogs. Watch the breeder with their dogs; you should see lots of love and affection. In conclusion, an ethical breeder should be able to produce verifiable documents about the soundness and health of their dogs, and written guarantees for the offspring. They should also be happy to show you sound and healthy 'parent' dogs. A good breeder will answer all your questions and be as concerned about your pet's welfare as you are. |
ruforgvn wrote: Speaking of great breeders Amber... Do you still have your little girl available? I went on your site the other day but didn't see pricing. Thx I still have a girl available...and now a little boy too. I will be updating my site tonight. |
| Im finding this to be a common and disturbing question. Yes they can be agressive, a 5 lb dog can be aggresive. Any dog has that pontential but overall no they are not. They are complete lap dogs (if you can handle 60+ in ur lap). Sweetest loving dogs ever. They will herd everything if given the chance but it shouldnt be confused with aggresive behavior. |
| CAN - a very flexible word. In my experience BIG clumsy playfull bouncey oafs, with unlimited enthusiasm. Archie gets attacked by other dogs all the time, not once has he snapped or had a go at the other dogs. But that does not mean any animal decended from a wolf won't be aggressive, you'd probably have more likely hood of a smaller dog being aggressive than an OES. Question is are you the right owner for an OES? |
| Thanks everyone for all your help and thoughts! It's just such a big commitment - we want to make sure we get it right.... And be sure we are the right people too! Thanks again! |
| OES are the only breed I have or will ever have. I've raised my family from infancy to college with sheepies. When the kids were little or Isabelle would heard them. We didn't have a fenced in yard at the time and Isabelle never left her yard. She stayed with her sheep (my children, and all the neighbors children). My neighbor got a rescue after being around my two and he had been chained in a yard for the better part of two years. He was very aggressive and bit me in the face and drew blood. They had to get rid of him. Again, it is how they are raised. Mine have always been big, sweet furry bundles of love. Quite often other unsocialized dogs will be very aggressive toward an OES mainly because they cannot read them. Their eyes are often covered, and you can't see raised haunches. Whenever we go to the dog park and a dog goes after Bentley, he has a big deep voice and expresses it and the other dogs back off. Never has he been aggressive toward the other dogs and just loves everyone, so does his big sis, Lizzy. Good luck making your decision. The key is a good breeder. |
| Any dog can be aggressive. We have always had multiple dogs, 5 at present, and thankfully aggression to people or other dogs has never been an issue. Its going to be a matter of nature, the breeding, and nuture,how you raise your dog that for the most part will determine aggression or not. |
| Purchase your dog from a responsible breeder and you greatly reduce the chance of it having aggression issues; and this counts for ANY breed . I was a moron and got my dogs from what I thought was a "nice lady" near where I live, and we've been doing training to reverse unwanted behavioral issues ever since. I cannot urge you enough; go with a reputable breeder and you'll put your worries to rest! |
| I think I agree with everyone that any dog can be aggressive. Also, some dogs may look aggressive but just play hard. Kenny went from very very shy to now playing with a ton of energy around other dogs. He isn't aggressive but just loves to play with his buds. He has never once played hard or been aggressive towards a human so I think hes well aware of the difference. |
Eggbert wrote: Also, some dogs may look aggressive but just play hard. Kenny went from very very shy to now playing with a ton of energy around other dogs. He isn't aggressive but just loves to play with his buds. He has never once played hard or been aggressive towards a human so I think hes well aware of the difference. You have to be careful with that, though. I had the trainer of our puppy class tell me that Tonks and Luna were not aggressive, just playing hard. I HATE that woman today; I wonder how things could have been different if we'd not listened to her, and enrolled the girls in an aggression specific trainer when we first saw the signs. |
| I can say that everything I've seen about Kenny points to not being aggressive but I wouldn't mind getting some input on what COULD be an aggressive behavior or underlying starts of aggressive behavior. Thoughts anyone? |
Darth Snuggle wrote: You have to be careful with that, though. I had the trainer of our puppy class tell me that Tonks and Luna were not aggressive, just playing hard. I HATE that woman today; I wonder how things could have been different if we'd not listened to her, and enrolled the girls in an aggression specific trainer when we first saw the signs. I wouldn't presume she was wrong based on what she saw at that time. Dogs work things out in their own way and sometimes it looks and sounds awful to us, but to dogs it's all part of sorting things out. It's when there's blood shed that you know they've crossed that line. Most will not proceed to crossing that line. Now, rude, yes, OES play rudely. Most any way. Kristine |
| We have been fostering an abused and neglected OES from the shelter for about 2 1/2 weeks. We also have a pair of 2 month old puppies and cats. The OES has been hilarious about "tending" to the pups! He herds them around the house and discourages them from playing too rough or getting into things they shouldn't. The troubling time, though, occurs at feeding time. He has progressed to the point that he won't allow the pups to eat. We have separate bowls for each and feed them in opposite corners of the room. The OES will try to go between all 3 bowls and guard all the food. We never leave them alone and we work as a team to promote peaceful meal times, but haven't seen promising results. He has even made a snapping motion toward my husband. (My husband was on his hands and knees on the floor picking up stray morsels of kibble and putting them back in his bowl.) This morning, one of the cats got too close and he DID strike. He bit the cat in the face and she now has an eye injury. Has anyone else dealt with this sort of behavior? What can be done to turn this otherwise delightful pooch around? |
| Feeding time he is removed from the situation so others can eat and he eats alone. Then follow some of the proceedures regarding controlled reintroduction of food, obviously a big resource guarder. I take it he gave the the precurser warning sounds? |
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