Alice White
Old English Shepherd Dogs live about 10-12 years, in this short period of time you can become so attached to the dog that no difficulties in caring will frighten you. On the contrary, a loving owner will try to do everything to prolong the life of the pet as much as possible.
For health, both physical and mental, the dog needs to provide proper nutrition, care, take care of meeting its physical needs and instincts.
Place in the House
The Old English Shepherd Dog is assigned a comfortable, quiet place in the house, where the pet would feel comfortable, could rest. The bed is chosen in accordance with the size of the dog.
When keeping an Old English Shepherd on the street, you should take care of an aviary with a booth, where the dog can hide from the cold and heat. It is important to ensure free access to drinking water.
Physical Exercise
The physical activity needs of the Old English Shepherd depend on the age and condition of the dog. Young and adult individuals need regular physical activity to maintain health and stimulate mental activity, as well as fight boredom. Otherwise, animals begin to mischief, for example, chewing objects that are not intended for this, chasing animals, digging holes, driving children into a “herd”. Representatives of the breed love to run, play.
The dog must feel needed, it is important to realize its working qualities. This requires suitable conditions, namely plenty of space and animals to graze. Best of all, the Old English Sheepdog feels in the spacious courtyard of a country house or in the countryside. Although in a spacious city apartment, where the opportunity to play is provided, Old English Shepherds also feel good.
You need to walk your pet every day at least three times a day. But it is important to put yourself in the eyes of the dog so that it understands that it is she who is being walked, and not the dog is walking the owner.
Feeding an Old English Shepherd
Bobtails do not require a special diet, but they are picky about their food. Adults are fed twice a day. The breed consumes relatively little food.
The basis for natural feeding should be lean meat, in particular beef, lamb, poultry, as well as rice or buckwheat with the addition of 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. It is permissible to introduce fermented milk products with a low percentage of fat into the diet. Of the by-products, preference should be given to the rumen, liver, as well as cartilage. Bones are best avoided or meat on the bones. Sea fish is given raw but frozen or boiled, without bones. Vegetables should also be present in the diet of the Old English Shepherd, but carrots and beets should be avoided, which can affect the color of the white coat, especially in young animals.
Among dry food, preference should be given to high-quality food for large breeds that satisfy the needs of the Bobtail organism, for example, Nutro, Orijen, Pro Plan, Eukanuba, Solid Gold.
Bobtail Care
When keeping an Old English Shepherd Dog, the main difficulties are caused by grooming the coat. Thorough care of a thick, shaggy coat will take several hours a day, but only 1-2 times a month. If you neglect to groom, then the wool quickly rolls, tightens the skin. The only way out in advanced cases is to shave off the wool. Regular grooming will keep the coat clean and tidy. During molting, the frequency of combing increases. Particular attention should be paid to the ears and limbs, as their coat tends to tangle more. To maintain cleanliness and hygiene, it is advisable to trim the hair in the reproductive area. Some owners are unable to cope with maintaining the proper appearance of the animal and resort to simply trimming the coat. It is better to accustom the bobtail to the combing procedure from an early age so that in the future this will not arise with problems. Loose hair, although well collected with a vacuum cleaner, is spread everywhere, it can be found on the floor, furniture, in bed, and even in food.
Bathing the Old English Shepherd is necessary as needed. Show individuals are bathed a week before the show in order to restore the structure of the coat. Before bathing, the wool is carefully combed out, disassembled or mats are cut out. In the process of washing the Old English Shepherd Dogs, avoid getting water into the ears. The shampoo is applied twice, thoroughly washing it off each time with warm water, otherwise, dirt will stick to the soap residues on the wool, the wool will get dirty faster, and skin irritation is also possible. After washing, the excess moisture is removed from the coat of the bobtail as much as possible, first of all, by wiping the area around the eyes and ears with a damp towel. Then the coat is dried with a hairdryer, starting from the head and using a comb. For show dogs, styling is about adding volume, so the coat is dried from the bottom up, lifting it up.
After each walk, you should examine the pet for ticks, fleas, remove debris stuck in the wool, wash the paws and abdomen if the walk was carried out in wet weather. To keep the coat clean in rainy weather, you can walk your pet in overalls. Regular washing of the coat in the mouth area after each feed will help prevent yellowing of the coat due to saliva and food.
Ears, paws, eyes should also be examined. Excess ear hair can be removed. Carefully clean the space between the fingers of dirt, shorten the hair between them to prevent snow and dirt from sticking to the hair. It will not be superfluous to monitor the growth of claws, which need to be trimmed about once a month if they are not grinded naturally. It is noteworthy that the claws on the hind legs grow more slowly than on the front ones.
To maintain the health of the oral cavity, you should brush your pet’s teeth twice a week using a special toothbrush and paste, or take care of buying treats, toys that help clean your teeth from plaque and calculus.
