Old English Sheepdog care on Cape Ann

The AKC says activity levels vary widely within the breed, that every sheepdog needs regular exercise, and that sheepdogs have an off switch when they come indoors. It calls them great with children, patient and protective playmates, and sensible watchdogs with a loud, ringing bark. VCA's breed guide describes a gentle, entertaining companion, devoted to its family, that learns quickly but can be headstrong, and says games and tricks provide needed mental exercise.

At home, that instinct can turn into a dog that tries to round up the family. The AKC says sheepdogs remember what they learn but get bored with repetitive, robotic exercises, so change the games and keep them fun. It also calls early socialization in puppyhood vital. A 70-pound adolescent that bumps a toddler is much easier to prevent at 15 pounds, with a sit for greetings and a game that replaces the herding.

The AKC lists PRA and hereditary cataracts among the eye conditions responsible breeders screen for, along with hip dysplasia, autoimmune thyroiditis, cardiac anomalies and hereditary deafness, and it recommends hip, eye and thyroid evaluations and a DNA test for exercise-induced collapse. DNA tests also exist for cerebellar ataxia and primary ciliary dyskinesia, so carriers need not be bred together. Ask to see the parents' results. The AKC adds that a sheepdog's eyes can be brown, blue or one of each.

The fringe makes eye checks easy to skip. VCA notes that the long hair around the eyes is usually tied back in everyday life so it does not interfere with vision. Lift it every few days and look for clear, bright eyes with no redness or discharge. The AKC says DNA tests are available for drug sensitivity, and Washington State University's veterinary program lists the breed among those affected by the MDR1 mutation, at about 5 percent; ask your vet about testing.

The AKC says a full coat needs grooming down to the skin over the whole dog at least weekly, and calls a puppy trim a good option for a pet. Our Old English Sheepdog grooming page explains that choice and its prices. The seasons add their own chores: mud packs the leg hair in March and April, a shorter trim dries faster after summer pool days, autumn burrs from Dogtown Common work into the hams, and winter builds snowballs on the feet.

Ticks are the hidden cost of a profuse coat. From April to November, comb to the skin after every woodland walk at Ravenswood Park or Dogtown Common, starting at the ears, neck, armpits and the inside of the hind legs, and use the method on our tick-check how-to. The AKC's article on burrs warns that their teeth make small cuts that can become infected, and that burrs between the toes are hard to spot, so spread the toes too.