The Bobtail Dog, also known as the Old English Sheepdog or Old English Sheepdog, is a spectacular large dog. Its weight is between 30 and 40 kg, and its height at the withers is about 63 cm.
However, the fundamental characteristic of the bobtail is its extraordinary gray and white coat, which requires more specific care compared to other dog breeds.
If you read this article, our site will point out the main care of the Old English Sheepdog.
He alth, the most important care of the bobtail
The bobtail needs to strictly follow the vaccination schedule for dogs prescribed by the veterinarian and those that the legislation of each country indicates as mandatory.
It is also essential that you have an identification chip, since apart from being mandatory in Spain, it is a breed that is very appealing to dog thieves. The chip is the most effective way to get it back if it ever gets stolen.
Given the luxuriance of their fur, it is necessary to control and prevent the appearance of parasites (fleas, ticks). Discover some home remedies for parasites in dogs.
As with many pure breed large dogs, the Bobtail is prone to hip dysplasia. Therefore, the vet will be attentive to the problem and one more reason to keep the Old English Sheepdog at his ideal weight. Another serious ailment that can afflict the bobtail is Wobbler's syndrome, a complex cervical disease that can permanently incapacitate the dog in the most severe cases.
A problem that may seem insignificant, but is key to the he alth of the bobtail is the thorough care that we must take with the hair of the bobtail. It is very important if we walk it through the field or garden, to eliminate the spikes and other vegetables that adhere to its mantle. These materials can get stuck in your epidermis and cause irritations, and even infections; in addition to knots in his fur. We will observe your feet with special care, eliminating any foreign element.
Other typical ailments of the bobtail are otitis and cataracts. Otitis is caused by the morphology of their ears that prevents their proper ventilation. Cataracts can be due to genetic predisposition. In addition, the bobtail does not tolerate hot climates very well, one more factor that predisposes it to suffer from otitis.
It is very important to take care of the bobtail's face to avoid infections in the eyes, ears and teeth. Due to his "beards" he sweeps the floor when he eats or sniffs. We must clean the area.
Old English Sheepdog Feeding
During its puppy stage the bobtail is not known for its voracity, but when it becomes an adult its appetite becomes immeasurable. Therefore, it will be important for the veterinarian to advise an appropriate but strict diet.
The Old English Sheepdog is capable of eating well in excess of its nutritional needs. The daily calories that should be consumed are between 1,400 and 1,500, as long as the veterinarian considers it correct, depending on the exercise that the dog practices on a daily basis.
A normal intake of complete dry feed for an adult bobtail will be 500 to 600 g per day. It is better that the feed is low in protein. It is not convenient, if it is fed with an adequate feed, to change its diet. We must not break the "monotony" of his diet, because if we do, he is prone to diarrhoea.
He althy exercise for a bobtail
It's a bobtail it's about a dog that needs a good daily dose of exercise to stay he althy The ideal is to offer himbetween 2 and 3 daily walks combined with physical exercise. The total time that we dedicate to the bobtail daily in the different activities should be around two hours
Despite being a dog that can live in an apartment, we must know that in a farm, house with a garden or rural house it is easier for it to run around the garden and entertain itself while exercising. The bobtail enjoys nature very much and it will be beneficial for him to be in contact with the land and have a large space.
If you live in a flat or apartment, it's very convenient walking it jogging, while the caregiver rides a bicycle next to you, for example. Discover on our site exercise for adult dogs that you can do with your bobtail.
Old English Sheepdog Coat Care
The bobtail's coat is its most distinctive physical feature. Of white and gray color, with a very rough texture, it is recommended that a professional hairdresser a couple of times a year take care of the dog.
We will take care of daily combing, brushing and undoing knotsWe must start this routine during his puppy stage so that he gets used to it, even if it didn't seem necessary at the time. We must get him used to staying still throughout the process. We can use quality dog hair conditioners to make combing easier.
Every six or eight weeks we should bath him and dry him very well. In the puppy stage, it will be necessary to wait for the bath 40 days after the last vaccine.
