Introduction & History

OES (OES) emerged in England in the mid-1700s linked to ancient herders. In England in the 18th century, tax exemptions was granted to drover dogs, which helped drive the herds to markets. This is where the nickname “bobtails” was created, as working dogs had their tails docked or bobbed to denote this tax exemption. OES’s, as they are commonly referred to, were excellent at this job because of their eagerness and weather resistant coats. They developed a special gait for efficient coverage, the amble or pact, as they had to drive OES animals many miles to market. Their thick coat was easily maintained by simply shearing it off when the sheep were sheared each spring.

Appearance and Personality

The height of OES is around 55cm and they weight  up to 40kg. They are fairly slow maturing dogs, reaching adult height by about one year of age but not filling out totally until two or three years old. The coat is thick, dense and profuse and colours are limited to shades of blue or grey with white. Many OES live to 12 to 14 years of age.

This breed is smart but can be strong willed and may need a firm hand to guide them along the right path. While not thought as a guarding dog, some of these animals can be protective. Their bark is loud and some become nuisance barkers. Digging and chewing develops in dogs that are not exercised or mentally challenged enough. If left without the companionship of humans or other pets, they can become unhappy and destructive.

Bobtail’s need owners who are dedicated to giving them a lot of exercise. Early training is imperative to control the breed’s boisterous behaviour. As these dogs need a firm, patient hand they are not ideal for first-time dog owners. They are designed as serious working dogs and are happiest when they have tasks to do, this can be in the form of obedience competition or herding a flock.

When it comes to the maintenance care for this breed, coat care is the biggest consideration. Keeping the coat tamed requires commitment to frequent baths, coat treatments and daily grooming.

The breed is an ideal pet for someone prepared to spend time with them. The OES is completely adaptable to active people, or homebodies. They love their families, but should never be left unsupervised with young children.

Common Health Concerns

The five most common reasons for an Old English Sheepdog to visit the vet (excluding routine care visits) according to PetSure data from the 2022 calendar year include:

Rank Condition Average cost for single treatment
(average pet insurance claim amount)		 Highest cost for single treatment (highest pet insurance claim seen for this condition)
1 Otitis Externa $356 $2,355
2 Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) $502 $2,519
3 Hypersensitivity (Allergic) Skin Disorder $641 $5,223
4 Mass lesion – skin (cutaneous) $728 $,1849
5 Diarrhoea $660 $2,649

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

* Please note that the values calculated are based on all claims for that condition and medically related conditions in each calendar year.

For the same period (2022 calendar year), the top five highest single vet treatments (or highest pet insurance claims) for from PetSure data were:

Rank Condition Highest Cost of treatment for condition 
(average pet insurance claim amount)
1 Lymphoma $24,221
2 Anaemia – Haemolytic, Immune-Mediated $15,039
3 Protein-Losing Enteropathy $14,560
4 Sebaceous Adenitis $8,005
5 Gastric Dilatation Vovulus $7,169

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

* Please note that the values calculated are based on all claims for that condition and medically related conditions in each calendar year.

 Most popular Old English Sheepdog names from PetSure 2022 calendar year data:

Most popular names

  1. Ava
  2. Bob
  3. Bonnie
  4. Charlie
  5. Emma
  6. Fergus
  7. Gracie
  8. Harry
  9. Maverick
  10. Odin

Most popular female names

  1. Ava
  2. Bonnie
  3. Emma
  4. Gracie
  5. Sophie
  6. Xena

Most popular male names:

  1. Bob
  2. Charlie
  3. Fergus
  4. Harry
  5. Maverick
  6. Odin
  7. Percy
  8. Teddy
  9. Toby
  10. Zorro

Did you know?

OES are renowned for their sense of humour and have appeared in many films and television shows, such as “Dennis the Menace” and “For Better or For Worse”.