Old English Sheepdog
Herding
Group
Breed Standard
General Appearance
A strong,
compact, square, balanced dog. Taking him all around, he is profusely, but not
excessively coated , thickset, muscular and able-bodied. These qualities,
combined with his agility, fit him for the demanding tasks required of a
shepherd's or drover's dog. Therefore, soundness is of the greatest importance.
His bark is loud with a distinctive "pot-casse" ring in it.
Size,
Proportion, Substance
Size--
Height: Dogs: 22 inches and upward.
Bitches: 21 inches and upward.
Proportion-- Length: Practically the same as the height. Absolutely free
from legginess or weaselness.
Substance-- Well muscled with plenty of bone.
Head-- A most intelligent expression.
Eyes-- Brown, blue or one of each
Ears-- Medium sized and carried flat to the side of the head.
Jaw-- Fairly long, strong, square and truncated. Attention is particularly called to the above properties as a long, narrow head or snipy muzzle is a deformity.
Nose-- Always black, large and capacious.
Teeth--
Strong, large and evenly placed. The bite is level or tight scissors.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck--
Fairly long and arched gracefully.
Topline-- Stands lower at the withers than at the loin with no indication
of softness or weakness. Attention is particularly called to this topline as it
is a distinguishing characteristic of the breed. Body-- Rather short and very
compact, broader at the rump than at the shoulders, ribs well sprung and brisket
deep and capacious. Neither slab-sided nor barrel-chested. The loin is very
stout and gently arched.
Tail-- Docked close to the body, when not naturally bob tailed.
Forequarters
Shoulders
well laid back and narrow at the points. The forelegs dead straight with plenty
of bone. The measurements from the withers to the elbow and from the elbow to
the ground are practically the same.
Hindquarters
Round
and muscular with well let down hocks. When standing, the metatarses are
perpendicular to the ground when viewed from any angle.
Feet
Small
and round, toes well arched, pads thick and hard, feet pointing straight ahead.
Coat
Profuse,
but not so excessive as to give the impression of the dog being overly fat, and
of a good hard texture; not straight, but shaggy and free from curl. Quality and
texture of coat to be considered above mere profuseness. Softness or flatness of
coat to be considered a fault. The undercoat is a waterproof pile when not
removed by grooming or season. Ears coated moderately. The whole skull well
covered with hair. The neck well coated with hair. The forelegs well coated all
around. The hams densely coated with a thick, long jacket in excess of any other
part. Neither the natural outline nor the natural texture of the coat may be
changed by any artificial means except that the feet and rear may be trimmed for
cleanliness.
Color
Any
shade of gray, grizzle, blue or blue merle with or without white markings or in
reverse. Any shade of brown or fawn to be considered distinctly objectionable
and not to be encouraged.
Gait
When
trotting, movement is free and powerful, seemingly effortless, with good reach
and drive, and covering maximum ground with minimum steps. Very elastic at a
gallop. May amble or pace at slower speeds.
Temperament
An adaptable, intelligent dog of even disposition, with no sign of aggression, shyness or nervousness.
