We have four dogs in total I will focus on Rose first because she is my special one. It’s strange, we have 4 kids and 4 dogs. Each human including me and the wife has sort of chosen a favourite or rather each dog has chosen a favourite human. Do not get me wrong we all love them all but if we are sat in the living watching TV, 9 times out 10 we end up fussing the same dog. The main reasons we got Rose apart from me nagging my wife for ages is:-. For a few years we have been happy with Angus and Angelina both of them Bichon x Border Terrier crosses, I love them, walk them but it has been other family members that bonded with them. Well Angelina got pregnant accidentally to Angus. I eventually agreed that they could keep one of Angelina’s pups as long as I could get a big dog so I didn’t look like a puff walking 3 little dogs and their pink little leads. Rose is now 9 months old, 7 months old in the pic’s below. She is a cross between an Old English Sheepdog and a Newfoundland. I wanted an extra large dog, considered low allergy, friendly and good with children and other pets, calm and laid back, but tireless when going out for a long hike, and most of all a big cute teddy bear. Both my wife and I have always thought OES would be our perfect looking dog but have been put off with a few breed profiles saying that they can be a bit skitty and I have read they bark a lot that’s piercing. When we saw the litter advertised we new the cross would be perfect for us. Physically: - I would say she has inherited everything OES. The way she walks with her back end swinging like a lion is an OES thing, her fur in not as dense as a Newfie what’s good for this country. Her height is about 22” so I guess she will make about 24” eventually (see below). She has limitless energy and does not seem to mind the heat. Mentally: - She is very intelligent and quick to learn. Obviously still a puppy so gets very excited with visitors, play fights a lot etc. but in between she is very calm definitely not skitty and has not really shown any signs of a herding instinct. Perfect! Genetics – Father - As-bbD-S- He was a liver Newfoundland you can get grey so theoretically he could carry the dilution gene but mathematically I doubt it. Mum - As-Ggllspsp-sw?sw? She was grey normal OES pattern, not merle but had one blue eye. The latest suggestions are that there is a kind of extreme white recessive gene that only affects the head. It can affect either side of the head or both and also causes the blue eye on which ever side. If anybody has any information on this gene it would be appreciated. Rose - As-BbD-GgLlsi-sw? Combine the two and this is what you get. She is definitely carrying the co-dominant Grey gene G because she has gone grey. She is definitely carrying the brown and long hair recessive genes because these would have been passed from the parents. Not sure how the piebald gene works whether dominant or not does sp x s = si (reduced pattern) or is it spsp x s = sp (no pattern because you need a pair). She may carry the dilution gene but I doubt it.
She's stunning. We also have a Old English Sheepdog cross (Skye) who is a OES X Deerhound. I see similarities in the face !
I have seen the pictures of him. Does he also have the greying/silvering gene? How old is he? What colours where his mum and dad? Does he malt seasonaly? Is he layed back and chilled? If I was to ever breed with Rose, Skye would be perfect they both will be carrying the long hair gene giving an odds of 1 in 4 having long hair like an OES
He's just turned 10 years old - where did the time go ? Mum was a Black and White Old English Sheepdog - Dad was a grey (brindle) Deerhound. Despite the black and white colouring, his coat is more like that of a Deerhound in that it's quite course. The undercoat is very soft and you can get loads off him with a good metal brush. On the whole he's not too bad though hair wise. He's stayed pretty well black and white although he looks grey in places but it's actually a mix of white and black hair if that makes sense. He is very laid back - a true gentle giant - Noble like the Deerhound and despite being brave he can get spooked and be a right old baby.
