we are about to adopt an old english sheepdog mix, 6-7months old…looks great…
any hint on these dogs?
they seem to be a lot of fun and they like to run a lot.
didn’t you adopt a cocker not too long ago? addictive isn’t it 
any idea what it’s mixed with? i’ve met a couple ‘dulux dogs’ and they were much more active that i thought they would be. the only other thing that comes to mind is that a lot of grooming is going to be involved.
good luck
yep…we found him…now he told us he wants a brother or a sister :-))
here is maybe his brother:
dog is actually bigger than it appears on pix and is really cool!
You don’t want that, Francois, all that adds up to, are big turds, and fur balls all over the place. They can’t see, with all their hair in their face, and so they probably just crap indiscriminately anywhere, thinking its some “safe spot,” when its probably under your dining table, because they can’t see.
What you need is a Whippet or Greyhound. We’ve got some old retired Greyhounds you can adopt at the West Memphis Dog Track. I think these would be ideal for triathletes. You could definitely run with them, and I suspect they could easily go 20 mph, so you could even bike with them. Demerly could proably come up with some kind of extension off the bottom tube, where you could hook up a fake rabbit. He’d be right there with you. Don’t ride with a group though.
Probably good for “bricks.” They’re a little nervous and wiry and what not, but you could just keep him or her in the backyard.
they have a lot of eye problems.
Yo Francois
Beware of any greyhound or greyhound mix. We’ve got a greyhound mix (mostly greyhound, looks like a greyhound, but not pure) She’s sweet but Waaaayyy hyper, and not friendly with other dogs,
Also think about a high fence, and I mean high…JaJa ( yes, Francois, named after the Great L. Jalabert) has a vertical leap of like 6 feet…shes skys over our 7.5 foot picket fence with no problem at all.
Amazing really, caught her in the act several times, funny as hell to see her jump over it. She’s fast as hell , awesome too se her take off full steam across the lawn and watch our other Cane corso try to keep up.
Francois,
All dogs are wonderful but IMO the best of the best are Lab Retreivers. Just stay away from the German dogs - Rotties, Dobbies, Shepherds, etc. Much too unpredictable. I know I’ll be flamed for this but that’s been my experience.
A friend of mine had a purebred old English sheep dog. Wonderful temperment but you can’t take him swimming the way you can with a Lab. The fur on the sheepdog practically sinks them.
Other than that, they are good dogs.
El Paso shelter actually has a lab retriever…
I guess we’ll have to see who is ok according to Schatz (our dog) although he likes pretty much everything that moves…dogs, cats, people, insects! I saw him in awe in front of a cricket…was great to watch…
sorry . . . I can’t resist. Everybody that I ride with who owns a cervelo rides as slow as molasses, therefore, based on my experience they are slow bikes and would not recommend them to anybody . . . I also once saw a guy wreck one during a race and take some guys out so I’m assuming they are very dangerous and unpredictable as well.
You’ve got a Cane Corso? Way cool. Do tell, do tell . . .
As I have a lab, I’ll take a second to weigh in here. I did a huge amount of research on them, and am a bit of a fanatic on the dogs. This may be a bit, um, long.
Pluses: they love everyone, are easily trained, have a great disposition, seem to intuitively “know” children, and are incredibly gentle and patient with them. They are human attention sponges, and much prefer being with humans than without. Definitely pack animals. And nothing makes a crappy day better than having a goofy lab smile to greet you. Fantastic swimmers, and unless I’m actually really “swimming” (as opposed to monkeying around in the lake), my dog can outswim me. Wish I had webbed toes like him. I’ve also never met a dog that my dog doesn’t get along with. Oh, and they tend to have a justifed natural fear of 1) vaccum cleaners 2) cycleops trainers.
Negatives: As they have a double coat (for insulation in cold water) they “blow” (shed) the inner coat twice a year (late fall and spring in Canada). This means sweeping every day, as you’ll be amazed how much hair there is. Otherwise, they shed consistently, and if you like a dog-hair free home…this is not the dog for you. They will do anything for food, and eat anything; they are one of the few dogs they will actually eat until they kill themselves, through stomach rupture. My own dog once polished off a 15 pound bag of dog food (that my fiancee had left out)…in an hour! Prolific vomiting was the result. They’re equally prone to sleeping on the couch as chasing a ball, so obessity can be a problem. While it may seem laughable, they have an incredibly powerful tail (acts as a rudder in the water), that can easily clear a coffee table in one sweep. Lastly, as they are heavier-built dogs, and due to inbreeding, many are prone to hip dysplasia, which can cost $$ to fix. In my experience, while they are okay for a 3-4 mile run, they are not distance runners; their genetic code is for short distance sprinting/swimming (to pick up downed waterfowl), and long walks to and from hunting sites. My own dog, who is in excellent shape, ends up dragging behind on a 30 minute run.
Sorry for the ramble, just thought this would help. If you’re looking for a pet that loves you totally unconditionally, Labs are ideal. For a good FAQ, see: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/dogs-faq/breeds/labradors/
Check into the local Weimaraner rescue. They are great dogs for active people and love to run. I got a two year old female from the people in Indianapolis and she always goes running with me. They are really active dogs, but great to have around. Check it out: http://www.weimrescue.org/
Francois,
Your old english sheep dog is a mix, which means that it probably won’t display some of the traits that people have mentioned about the particular breed. If all you want it for is a pet or companion, it looks just fine. Mixed breeds make great pets.
If you are looking for a running partner, you may want to look elsewhere. Also Greyhounds are very quick but have no stamina so they don’t make very good LSD runners.
Good luck!
I found my dog on the side of the road…little puppy at the time. I see dogs like children, you get what you get and you love them no matter what.
I say get the dog, this is not a car with an option you may not need - this is a life that will love you no matter what your issues are.
This is the first time I have ever agreed with Record10.
Most everyone else seems to be assuming that Francois is starting dog shopping, my take is that he is pretty set on the sheepdog and just asking what to expect from the him/her.
We have 5 dogs, all of which shed and only one of which can run worth a damn, and we love them all. I don’t get this cold, breed-shopping attitude a lot of folks seem to have. Francois, get the dog and don’t sweat the details.
“sorry . . . I can’t resist.”
I practically asked for this, but let’s just say that cerveloguy has a phobia about Rotties, Dobbies and Shepherds. In fact, they send chills up my spine. Conjours up images of patrolling WWII era concentration camps. I’ve never actually been bit by a dog but my wife has been on two occassions while running - both times by Shepherds. Any time my dogs have been attacked has always been by one of these three breeds. Any runner or cyclist that I know personally that has a dog incident has always told me it’s either a Rottie, Dobbie or Shepherd.
I know enough about dogs to appreciate that not every Dobbie, Rottie or Shepherd is nasty and understand that my total dislike of them is quite irrational. It’s how they’re raised so I’m sure that most make decent family pets - but for other people. I’ll play it safe and stay with the Retriever family.
Best dog is the Chesepeake Bay Retriever.
Bigger, stronger than a lab. Similar temperment. More loyal to owners (lab will love anyone) so a little better guard dog. Coat has oil so it dries almost instantly. Used for commercial duck hunting so never tire. MY wife has a horse and takes him for multiple hour rides along side the horse and then he comes home and runs with me. A machine who refuses to be left in a different room from his ‘people’
I have a yellow lab as well - but I think the Chessie is the dog for me.
last thing I want to do is dog shopping indeed! I guess we’ll get there and the dog will pick us, not the other round 
I really don’t care so much about the breed, just want a nice dog!
We’ll have to ask Schatz what he thinks too…
Francois,
I have 2 Bobtails/Old English Sheepdogs (Nessie and Loxley). One is 10 years, the other is 9 years old. Feel free to contact me offline.
In a nutshell, they are WONDERFUL dogs. Keep 'em brushed (even with a puppy cut), keep their ears clean, and give them walks/runs and you’ll have no problems.
I’m thrilled for you.
Cheers,
Puskas
Francois -
You’ve got it right. Your dog will pick you, especially at the pound. My wife and I are dog lovers. Right now we have a Border Collie and a Great Pyrenees (talk about cleaning dog hair) and they are perfect for us. Granted we picked them out as puppies, but it was a long process and we met a lot of dogs before our current pack picked us. The only thing to remember is that exuberant puppies become exuberant dogs The gregarious young dogs usually mature into very active and (sometimes) independent minded animals. Love you dog and he will love you back. There isn’t a finer example of unconditional love than that which exists between a dog and his owner.
Mark