It has been claimed as a characteristic of the Bobtailed English Sheepdog, that "he has the peculiar habit of running over the backs of sheep when in flock in order to head them, and on that account is highly valued in fairs and markets." "Stone-henge," "Idstone," R. J. Lloyd Price, and many others have all advanced this as special to the breed. Such a habit is not at all peculiar to the Bobtails : any Collie that is up to its business will do so when occasion requires, as every one must have observed who has attended a sheep-fair or a market.

Whatever reason there may have been for imputing bad temper to the Old English Sheepdog in the pre-exhibition days, there is certainly none now, for it is fairly well known that a more docile variety, taken generally, does not exist. A closer connection with the outside world than was possible when the breed was kept solely by the shepherd and the farmer has doubtless tended, as in the case of many other breeds, to improve the temperament. Shows, too, have not been without their refining influence. The result is that many of the asperities inherited from those remote ancestors that were called upon not only to "work" sheep as now generally understood, but also to defend them from the co-existent wild Carnivora, have been smoothed down, and the Bobtail Sheepdog, when properly trained, is a model of what a canine companion should be. To dilate upon the sagacity of the variety, or to refer to the many excellent qualities that the dog possesses in a marked degree, is unnecessary. To these the measure of popularity that the breed enjoys abundantly testifies. How great is this popularity may best be gauged by remembering that only as far back as fourteen years ago an entry of a dozen at a show providing a decent classification would have been a fair one; while to-day a three-figure entry would be the rule at a first-class show under a popular judge ; while the breed is one of the comparative few strong enough to provide a show all its own. Not a little of the popularity the breed now enjoys is due to the labours of those early fanciers, Mr. W. Weager, Mr. Freeman Lloyd, Mr. C. W. Macbeth, Dr. Edwardes Kerr, Mr. R. J. Lloyd Price, and a few others; while later, Dr. Bott, Mr. A. H. Megson, Mrs. Fare Fosse, Mr. T. H. Shout, .Mr. F. W. Clayton, and Dr. Locke have, with a host of others, laboured most assiduously for the breed. Nor must one lose sight of the good work done by the Old English Sheepdog Club that was founded in 1888, and has been much in evidence ever since.

Fig. 46. - Dr. Bott's Old English Sheepdog Champion Bouncer.

From the foundation of the Club there has been a great improvement in uniformity of type. Differences of opinion have existed, and will exist, with regard to how the ideal dog should be made up. At present size is one of the vexed questions of the Fancy. A very short time ago there was an outcry against the dog being bred too small; to-day, if anything, the other extreme obtains, the dog being too big, added to which not a few of the modern Bobtails are deficient in that indefinable if very well understood quality - expression. Colour of coat also exercised very greatly the minds of the early breeders, and it was a long time before the much coveted pigeon-blue was found combined with dogs of the right stamp. Frequently it was associated with weedy-looking specimens. Gradually, however, breeders overcame the difficulty, and the pigeon-blue came to stay. Indeed, though the blue marie is undeniably handsome, yet the pigeon-blue dog, even in the twentieth century, has a host of admirers.

To put down the Old English Sheepdog (Fig. 46) in the pink of coat condition is no easy task. Constant grooming it must have; but there is such a thing as over-grooming. If the novice be well advised, he will early in his career enter the Club already named. Once a member of that body, he will come in contact with men and women who have made the showing of this dog a speciality, and these will be willing to help him over the stile.

In purchasing an adult dog, the description of the breed as furnished by the Club should be the guide; but to select a young puppy is not so easy. The chief points to look for are the promise of a big square head, short back, strong loin, a coat that is harsh to the feel, and plenty of bone. If called upon to select from the nest, the puppy that is biggest and most closely approximates to the one described should be chosen. Colour in puppies is frequently deceptive, the very dark-coloured ones sometimes assuming the coveted blue, but after many months.

The following is the description of the breed as drawn up by the Old English Sheepdog Club: -

Skull

Capacious, and rather squarely formed, giving plenty of room for brain-power. The parts over the eyes should be well arched and the whole well covered with hair.

Jaw

Fairly long, strong, square, and truncated. The stop should be defined, to avoid a Deerhound face. [ The attention of judges is particularly called to the above properties, as a long narrow head is a deformity.]

Eyes

Vary according to the colour of the dog, but in the glaucous or blue dogs a pearl, wall, or china eye is considered typical.

Nose

Always black, large, and capacious.

Teeth

Strong and large, evenly placed, and level in opposition.

Ears

Small, and carried flat to side of head ; coated moderately.

Legs

The fore legs should be dead straight, with plenty of bone, removing the body a medium height from the ground, without approaching legginess ; well coated all round.

Feet

Small, round ; toes well arched, and pads thick and hard.

Tail

Puppies requiring docking must have an appendage left of from 1½ in. to 2in., and the operation performed when not older than four days.

Neck And Shoulders

The neck should be fairly long, arched gracefully, and well coated with hair; the shoulders sloping and narrow at the points, the dog standing lower at the shoulder than at the loin.

Body

Rather short and very compact, ribs well sprung, and brisket deep and capacious. The loin should be very stout and gently arched, while the hindquarters should be round and muscular, with well let down hocks, and the hams densely coated with a thick, long jacket, in excess of any other part.

Coat

Profuse, and of good hard texture ; not straight, but shaggy and free from curl. The undercoat should be a waterproof pile, when not removed by grooming, or season.

Colour

Any shade of grey, grizzle, blue, or blue-marled, with or without white markings ; or in reverse, any shade of brown or sable is considered distinctly objectionable and not to be encouraged.

Height

22 in. and upwards for dogs, slightly less for bitches.

General Appearance

A strong, compact-looking dog of great symmetry, absolutely free from legginess or "weaselness," profusely coated all over, very elastic in his gallop, but in walking or trotting he has a characteristic ambling or pacing movement, and his bark should be loud, with a peculiar pot cassee ring in it. Taking him all round, he is a thickset, muscular, able-bodied dog, with a most intelligent expression, free from all Poodle or Deerhonnd character.