Online Encyclopedia
English Shepherd
| English Shepherd | ||
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| Alternative names | ||
| Farm Collie (this name is also used for the Scotch Collie ) |
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| Country of origin | ||
| United States | ||
| Classification | ||
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| Breed standards (external links) | ||
| UKC | ||
| Notes | ||
| Not currently recognised by other major registries. |
The English Shepherd is an American breed of dog. In 1900 the most common dog on small farms in the US was the English Shepherd. The English Shepherd is an all around farm dog, being used as a herding dog, livestock guardian dog, watch dog, hunting dog, and others. They are very quick to learn the farm routine and will work independently with little or no training. The modern English Shepherd is still best suited for farm work, but they are also used as search and rescue dogs, agility dogs, therapy dogs, and flyball dogs. English Shepherds are similar in appearance to Border Collies and Australian Shepherds. English Shepherds usually have tails and have a flatter head than Aussies. English Shepherds are never merle and Aussies frequently are. English Shepherds are frequently larger than Border Collies, but the quickest way to tell the two apart is to put them on stock. Border Collies herd with the distinctive eye while English Shepherds have a looser herding style.
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Appearance
The English Shepherd is a medium sized dog, usually somewhat longer than it is tall. Generally between 40 and 70 pounds. As a small farm dog, English Shepherds have evolved to fulfill a variety of needs. This has resulted in a wide range of regional variations. There are larger, stockier dogs for working cattle primarily, smaller, lither dogs for working sheep primarily, and everything in between.
The coat is medium length and usually somewhat wavey. There is frequently feathering on the legs and tail. As a working dog, the coat should be easy to keep, requiring no grooming. Dirt and burrs tend to just fall away. There are four coat colors: sable, tri-color, black and white, and black and tan. There are no merle English Shepherds.
Temperament
The English Shepherd temperament is the defining characteristic of the breed. The English Shepherd is an independent worker. He quickly learns the farm routine and will see to it that routine is followed without instruction or supervision. English Shepherds are bossy and somewhat intolerant of change. They have been known to chase newly acquired stock out of the fields and are often quite standoffish with strangers. However, once he accepts people or children or stock as his own, there are few better caretakers than an English Shepherd.
Breed history
The historical English Shepherd is also known as the Scotch Collie or "Farm Collie". There was no breed club or registry at the time so there is some dispute over exactly which name applies to which dogs. All of these names were applied to the common farm dogs of the era. The Australian Shepherd is likely a derivative of these farm dogs and appeared primarily in the Western United States. The English Shepherd was more common in the Midwest and East. The English Shepherd is a decedent of the working farm dogs of the British Isles, however the name is believed to derive from the Amish use of the word "English" to refer to anything not Amish.
Known medical issues
English Shepherds are generally healthy dogs, however hip dysplasia is not uncommon. Anyone contemplating getting an English Shepherd would be well advised to research the hip ratings (OFA or PennHIP) of the breeder's stock.