Hi everybody.
I have a 5 month old old english sheepdog, 'Merlin'.
Gorgeous though he is, it's getting to be very hard work keeping him looking (and smelling) respectable, due to muddy conditions at the mo.
  We live in the countryside, so every walk ends in a filthy dog/house.
My question is, should I get him clipped or not to make it easier to keep him clean(er)? Also, is it a bad idea to attempt to do it myself? I've clipped horses before, but never dogs.

Eleanor.

Hi Eleanor,

Give him a nice trace clip ha ha :)(sorry, couldn't resist!)
I'm sure someone with OES experience will be along soon to help. Looking at it from a purely muddy dog point of view, I would guess that it would be considerably easier to keep him clean if he was clipped.
Ali :)

I don't have any knowledge of OES, but do have long haired cockers.  I've just had one of mine clipped short, because he was getting into a complete state everytime he went out.  It's not just the mud, he was picking up all sorts of things in his coat, which combined with the wet, were getting very difficult to remove - I was having to cut lots of things out of his hair everyday as his hair is the sort that knots very easily.

If you are not intending to show, I would say 'go for it'.  Pip is certainly happier and not constantly scratching to get rid of something that I've missed.

As a groomer, I am always amazed why people who and not prepared to groom their dogs buy a heavily coated breed!  There are plenty of short haired breeds to choose from. 
The puppy coat is soft and more difficult that the coarse adult coat.  An adult Old English Sheepdog has a double coat, which is a weatherproof working coat.  If you let the wet dog dry, 15 minutes "correct" grooming a day using a slicker brush , right back to the skin, will keep your dog clean, smelling sweet and looking like the breed that the breeder put so much time and effort into producing and the breed that you purchased! 

Well said Val

My feelings exactly!!

Jayne

I agree - there's no point taking on a long haired dog and then clipping it because you can't keep up with grooming.

Having said that it's true that in the past when OES were used for working dogs they often got clipped with the sheep but their coats have changed over the years and are not nearly so harsh as they used to be.  You can keep on top of grooming if it is done regularly, just a few minutes a day.

Each breed is an individual with their own needs, you have an OES, give him the grooming he needs.

Val, I'm impressed!!

Just reading about the way they used to clip the old working types, we do with our Spanish and it's actually the clipping that helps the next coat become better, I wonder whether that's why the show dogs seem to have a different coat, because they are not clipped?

:p

Wont he be changing his puppy coat for his adult coat around this age?

If so, do NOT clip him....the puppy coat is soft and fluffy, and will get filthy pretty quickly, and also matt up horribly.

However, the harsh adult coat is pretty easy to maintain, considering how much of it there will be!

If you clip, whether you do it yourself or a groomer does it, it will permanently change his coat texture, to that of the puppy coat, and will ALWAYS be a pain to keep clean.

If you can wait for his adult coat to come through, keep on top of the grooming, it will get easier.....and i suspect you could SCISSOR some of the harder to keep clean areas shorter, but not clip!!! (ie around his bum, feet, behind ears etc) if you are not planning to show.

Seriously though, if you dont want a dog with all that coat, dont get an OES!

Em

MY Old Engilsh loves to be cliped , she is 11 yrs old  but after the hair cut she becomes  young again  , jumping , running .. she loves it , and we get to see her lovely eyes ......... to clip or not to clip is a personnel choice. Diane

Well said Val and everyone - if you want short hair dont buy a long haired breed. Its quite simple!

Yes it is great to see an old english with its fur clean long and flowing, my dog has had the long look and the short look , and I have been grooming my dog for 11 yrs now, so if the dog is getting elderly and bathing and grooming is becoming harder for the dog , then have the fur clipt back . I wonder how many owners will actualy go with never getting the dog clipt in its life time ... not many . So long as you are kind and loving to your dog through its life time and you never let the dogs fur become matted and dirty, then I do not see any problem with either choice..... Just love and enjoy your Old Engish, he will love you back wearing long hair or short hair. Diane