Old English Sheepdog vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison

Old English Sheepdog vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed ComparisonOld English Sheepdog is originated from United Kingdom but Bichon Bolognese is originated from Spain. Old English Sheepdog may grow 56 cm / 23 inches higher than Bichon Bolognese. Old English Sheepdog may weigh 15 kg / 34 pounds more than Bichon Bolognese. Old English Sheepdog may live 3 years less than Bichon Bolognese. Old English Sheepdog may have more litter size than Bichon Bolognese. Old English Sheepdog requires Moderate maintenance. But Bichon Bolognese requires Low maintenance

History

old english sheepdog - historyThe origin of the Old English Sheepdog is unclear as records weren’t kept. However there are some aspects that suggest the dog originated in the 19th century and that the Scottish Bearded Collie had a significant part in the development of this dog which hails from England.

It is also believed that the Russian Owtchar was involved in the development of the Old English Sheepdog. The dog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888. In 1904, the Old English Sheepdog Club of America was also founded.

The shape of the dog has changed very little over the years and it was in the 1880s that the dog was exported to the United States.

bichon bolognese - historyThe Bichon Bolognese is one of 4 types of Bichon breeds the others being the Havense, the Bichon Frise and the Maltese. The Lowchen and the Coton de Tulear are also listed in this grouping at times. The Bolognese was developed in Italy and is a small, companion animal. They are named after the city of Bologna in Northern Italy. The Bichon Bolognese is considered a toy dog and are considered an ancient breed that lived with Italian nobility. Their precise ancestry is not known and the Maltese is considered its closest relative. They have been known to exist since at least 1200.

The Bichon Bolognese is found in many works of art throughout the centuries. They were the favorite of many an Italian artist since the 17th century including Titian, Watteau, Gosse and Goya. They were known to be owned by Duke Frederico Gonzaga, Madame De Pompadour, Catherine the Great of Russia and Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Cosimo de Medici gave eight Bolognese to Belgian noblemen. The Duke d’Este was given two as a gift.

Of all the Bichon group – the Bolognese is the hardest to find and the best problem solver. They read body language amazingly well, stick with their owners and are attentive and devoted. Liz Stannard brought them to England in 1990 and they were entered in the breed registry that same year and joined the show ring cycle in 2001. By 2002 they were shown at Crufts, England’s International Dog Show.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Toy dog
Origin:
United Kingdom
Spain
Height Male:
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
3 - 4 cm
1 - 2 inches
Height Female:
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
2 - 3 cm
0 - 2 inches
Weight Male:
27 - 45 kg
59 - 100 pounds
27 - 30 kg
59 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
27 - 45 kg
59 - 100 pounds
25 - 28 kg
55 - 62 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 10
3 - 5
Size:
Large dog
Toy dog
Other Names:
The Shepherd's Dog, Bobtail
the Bolognese Toy Dog, the Bolognese, Bolo, the Botoli, the Bottolo
Colors Available:
Grey and white
white
Coat:
Long and fluffy
the Bolognese Toy Dog, the Bolognese, Bolo, the Botoli, the Bottolo
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Cheerful, Friendly, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Playful, Social
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
Yes
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

old english sheepdog puppy - descriptionThe Old English Sheepdog is a large dog standing at between 50 and 60cm and weighing between 27 and 45kg.

He is muscular with a broad bottom and hip area. The head is also large and the small ears are carried flat. The tail has always been docked, giving the dog a large panda-bear look to him, but these days the tail is often left long, and the dog loses that square compact look.

When the tail is left long it is well feathered. The coat can become fairly long and is quite harsh and wavy to straight. The coat is essentially grey with white hair over the head area. The puppies are born with their hair being black and white, and later on the traditional grey coloring comes in.

What is quite interesting with this dog is that it stands lower at the shoulder than at the loins, so just like a Panda bear, he also lopes or walks in a bear-like fashion.

Temperament:

The Old English Sheepdog isn’t an aggressive dog. He is social, intelligent and entertaining for his human family, whom he loves to spend time with.

He is an energetic dog too and he would prefer a country setting where there are large fields to run in as opposed to living on a tiny property in the city. He is an adaptable dog though, and will slot into life in the city or suburbs, so long as he is well exercised.

Train him and socialize him and he will become an obedient, amicable pet to have around.

bichon bolognese puppy - descriptionLike the other members of the Bichon group, the Bolognese is a compact, little white dog. It is considered a member of the toy group and is stocky in its build. It is a muscled, square dog of medium length with an ovoid skull and large, square, black muzzle. The jaw is well developed, and they have black lips, black nose and black eyelids. They have a straight muzzle with a strong, aligned bite and its eyes are round and wide. They have long, high set ears that hang down to a rigid base. The coat is white, long and shorter only at the muzzle. The coat is fluffy but not fringed.

Characteristics

old english sheepdog dog - characteristicsThe Old English Sheepdog is the ideal dog for a family pet. They love spending time with their human family and are affectionate and loyal, getting on well with children as well as other pets.

From the time he is a puppy, you can see that he is fun-loving and easy going while also being intelligent. He is also a guardian and wants to protect his human family.

Provide him with the opportunity to get out into the country sometimes if you don’t live on a farm because he is essentially a farm dog. He used to be a herding dog and likes to be busy. Treat him well and have him trained and socialized and he’ll make you a superb pet.

bichon bolognese dog - characteristicsThese little white dogs with the shaggy hair are intelligent, loving, playful, loyal, and happy to do whatever you ask them to. They are more reserved than their relative the Bichon Frise. They are great at obedience training and seem to love it. They learn quickly and love to please you, yet they can also be very stubborn. Like the Bichon Frise, they are difficult to housebreak. They need to be with their people who they will develop bad habits and a bad attitude. They are bred to be companion dogs. If socialized when young they are great with strangers after you have indicated that the strangers are ok. They are barking watchdogs but not continuous barkers. They get along with other dogs but are ok by themselves as well. They do get separation anxiety when their people are gone for extended periods of time. They can be very serious and docile, but they love to be with people. They are very loyal and very bonded to their family.

Be sure you are the pack leader as they can acquire Small Dog Syndrome. With this syndrome the dog comes to believe he is the alpha and the humans are his pack. This causes many kinds of problems with behavior including howling when not getting attention, their separation anxiety and destructiveness can also come from this.

Health Problems

old english sheepdog puppies - health problemsIt is estimated that the beautiful Old English Sheepdog can live to be about 10, 11 or 12 years of age if he is looked after well. Just like with other dog breeds though, this particular dog is also prone to some of the common dog diseases there are.

Some of these diseases include hip dysplasia, diabetes, eye diseases and deafness along with some skin problems.

Diabetes:

As a chronic disease, Diabetes can affect dogs as well as other animals and humans. Diabetes in dogs can’t be cured but it can be managed, with Diabetes Mellitus being the kind of diabetes most seen in dogs. Whatever kind of diabetes your pet has, the negative effects remain the same.

Cancer:

It can be devastating when your dog has been with you for about 10 years, to discover that he has cancer. Of course, cancer is the leading cause of death found in dogs older than the age of 10.

Many cancers are curable if you catch them early. Malignant lymphoma is a common cancer with dogs but there are other cancers too. The warning signs of cancer in dogs are much the same as what you get with humans. You’ll discover a lump or even an injury that won’t heal. There could also be abnormal bleeding.

Skin Problems:

There are many different kinds of skin problems seen in dogs, some of which are more common than others. You’ll notice your dog licking a part of the body so that the hair disappears and the skin becomes exposed.

There are skin problems started because of inadequate diet and lack of nutrition. There are plenty of commercially manufactured pet foods that don’t have the right amount of vitamins and minerals your pet needs. Always buy a good quality one to fight these very aggravating skin allergies. A vet may give hydrocortisone products but many dog owners these days try to treat their dogs with natural products.

bichon bolognese puppies - health problemsLike others in the Bichon group, they have moving kneecaps (luxating patella’s). They also have some eye conditions. They should be tested for any genetic issues, although the breed is a very healthy one and they do not usually have major health issues.

Caring The Pet

Diet:

old english sheepdog dogs - caringFood allergies are caused by your dog eating food with ‘bad’ ingredients which don’t agree with him. Make sure your pet has a wholesome diet.

Invest in the very best quality commercially manufactured food. Home-made food is always a wonderful treat for any dog but it needs to be kept simple. No exotic, spicy foods and no suddenly changing your pet’s diet.

Simple, nutritional boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach added into his kibble as a treat will do wonders for your pet and he will thank you for keeping his meals tasty and simple. A little bit of raw meat added in occasionally can also do him the world of good. Fresh, cool water must always be available.

Grooming:

The Old English Sheepdog is quite a high maintenance dog, what with that long hair and all, and some owners of this dog prefer to take him to the parlor to have the hair sheared and wash, otherwise it could become a mammoth task for a dog owner.

If you opt to keep the hair long, you may end up having to be constantly brushing your pet’s coat to prevent it tangling. Not only that, if you live in a hot area, cutting the hair can help towards keeping the dog cool.

The ears of your dog should be checked regularly for infection as well as the eyes, and keep the nails clipped as well.

Feeding

bichon bolognese dogs - caringLike other toy breeds do not overfeed the Bolognese. Feed them ¼ of a cup of high quality dry food once a day. Treats are often used for training just be judicious with them.

Health issues

They are very healthy with a propensity toward: Moving kneecaps (Luxating patella)

Hip Dysplasia

Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease – This causes the thigh bones to shrink due to a loss of blood supply. It can be repaired surgically.

Periodontal Disease due to their small mouth size.

Exercise and games

They need to walk everyday but they can be couch potatoes. One long 20-minute walk will do or a couple 10-minute walks.

While Bolognese are perfectly happy to lounge around the house, they should also have a daily walk.[7] A suitable walk would be around 20–25 minute a couple of times a day or substitute 10-minute walks a few times a day. They love to play off-lead, whether its in the house or in a fenced in yard or dog park.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Chihuahua vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  2. Morkie vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  3. Havanese vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  4. Chorkie vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  5. Pekingese vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  6. Chinese Crested Dog vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  7. Chiweenie vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  8. Chug vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  9. Brussels Griffon vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  10. Chipoo vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  11. Chiapom vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  12. English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  13. Long Haired Chihuahua vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  14. Bichon Bolognese vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  15. Bichon Bolognese vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  16. Russian Toy Terrier vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  17. Franzuskaya Bolonka vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  18. Phalene vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  19. Bugg vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  20. Cockachon vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  21. Shih Tzu vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  22. Silky Terrier vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  23. Snorkie vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  24. Toy Bulldog vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  25. Toy Mi-Ki vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  26. Old English Sheepdog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  27. Old English Sheepdog vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  28. Old English Sheepdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  29. Old English Sheepdog vs Briard - Breed Comparison
  30. Old English Sheepdog vs Bouvier des Flandres - Breed Comparison
  31. Old English Sheepdog vs East German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  32. Old English Sheepdog vs Estrela Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  33. Old English Sheepdog vs Huntaway - Breed Comparison
  34. Old English Sheepdog vs Czechoslovakian Wolfdog - Breed Comparison
  35. Old English Sheepdog vs Mioritic Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  36. Rough Collie vs Old English Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  37. Saarlooswolfhond vs Old English Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  38. Perro de Pastor Mallorquin vs Old English Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  39. South Russian Ovcharka vs Old English Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  40. Samoyed vs Old English Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  41. Old English Sheepdog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  42. Old English Sheepdog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  43. Old English Sheepdog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  44. Old English Sheepdog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  45. Old English Sheepdog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  46. Old English Sheepdog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  47. Old English Sheepdog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  48. Old English Sheepdog vs Labradoodle - Breed Comparison
  49. Old English Sheepdog vs Cane Corso - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds