What can I say about this beautiful old girl. She’s an incredible senior girl (around 11) with so much love to give. As I write this, she is curled up beside me on the couch. She loves to be close to you and loves to greet everyone who comes to the house. Daisy want’s nothing more than to be by your side at all times. She loves to fetch a ball and run at the beach or the dog park. She’s great with other dogs and all people but she does have a strong prey drive, so while I haven’t tested her with cats, I wouldn’t think she would do well with them. She is excellent with our kids who are 9 and 14. Given her size and her sometimes rambunctious nature (mostly just when the doorbell rings!), a toddler or small child may not be ideal. She does not, however, like to be left in the backyard for any longer than absolutely necessary to do her business, then she will promptly let you know that she wants back in. She knows all her commands and has a great recall. She prefers women over men but will warm up to the men of the house pretty quickly if you show her some affection (she loves having her ears scratched). She would make someone the perfect guard dog as she has definitely chased my hubby out of the room when he arrives home late from flights after being out of the country. There is not an aggressive bone in her body but she will protect you if ever needed. Daisy is happy to lounge on the couch if she can be close to you, but she is also happy to go for a big long hike. She has arthritis in her back right hip that will bother her if she runs too much or too hard so her exercise requirements can be as much as a 5K hike or as little as a nice walk around the block or a play of fetch at the park. She is being treated with NSAIDs for her hip but should have her kidney’s monitored because of the long term affects of NSAIDs. Daisy also LOVES car rides and travels very well. We have taken her to Squamish, Whistler and Vancouver as well as up island to Parksville on a camping trip. She is perfect in the car. She did amazingly well at Coombs last summer, again, a perfect senior lady to every single person and dog she met.
Things that are important to know and understand about Daisy. She is an Old English Sheepdog and as such, should never be shaved or groomed shorter than a “puppy cut”. Most groomer’s have never seen an Old English Sheepdog so be sure to do your homework if you decide to groom her. If an OES’s coat is shaved to short, it will take away the protective barrier that they have to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Her coat is the perfect length now for a “puppy cut” and requires very little brushing at this length, but she would require a regular groom about every 4 months to keep her coat at this length. She does require regular nail clippings, feet trims (the hair on her pads needs to be kept short so she doesn’t lose her grip in the house) and to keep the fur around her bottom trimmed. These are all Old English requirements. If her coat is to be kept in a full coat, then regular brushings are important. She is very good at letting you brush her and trim her nails. She will also need her ear hair trimmed and her bangs either trimmed so she can see or pulled back into a top knot so they don’t block her vision.
Daisy would do best with a stay at home mom, or someone who works from home. She’s does not like to be left at home alone and her biggest downfall is that she just wants to be with you 100% of the time. She has been known to dumpster dive in the garbage can, so having a secure garbage under the sink.
