{"id":445,"date":"2019-05-23T18:34:49","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T18:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/islandboundsheepdog.com\/?page_id=445"},"modified":"2026-10-06T15:25:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T15:25:32","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/islandboundsheepdog.com\/index.php\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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About Us<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our Breeding Practices and Philosophy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Island Bound Old English Sheepdogs, our breeding program stems from a profound passion for the breed and a commitment to safeguarding its exceptional traits\u2014We breed for a loving, clown like nature that is so representative of the breed. We breed for the intelligence that befits any herding dog, and we breed for dogs that look like the iconic shaggy dog. To us, responsible breeding transcends simply producing puppies; it\u2019s about elevating the breed\u2019s health, temperament, and overall well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old English Sheepdogs have been a constant presence in my life. Some of my earliest memories are of visiting a farm to bring home our puppy, Bonnie. A decade ago, after a brief period without an OES and while pursuing my nursing degree, I felt a calling to breed and exhibit these remarkable dogs. I was fortunate to connect with Saffy (GCH CH Loehr\u2019s Island Sapphire Sky) and her breeders, who graciously took me under their wing as mentors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re not full-time breeders\u2014our home is shared with just two or three dogs at any given time. These dogs are our cherished family members, accompanying us on countless journeys, from dog shows to everyday family getaways. You can catch a glimpse of our boating adventures with them at https:\/\/shipslog.stedman.us\/gulf-islands\/<\/a>. I delight in engaging my dogs in a variety of activities, including Conformation shows, Rally, Obedience, Agility, Herding, Parkour, Paddleboarding and Trick training. Each of my dogs proudly holds a Canine Good Citizen Award. We start our puppies off on the path to being great family members by initiating Puppy Culture protocols for socialization and early training (https:\/\/shoppuppyculture.com\/<\/a>) If you are interested there are videos and classes available to bring a new puppy into your home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The health of my dogs is very important to me. My dogs are fed a balanced raw food diet. Recipes are created by a certified canine nutritionist to be complete. Puppies will be raised on an appropriately balanced puppy recipe and on OC Raw chicken (https:\/\/ocraw.com\/<\/a>). We have seen an increase in food allergies in many breeds including Old English. Based on my research feeding a biologically appropriate raw diet, especially early in life, is the best remedy. Read more about our raw diet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a member of the Old English Sheepdog Club of Greater Seattle and the Old English Sheepdog Club of America, I uphold their codes of ethics with pride. I ensure no dog is bred before reaching two years of age and completing all health screenings recommended by our club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health Testing for Our Breeding Dogs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The health of our Old English Sheepdogs is our top priority, and we take extensive measures to ensure that our breeding dogs are screened for hereditary conditions common to the breed. Our breeding dogs undergo the following health evaluations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n