Arthrug Old English Sheepdogs are owned and loved by Tony and Janet Steele. We are always happy to give help and advice to anyone who is thinking of owning an Old English Sheepdog.
History of Arthrug Old English Sheepdogs
Our first Old English Sheepdog, Mareband of Arthrug (Wellington) was bought as a pet in 1975. We lived in South Africa at the time and we were encouraged to show him. At his first show he won a first place, and we were hooked. In 1976 we acquired Marian of Arthrug (Jenny) but she wasn’t a show girl. In 1977 Wellington gained his South African title. We had a couple of litters, but our next successful show dog Shaggybeau Eager Edgar of Arthrug (Edgar) was bought in 1983, and he gained his South African title in 1986, just two days before his flight to U.K. and six months in quarantine. Unfortunately, we lost Edgar at an early age due to a heart attack.
On our return to U.K. We kept in touch with the show scene, although we didn’t show until we bought Lamacres Tobermory of Arthrug (Toby) in 1992, but he didn’t enjoy showing. We lost Toby due to a brain tumour.
We bought Mirene Make Believe with Arthrug (Pookha) in 1994. She qualified for Crufts 1995. In January 1999 she gave birth to a healthy litter of 10. 8 bitches and 2 dogs. These puppies were out of Breedonhill Unknown Legend (Harvey) owned by David and Janet Swannell. We kept a bitch from this litter, Arthrug Upon a Star (Disney). She had a successful show career, qualifying for Crufts each year she was shown. In 2001 Disney was joined at Crufts by her litter sister, Arthrug Make me a Star (Milly) who was owned by Jenny Sinfield. We repeated the mating and, in October 2000 Pookha gave birth to 3 dogs and 2 bitches. Our son Andrew had a dog puppy from this litter Arthrug Silver Dream (Dougal) and he qualified for Crufts each year he was shown. He is now retired and a much loved couch potato and pet.
Disney gave birth in October 2002 to a litter of 7, 5 dogs and 2 bitches. These puppies were out of Beauvallon the Sorcerer at Mirene (Bertie) owned by our very good friends, Irene & Geoff Duplock. We kept a bitch puppy from this litter Arthrug Upon a Moonbeam (Rose) who was best bitch at the Working & Pastoral Breeds of Wales show just one day after she was 6 months. The following week, at her first Championship Show, she qualified for Crufts 2004. One of her litter brothers, Arthrug Blue Moon (Baxter), who is owned by Debbie & Steve Wilson and family, qualified for Crufts 2004 at his first Championship show.
In 2004 we achieved a long held ambition of gaining a place at Crufts with a home bred dog. Rose won a 4th place in the Special Junior Bitch class out of an entry of 13, and Baxter won a 1st place in the Special Junior Dog class out of an entry of 6. WE WERE SO PROUD.
In July 2005 we said our last goodbye to our dear Pookha, she was 11 ½ and the vet could do no more for her. We stayed and held her until there was no more pain. Sleep well, darling Pookha, you will be forever in our hearts.
Rose also had a successful show career, qualifying for Crufts each year she has been shown. Rose gave birth in September 2006 to a litter of 4 healthy bitch puppies. These puppies were out of Beauvallon Philanderer JW, (Oliver) owned by Helen & Gareth Harris. We kept a puppy from this litter, Arthrug Upon a Sunbeam (Madison). During 2007 Madison qualified a total of 11 times for Crufts 2008. She won Best Puppy in Breed and Reserve Best Bitch at the Working and Pastoral Breeds of Wales show and Best Puppy in Breed at the Welsh Kennel Club Championship show, as well as several other first places. She was also placed in several Puppy Stakes classes at various shows. Madison was at Crufts in 2008, and she took part in Discover Dogs at Crufts, along with Disney and Rose.
Madison was consistently placed at shows in 2008, gaining a 1st place at Windsor Championship Show under breed specialist Pam Tomes, and also gaining a 1st place at the Welsh Kennel Club Championship Show under breed specialist Jenny Joice.
Madison gained 1st place in Open Bitch and Reserve Best Bitch in Show at the North Western OES Club Open Show in July 2009, under breed specialist Roy Bell, and was entered at the Greater London OES Club Championship Show. From an entry of 15, with 3 absentees, she made the final 6.
Madison was awarded a 2nd place in Open Bitch, out of an entry of 9, with 2 absentees, at the Working & Pastoral Breeds of Scotland Championship Show in November 2009, this means she will get a stud book number and she will now be qualified for life for Crufts.
Madison didn’t attend Crufts in 2010, due to Janet having major heart surgery. However, she won Open Bitch at the OES Club Open Show at the beginning of April, and Open Bitch and Best Bitch in Show at the Lancastrian OES Club Open Show on 19 April. At Welks Ch Show in April 2010, Madison won VHC in Open.
On 30 April 2010, we said goodbye to our darling Disney. She had been suffering with Cushings Disease together with complications of old age. She was 11 in January. We will miss her so much, she was such a loving dog, friends with everything and everybody - sleep well sweet Disney, our little princess, we will always remember you.
At the Greater London OES Club Open Show 2 May Madison was 2nd in Open, then Reserve Best Bitch and went on to get Reserve Best in Show. The following day she was Reserve Best of Breed at the Bedford & District Canine Society Open show. At Birmingham National Ch Show in May Madison again won VHC in Open and, at the Scottish Kennel Club Ch Show in May, Madison won 2nd in Open.
At the North Western OES Club Open Show in July, Madison was awarded 1st in Open and Reserve Best Bitch - Judge was Mr Alan Rathband. At the Derby Canine Society Open Show in September, Madison was awarded 1st in AVNSC Open and also Best AVNSC. She was also 1st in Open and Reserve Best Bitch at Driffield Show.
If you have any queries regarding Old English Sheepdogs, or any comments on our website, please contact us on : arthrug@oesdogs.fsnet.co.uk
