Best dog food for an Old English Sheepdog
An Old English Sheepdog is a large, heavy-boned breed carrying a dense double coat, and the food that suits one reflects both facts: a large-breed recipe with controlled calcium and phosphorus during growth to protect developing joints, and, once adult, a diet that supports joint health and a coat that is genuinely a lot of dog to keep in good condition.
Feeding a Old English Sheepdog
A large breed
An adult Old English Sheepdog typically weighs 27–45 kg, so a healthy Old English Sheepdog eats a fair amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A large breed is usually done growing at 15–18 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 10–12 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Joint support is worth looking for
Their size and frame put more load through the joints than a smaller dog carries, so a food with joint support on the label is worth reading for — and keeping them lean does more for their joints than any supplement.
Weight matters more than usual here
A long back or a heavy frame makes every extra kilo count twice. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing a scoop, and reduce the food rather than the walks if the waist starts to disappear.
How much should a Old English Sheepdog weigh?
Adult 27–45 kgfully grown at 15–18 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 3.1–5.1 kg | 11% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 5–8.4 kg | 19% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 10–16.7 kg | 37% |
| 12 months | Adolescent | 20.1–33.4 kg | 74% |
| 15–18 months | Fully grown | 27–45 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a large breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Old English Sheepdog
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Old English Sheepdog's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Light Senior
A lower-fat dry food for older, overweight or less active dogs, including working breeds
From£9.85
Autarky Complete Grain Free Adult Turkey
Grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, with turkey and a marine-algae joint care package
£12.79
Autarky Grain Free Tasty White Fish & Potato Complete
Grain-free dry dog food built around white fish meal rather than poultry
£12.99
Lily's Kitchen Lily S Kitchen Dog Lovely Lamb
Complete lamb-led dry dog food offered in two practical bag sizes
From£25.15
Burns Adult/Senior Weight Control Chicken and Oats
A low-fat weight control dry food for adult and senior dogs, oat-based
£35.99
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Chicken
Complete adult dry food formulated for the specific build of greyhounds and lurchers
£35.35
Naturo Senior Rice Poultry Variety 6pk
Six 400g trays across three recipes for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£10.29
Naturo Senior Dog Turkey with Rice and Vegetables 7pk
Turkey at 65% in a senior wet tray, with brown rice, vegetables and added joint support
£11.99
Why large-breed growth matters here
A large-breed puppy recipe is built with a deliberately controlled calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and a calorie density that slows growth slightly compared with a standard puppy food, which matters for a dog that will end up well over 30kg. Growing too fast on an unsuitably rich food is a recognised risk factor for joint problems later in a large breed's life, Old English Sheepdogs included.
That makes checking the pack for a large-breed puppy label worth doing specifically, rather than assuming any puppy food will do. It is one of the few places where the general advice to "feed for the breed's adult size" has a real, checkable effect on how a puppy's skeleton develops.
What matters once a dog is fully grown
As an adult, joint-support ingredients such as glucosamine and chondroitin are worth looking for on the label, given the strain a heavy-boned, large breed puts through its hips and joints over a working lifetime. A large-breed adult formula is generally built with this in mind already.
Coat condition is the other consideration specific to this breed. A food with a decent balance of omega fatty acids supports skin and coat health, which is genuinely relevant for a dog whose double coat needs daily brushing to avoid matting — a poor coat condition makes that job noticeably harder.
Choosing and changing food sensibly
A large-breed puppy formula through to around 15 to 18 months, moving to a large-breed adult recipe from there, is a reasonable general pattern for this breed, though the exact timing on the pack or from your vet takes priority over any general rule.
Introduce any new food gradually over a week or so, and speak to a vet if a dog's coat, weight, or energy level does not look right on a given recipe after a fair trial period, rather than cycling through foods quickly.
Common questions
- When should an Old English Sheepdog move to adult food?
- Typically somewhere between 15 and 18 months, which is later than a small or medium breed because large breeds mature more slowly. The specific food's packaging or your vet's guidance for your individual dog should take priority over a general rule of thumb.
- Do Old English Sheepdogs need a large-breed specific food?
- A large-breed formula is a sensible choice, particularly as a puppy, because of the controlled calcium and phosphorus levels that support steadier joint development in a heavy-boned breed. As an adult it remains a reasonable default rather than a strict requirement.
- Does diet affect an Old English Sheepdog's coat?
- Diet plays a supporting role. A food with a good balance of omega fatty acids can help skin and coat condition, but regular brushing and general coat care do most of the work for a breed with this much coat to manage.
- Are Old English Sheepdogs prone to joint problems?
- As a large, heavy-boned breed, they carry a higher general risk of hip and joint issues than a small dog, which is why controlled growth as a puppy and joint-support ingredients as an adult are both worth building into the diet from the start.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.