Next to a short-coated Malinois the Sheepdog is the dramatic one: black or black with limited white, with long guard hairs and a dense undercoat. The extra coat changes the bath, the brushing and the afternoon.
Black coat, black heat
The standard allows black, or black with small white markings on the forechest, toes, chin and muzzle. Black soaks up heat. The NOAA Vacaville station (1991-2020 normals) records about 100 days a year at 90 degrees or more, so a Sheepdog's afternoons belong in the air-conditioned inside half of the run. The doggie door lets your dog choose, and the outside run is for early and late hours.
The right kennel and the right column
The standard gives males 24 to 26 inches and females 22 to 24, with the AKC weight chart listing 45 to 75 pounds. Business Class, about 30 square feet inside plus 60 outside, suits one dog. Two Sheepdogs from the same home pay $59 plus $50 there, or take First Class if they are large. For the coat, use the Extra Long or Double Coated column of the bath chart effective January 1, 2024: $55 at 26 to 50 pounds, $65 at 51 to 75. Please ask to confirm.
Guard hairs over a very dense undercoat
The standard describes long, well-fitting, straight, abundant guard hairs of medium harshness, never silky or wiry, over an extremely dense undercoat. It adds that the breed is adaptable to extremes of climate, which means the coat is not shaved for the stay. Expect shedding around the seasons and brush before drop-off.
Guardian by heritage
The standard credits a Sheepdog with intelligence, courage, alertness and devotion, and with a protective bent toward person and property. A stay goes better when you tell the staff how your dog reacts to strangers, other dogs and noise. Walks are included, and the grass field and large fenced areas are made for a herding dog's need to run.
Cost
A week in Business Class is 7 x $59 = $413 on the 2026 rates, and 14 nights or more is $53 a night, so 14 x $53 = $742. Medications are given at no extra charge.