Description

The Bearded Collie, or "Beardie" as he is known to his fanciers, is a medium-sized, agile, herding dog with a shaggy coat and an ever-wagging tail. He is an ancestor of the Old English Sheepdog, and the family resemblance is obvious. The Beardie has a broad head, short muzzle and a shaggy coat all over his body, even under the chin (hence the name "Beardie"). Beneath the dense, weatherproof outer coat lies a thick, soft undercoat. Its head and teeth are large. The eyes are wide set and harmonious in color with its coat, set high on its head and pendent. The ears lie close to the head and the tail is long and carried low unless the dog is excited. The Beardie is robust, hardy and active, but not massive. The color of the coat changes several times over the life of the dog. Puppies are generally born black, brown, fawn or blue. The puppy coat then fades to light gray or cream. As the dogs reach maturity, they darken again to their adult coat in any of the four colors, black, brown, blue, or fawn. The final coat color is somewhere between the puppy coat and the yearling coat.

Origin

The Bearded Collie is a descendant of the Polish Sheepdog (the Polski Owczarek Nizinny or PON) which was first introduced into Scotland in shepherd for a valuable ram and ewe. The dogs were bred with local herding stock and this formed the foundation for the Bearded Collie breed. For Centuries, the Beardie was used in Scotland as a herder of both sheep and cattle, and was known variously as the "Highland Sheepdog," the "Highland Collie," and the "Hairy Moved Collie." Collie is the Scottish word for herding dog, derived from the "colley" or "coaley" black-faced sheep. The name Bearded Collie comes from the long hair under the Beardie's chin which flows into the chest, forming a "beard." The Beardie's lovable personality and appearance makes him an ideal companion and family dog. The breed almost disappeared in the early part of the twentieth century, but was rescued through mating a pair in 1944. It is still not very widespread. Still fairly rare in the United States, the first US litter of Beardies was whelped in 1967. The Bearded Collie is in all likelihood related to the bobtail (Old English Sheepdog). It is very similar although the Beardie is smaller, leaner and has an undocked tail. Some of the Beardie's talents are tracking, herding, agility, competitive obedience, and performing tricks.

Temperament

Known for his "bounce," the exuberant Beardie will charm you with his joyous, affectionate, happy-go-lucky ways. He is playful and lively with an always wagging tail. The perfect companion for children. Enthusiastic, stable and self-confident. Males tend to be more bold and outgoing, while females tend to be calmer and more submissive. The Beardie needs to be with people and not left alone without anything to do. They are humorous and high-energy dogs. Very trainable for many activities. Obedience training is a must as Beardies think a lot and can be headstrong at times. The Beardie is a natural herder of people and animals. They are noisy barkers, but are not watch dogs. They should not be shy or aggressive.

Height

Height: 20-22 inches (51-56cm.)

Weight

Weight: 40-60 pounds (18-27 kg.)

Known Health Problems

Generally healthy. Beware of hip dysplasia. Their dense coat may conceal external parasite infestation.

Conditions for Living

The Bearded Collie is not recommended for apartment life. They are fairly active indoors and will do best with at least an average-sized yard. Beardies can sleep outdoors and make excellent farm dogs. They are also good in windy, rugged or wet areas since the dogs will go out in all weather conditions. It does not like to be confined and should have a place to run off of its lead. The Beardie prefers to be outdoors.

Exercise Requirments

This is an active dog that needs lots of exercise, which includes a free in a safe area.

Life Expectancy

About 14-15 years Litter Size

Grooming

Daily brushing of the long, shaggy coat is important. Mist the coat lightly with water before you begin. Tease out mats before they get bad, and give extra attention when the dog is shedding. Use the comb sparingly. If you prefer, the coat can be professionally machine-clipped every two months or so. Eyes, ears and paws should be checked daily. Bath or dry shampoo when necessary. It is difficult to locate ticks in the thick undercoat, so check regularly. This breed is an average shedder.

Group

Herding, AKC Herding