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| Bearded Collie |
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The Beardie, as the Bearded Collie is affectionately called by its fanciers, delights and virtually sparkles with its alert confident attitude and nearly shining coat, at its best. At its worse, without proper regular grooming and the dedicated attention of its family, the Beardie can become a shy, fearful and clearly matted, neglected mess. The home that adores the Beardie at its best must commit to the idea that such a coat will drag in mud and leaves and even something as simple as getting a drink of water can leave a bit of a drippy mess for someone to contend with, as well as the attention and time that must be devoted to socializing and training the dog to be the friendly, gregarious love that only a Beardie can be. Once that commitment is made and followed through, there are no regrets. Without it, the scenario can be disappointing for the family and tragic for the dog. |
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| General Information |
| Group(s):
Herding |
Height: 20-22 inches |
| Weight: 40-50 pounds |
Longevity: teens |
| Colors: shades of grey, tan or brown with some white |
Coat type: double coat with undercoat short, dense and close to the body,the long shaggy outcoat is harsh and straight |
| Recognized Registries: NCA, FCI, UKC, AKC and others |
| Overall Appearance: Medium sized dog of alert and sparkling expression with a long natural coat that does not require trimming. |
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| Personaility - Behavior - Training |
| Energy Level: moderate |
| General Nature: |
soft, sensitive and intelligent |
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with Children: socialization is crucial to a well adjusted dog, as such, great with kids |
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with other pets: socialization is crucial, not always good with cats |
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with dogs: generally very good again socializing to increase confidence in mandatory |
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| Socialization requirements: fairly high as this breed tends toward shyness if unsure, confidence allows this breed to bloom and is only possible with good socializing |
| Ideal home characteristics: One that appreciates the gentle fun nature of the Beardie, its exercise and grooming requirements and commitment to socializing heavily. |
| Temperament Notes: Like many Herding breeds, soft temperament that tends toward shyness without confidence building effort on the part of its family |
| Training requirement: socialization and basic manners |
| Trainer notes: As much as a Beardie can sparkle with delight to gain the favor and attention of their beloved, they can drag themselves with sheer dread and fear when working with a partner that they consider fearsome or just chaotic. Consistent, gentle and patient instruction will bring out the best in the Beardie. Any game that can be made of training will light this dog up and make all training efforts seem quick and effortless. Granted, it typically takes a talented trainer to be able to see the game within every exercise but it does exist to the eyes of the Beardie. |
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| Background Information |
| Year range of first recognition: late 1800s early 1900s; recognized by British KC in 1959 and by AKC in 1977 |
| Country of Origin: Scotland |
| Original Function: herding |
| History: Developed in Scotland as an adept herding dog and companion. Working skills were developed to be more independent than those of other breeds so that the dog would function effectively even with the shepherd miles away. |
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| Adoption Information |
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| Deviations from Standard: snipy muzzle, flat or steep croup, excessive long silky coat, trimmed coat, oversize, too small |
| Health Notes: Canine Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, eye problems |
| Health Testing: OFA (hip and elbow), CERF |
| Questions to ask Breeder: http://www.digitaldog.com/breeder_questions.html - The Breeder Questions as listed here provided with explanations and answers you will want to be looking for!
- How long have you had Beardies?
- How long have you been breeding Beardies?
- How often do you have puppies?
- Do you intend to keep a puppy from this litter?
- What selection criteria do you use for your breeding stock from a health and titling point of view?
- What do you consider the correct Beardie temperament?
- What did you like about this breeding pair that led you to do this breeding?
- Do you have a written contract and puppy guarantee?
- Do you microchip your puppies?
- At what age do you allow your puppies to go to their homes?
- Do you have any training or socializing suggestions for your puppy homes?
- What would you consider the ideal home?
- What health issues have you observed in the breed?
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| Web Sites: http://beardie.net/bcca/rescue.htm - Bearded Collie Rescue Notes, contacts, information |
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| Other Resources |
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