Bearded Collie

High Maintenance: With long flowing double coats that do shed they will require daily to weekly brushing to prevent mats, so plan to spend a part of every day grooming your Bearded Collie. This breed has a heavy shed once a year so more frequent grooming during that period can be expected. Their nails should be trimmed regularly to avoid overgrowth and cracking. Their ears should be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and debris which can result in an infection. Teeth should be brushed regularly.

Easy Training: Bearded Collies are easy to train as they learn very quickly, but they do have a stubborn streak. The Bearded Collie responds best to a gentle, kind approach. They are able to learn a wide variety of tricks as well as herding, dog agility, and competitive obedience tasks. Obedience training is highly recommended. Beardies may be difficult to house train.

The Bearded Collie is a medium-sized dog with a long, lean, strongly made body, which gives the impression of both strength and agility. Its gait is supple and powerful, with good reach and drive. The ability to make sharp turns, quick starts and sudden stops is essential in a sheep-herding breed, and the beardie must be able to keep this activity up for a long period of time under all conditions. Its coat is double with a soft, furry undercoat. The outer coat is flat, harsh and fairly straight; it is sufficient to protect the dog but not so much as to obscure the dog's lines. The beardie's expression is bright and inquiring.

The boisterous beardie is lively and playful, full of enthusiasm and energy. It is smart and obedient, but it is an independent thinker with a clownish sense of humor. It likes children, but it may be too rambunctious for small children and may try to herd them when playing.

The Bearded Collie originated in Britain and is one of the country's oldest breeds. The foundation of the breed was started in 1514 when a Polish sea captain made a trade with a local Scottish shepherd. He traded three of his Polish Sheepdog (Polski Owczarek Nizinny; PON) for a ram and a ewe. The shepherd then bred these dogs with other herding and flock dogs such as the Old English Sheepdogs (bobtails) and the Komondor. The dogs were used as herding dogs for centuries in Scotland and became known as the "Highland Collie," the "Highland Sheepdog" and the "Hairy Moved Collie." They were excellent workers, herding sheep and cattle for local shepherds. The name "Bearded" comes from the long hairs that grow on the chin, making the dog look like he has a beard, and the name "Collie," which is the Scottish word for herding dog. The Bearded Collie almost became extinct during the Second World War. In 1944 Mrs. G. O. Willison from Great Britain bred a pair of Bearded Collies, resurrecting the breed. In 1967 the first litter of Beardies was whelped in the USA. The breed was first recognized by the AKC in 1976. They are still to this day considered a rare breed. Some of the Beardie's talents are tracking, herding, agility, competitive obedience and performing tricks.