Bearded Collie Dog
Bearded Collies work actively as herders, even today. Though best suited to suburban or country living, Beardies can be happy in the city with plenty of exercise.
The Bearded Collie has a shaggy coat that covers the entire body, even under the chin. The weatherproof outer coat is long and dense. The under coat is soft and thick. Their coat color changes several times over their life-span. The Bearded Collie puppies are generally born black, brown, blue, or fawn.
The Bearded Collie is a medium-sized working dog with an air of strength and hardiness. The head is proportional to the body with a moderate stop and a flat, broad skull. The foreface is the same length as the distance between the occiput and stop, and the muzzle is full and sports a square-shaped nose of large size.
The Bearded Collie is hardy and active. This unspoiled and natural breed has strength, is a hard worker, and makes a devoted companion. They possess self-confidence and are never shy or aggressive. The Bearded Collie is bouncy, bright, reliable, and trustworthy. They are suited equally for being a household pet, as well as working in any weather condition on any terrain.
Beardies need regular grooming to keep their coats free of mats. And they need at least one to two hours of exercise each week to keep them fit.
Always comb and brush your Beardie before bathing it. Begin each grooming session with a thorough brushing using a boar-bristle brush. Next, use a nylon pin brush all over the body to further loosen tangles and mats. Then, you'll want to use a sturdy comb to remove tangles and mats from the coat.
It is difficult to distinguish between fact and legend in looking at the history of a breed, but it is believed that in the 17th Century the Polish Lowland Sheepdog was bred into the local Scottish dogs, to give the typical appearance of the working strain of beardie, and that in the 20th Century Old English Sheepdog may have been bred in to produce the longer coat of the typical show beardie.