Other names:
- Beardie
Country/Date of origin:
- Great Britain
- 1600′s
Height:
- Females: 20 to 21 inches
- Males: 21 to 22 inches
Weight:
- 40 to 60 pounds
Personality:
- Unequaled as a family dog.
- Lovable and loving without discrimination. This, however, makes them poor guard dogs.
- Intelligent and wants to please.
History:
It is thought that Bearded Collies are descended from Polish or Hungarian sheepdogs. These continental dogs were interbred with Scottish stock and worked the fields unheralded outside the mountain fastness for centuries. In the 1700′s, the Beardies had become popular with both shepherds and Scottish aristocracy and by 1800, the breed was a favored pet of all classes. When dog shows were introduced in the late 19th century, the Beardies path was all uphill. In the years of World War I, the Beardie hung on by a thread, kept alive by a few shepherds who recognized its working prowess. In 1944, a brown puppy was sent to Mrs. G. O. Willison, an Englishwoman, who had asked for a Shetland Sheepdog. She knew it wasn’t a Sheltie, but by the time she was able to identify what it was, she was captivated and worked tirelessly to promote the breed. From this mystery puppy came almost all the Beardies of today. In 1967, the first American litter was whelped and the American Kennel Club (AKC) granted the breed full recognition in 1977.
Body Type:
- Resembles a smaller, thinner, Old English Sheepdog.
- Arched eyebrows give it a quizzical expression.
- The tail is medium length, low set, and never altered.
- Medium-sized, hanging ears are not altered.
Coat:
- Shaggy, double coat with long, rough outer coat and soft undercoat.
- Permissible colors are black, brown, reddish-fawn, blue, sandy, or various shades of gray, silver or slate with touches of white.
- Requires regular brushing to avoid matting and excessive accumulation of dirt.
- In shows, the coat should appear natural with no traces of trimming.
Health and Wellness:
- von Willebrand’s disease.
- Subaortic stenosis.
- Idiopathic epilepsy.
- Pemphigus foliaceus.
- Skin tumors.
What you should know:
- Homebody—this herding dog does not like to roam. It needs to make sure that its flock is safe and sound at all times.
- A clown dog. Beardies like to entertain those around them.
