Type the name of the breed you're looking for below
[wpdreams_ajaxsearchlite] Don't see the breed your're looking for? Click here and let us know!
Breed Characteristics
1 paw - breed exhibits the least amount of this characteristic
5 paws - breed exhibits most amount of this characteristic
[fbcomments]
Bearded Collie
| Other Names | Highland Collie, Mountain Collie. Hairy Mou'ed Collie, Argle Bargle |
| Nicknames | Beardie |
| Country of Origin | Scotland |
| Weight | 40 - 60 lbs (18 - 27 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 21–22 in. ( 53–56 cm ) Females: 20–22 in. (51–56 cm ) |
| Coat | They have a shaggy, waterproof, double coat that hangs over the entire body including the chin (hence the name "Beardie"). |
| Colour | Bearded Collie pups are born black, blue, brown or fawn, with or without white markings and often lighten, first fading to a light gray or cream as the dog matures. The coat colour changes several times before it reaches the adult colour. The final coat colour is somewhere between the puppy coat colour and the colour the coat is when the dog is about a year old. |
| Litter Size | 4-8 puppies |
| Life Span | 10 - 14 years |
| Origin & History | A native of Scotland, the Bearded Collie is considered to be one of the oldest of Scottish breeds, dating back to at least the 1600’s. Collie is the Scottish word for sheepdog, and there are several other breeds known as Collies, most famously the Border Collie, the Smooth Collie, and the Rough Collie (the breed made famous by Lassie). The origin of the word Collie is thought to be from the word Coaley, a Scottish word for the distinctive black sheep of Scotland. The dogs that worked these sheep were Coaley-dogs, and then Collie Dogs, and then simply Collies. There is much legend surrounding the origin of the Bearded Collie, but little of it can be substantiated. The most common has their ancestors arriving via the ocean. It is said that in the year 1514, a Polish sea captain named Kasimierz Grabski arrived in Scotland to trade grain. In his possession were either three or six sheepherding dogs which he supposedly traded for a ram and a ewe. These dogs are believed to have been Polish Lowland Sheepdogs. The farmer then bred these Polish sheepdogs with local Scottish Collies to create the Bearded Collie. According to this story, the farmer may have used other foreign breeds to improve his dogs, including the Hungarian Komondor. Unfortunately, there seems to be no evidence to back up this theory. It is true that the Bearded Collie resembles the Polish Lowland Sheepdog, but no more so than any number of other herding breeds. The specificity and the ubiquity of this story would seem to make it more plausible, but it is impossible to know for sure. However, it seems extremely unlikely that a remote Scottish farmer in the 1500’s would have had access to the Hungarian Komondor, a breed which is not known to have left its native land until the 1900’s. Another theory regarding the ancestry of the Bearded Collie is that it is the descendant of long-haired sheep dogs brought to Britain by Roman settlers. According to this theory, after the conquest of England and Wales in the 1st Century, citizens from across the Roman Empire moved into British Isles bringing both their sheep and their sheepdogs with them. The dogs later spread north to Scotland where they developed into the Bearded Collie. Proponents of this theory comment on the similarity of the Bearded Collie to breeds such as the Bergamasco of Italy and especially the Armant of Egypt. However, there is little evidence to support this claim. It is made more unlikely by the fact that the Romans seem to have been much more impressed with the dogs of the Britons than vice versa. One of the major exports of Britain throughout Roman occupation was dogs. It is unknown what breeds they were, and many have been suggested, including the Mastiff, the Irish Wolfhound, Foxhound-like dogs, Beagles, Harriers, terriers, and even sheepdogs. The final commonly held theory, and perhaps the most likely, has the Bearded Collie being a native of the Scottish Highlands, where the breed was developed almost exclusively from local sheep herding dogs. It is known that the ancient Picts and Celts were shepherds long before the arrival of Romans, and archaeological finds indicate that sheep have been present in the British Isles for between 5,000 and 7,000 years. It is virtually impossible to herd sheep without the aid of dogs, particularly in the hilly terrain of Scotland. As even the earliest Middle Eastern shepherds possessed sheep dogs, it is extremely likely that the pre-Roman Britons did as well. It is also very likely that these dogs possessed long hair to protect them from the unforgiving elements of the Scottish Highlands. These local dogs would very likely have been crossed with dogs brought by the many armies which invaded Great Britain throughout the centuries, including the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and French. However it is that the ancestors of the Bearded Collie first arrived in the Scottish Highlands, the breed became superbly adapted to the harsh climate and very skilled at its job of herding sheep. Bearded Collies were primarily used for herding and collecting sheep among the hills and cliffs, and are capable of selecting an individual sheep and separating it from the herd. This breed barks regularly when working with sheep, typically refraining from nipping and biting. Unlike some sheepdogs, the Bearded Collie is also an effective drover, a dog which drives large herds of sheep, cattle, and other livestock to market. At one point there may have been at least three varieties of Bearded Collie. The smallest variety possessed a shorter, wavy coat, was typically brown or tan with white markings, and was native to the Highlands. The largest variety had coarser coats, was black or grey with white markings, and was native to the Borderlands. The third variety was said to be intermediate between the two. The Highland dogs may have been primarily herders and the Borderland dogs may have been primarily drovers. It is possible that all three varieties became lumped together in the modern breed. It is also possible that the lowland dogs were not a unique variety, but rather a cross between the Bearded Collie and the Border Collie. There is a substantial debate about the relationship to the Bearded Collie and other British Sheep Herding breeds. It is commonly believed that the Bearded Collie and the Old English Sheepdog share a common ancestry. Some have gone so far as to say that the two were at one point one breed whose bloodlines were divided by the Anglo-Scottish border. However, there is little evidence to back this up. Almost all experts agree that the Bearded Collie is the older of the two breeds. It has been suggested that the Bearded Collie may have heavily influenced the development of the Old English Sheepdog. It was a common practice in Scotland to frequently cross all sheepdogs with each other. It is therefore likely that a very close relationships exist between the Bearded Collie and all other Scottish herding dogs, particularly the Border Collie. Very little was written about dogs in Northern Scotland until the 1800’s. In fact, there was almost no written record of anything in Northern Scotland until that time. It is therefore unsurprising that most evidence of the Bearded Collie before 1800 is anecdotal. However, the breed is well-documented throughout the 19th Century. An 1803 painting by P. Reinagle may depict the Highland variety of the Bearded Collie, and an etching by P.W. Smith almost certainly does, although neither work uses the name Bearded Collie. In 1867, John Henry Walsh, better known as Stonehenge, described a number of Scottish herding breeds possibly including the Bearded Collie in his work "Dogs of the British Isles". In the 1880’s, the first uses of the name Bearded Collie appear in magazines, and in 1891 D.J. Thompson Gray described the breed in detail for the first time in his work "Dogs of Scotland". The Scottish Kennel Club first requested that the Bearded Collie be exhibited in 1897, but the breed was not shown until several years later as most fanciers only cared about their dogs’ working and herding ability. Up until this point, most Bearded Collies had significantly shorter coats than are found in modern animals. The Bearded Collie remained primarily a working dog, although it began to decrease in numbers as Scotland changed from an agricultural economy to an industrialized one. Photographs of Bearded Collies from the 1920’s and 1930’s clearly show the long-haired breed of today, although most mentions of the breed from this time describe its declining numbers and relative rarity. World War II nearly brought about the extinction of these dogs as food rationing, the large number of shepherds serving in the war, general poverty, and other hardships took their toll. Luckily, a few working Bearded Collies survived to continue the breed, although if not for the work of a few fanciers these would most likely have been bred into Border Collie lines and ceased to exist as a unique breed. The breed had become so uncommon that it was almost unknown even in England. The modern Bearded Collie exists largely due to the work of Mrs. G. Olive Willison of England. In 1944, Mrs. Willison ordered a Shetland Sheepdog from a Scottish kennel; however, none were available. The kennel sent a Bearded Collie as a substitute. Rather than being irate, Mrs. Willison became fascinated by the brown female, which she named Jeannie of Bothkennar. Mrs. Willison became determined to breed Jeannie, but she could not find an acceptable mate as Bearded Collies had become so rare at that point. She first tried a dog of uncertain parentage, but the resulting puppies were apparently Border Collie types. One day while walking down the beach in Scotland, Mrs. Willison encountered a man with a pure Bearded Collie. The man was in the process of emigrating, and Mrs. Willison offered to acquire his dog. The grey male, who became known as Bailie of Bothkennar, was successfully bred with Jeannie. Their offspring became the foundation of the modern Bearded Collie breed, though a few lines can trace their ancestry to other Bearded Collies that survived World War II. Other early breeders who kept lines which are now registerable included Mr. Nicholas Broadbridge and Mrs. Betty Foster. Led by Mrs. Willison, Bearded Collie numbers began to rebound and the British Kennel Club first recognized the breed in 1959. In 1957, the first Bearded Collies arrived in the United States as pets. It was not until 1967 that the first Bearded Collie puppies were whelped in the United States. These dogs were bred from two imports and were owned by Larry and Maxine Levy. The American Kennel Club (AKC) first recognized the Bearded Collie in 1976, followed by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 1979. The Bearded Collie Club of America (BCCA) was founded to protect and promote the Bearded Collie in America. Its first president was Larry Levy. In recent years, the Bearded Collie has begun to compete in obedience and agility trials, with a great deal of success. The Bearded Collie has been steadily increasing in popularity both in the United States and the United Kingdom since the 1970’s. In 1989, a Bearded Collie named Potterdale Classic at Moonhill won Best-In-Show at the Crufts Dog Show. This spurred the breed to greater popularity. These dogs are known for their loving and affectionate natures and their boundless energy. A growing number of fanciers is discovering this breed, and the breed’s reputation as an excellent family pet is growing. Despite a steady growth in numbers, the Bearded Collie remains near the middle of AKC registration statistics, and in 2010 ranked 112th out of 167 breeds. While a number of Bearded Collies are still employed as working sheepdogs in both Scotland and the United States, most of these dogs are now family companions, a job which this breed thoroughly enjoys. |
| Personality | The Bearded Collie has an air of cheerful, happy-go-lucky, tail-wagging humor. It is affectionate, playful and lively, and can make a perfect companion for children. They love to be with their people. An unexercised Bearded Collie that is left alone without anything to do will not be happy, and you may not be happy with what it does while you are gone. If you must leave your Bearded Collie, be sure to take it for a long jog or walk prior to leaving. Known for its "bounce," the Bearded Collie is exuberant and high-energy; without enough daily mental and physical exercise it may get itself into mischief. It is very trainable for many activities. An owner who displays a natural authority is a must as Bearded Collie think a lot and will be headstrong if he sees you as meek. One needs to be calm, but firm, confident and consistent when dealing with this dog. Set the rules you wish the dog to follow and stick to them. Obedience training is recommended. The Bearded Collie is a natural herder of people and animals. They are noisy barkers, but are not watchdogs. They should not be shy or aggressive. When well balanced between leadership and exercise they will be stable and self-confident. |
Care Requirements
| Health | Studies and health surveys conducted in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have shown that the leading cause of Bearded Collie death by a wide margin is old age, followed by cancer in both countries. Cerebrovascular disease and kidney failure were the next leading causes of death. These dogs were bred as working dogs in a harsh environment for hundreds of years. Dogs with health problems would either not have survived or not have been bred. However, most health problems common to pure-bred dogs are found in the Bearded Collie. The percentages of these problems are lower in the Bearded Collie than most breeds. One problem which is unique to Border Collies is that their long coats tend to obscure external parasite such as fleas and ticks. The most common serious health problem which is known to occur in Bearded Collie is hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is caused by a malformation in the hip joint. As the dog ages, the dog begins to experience pain and arthritis in the hip. In severe cases, hip dysplasia can result in lameness, although the condition is not fatal. Hip Dysplasia is a genetically inherited condition, but environmental circumstances can influence the onset and severity of the disease. It is always advisable to get your pets tested by either the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and/or the Canine Eye Registration Foundation, particularly if you intend to breed. The OFA and CERF test for various genetically inherited disorders such as blindness and hip dysplasia that may impact either your dog or its descendants. |
| 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. Bathe or dry shampoo when necessary. It is difficult to locate ticks in the thick undercoat, so check regularly. This breed is an average shedder. |
| Exercise | This is an active dog that needs lots of exercise, which includes a long daily walk. This breed also will greatly enjoy time to run free in a safe area. |
| Other Considerations | 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. Bearded Collie 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 Bearded Collies prefers to be outdoors. |
