The shaggy-coated Bearded Collie (‘Beardie’ to his buddies) is a noisy and gregarious droving dog from Scotland who enjoys outside exercise in any conditions. They are bred to be autonomous decision-makers and can be stubborn, but they are always friendly. Beardies, which stand 20 to 22 inches at the shoulder and have a shaggy double coat from head to tail, have a passing resemblance to another British favorite, the Old English Sheepdog. Beardies are the more slim and angular of the two beneath their coats. The extravagant facial hair should not hide the signature expression: a dreamy, faraway stare. These boisterous comics might be a handful, but Beardies are usually 50 pounds of heart, energy, and fun. Beardies who have been socialized will get along well with other animals and children. They become bored quickly, therefore training must be kept fresh. Outdoorsy families looking for a strong dog to share their active lifestyle will never find a more devoted and entertaining companion.
Bearded Collie
smart / bouncy / charismatic
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
21-22 inches (male)
20-21 inches (female)
Weight
45-55 pounds
Life Expectancy
12-14 years
Breed Traits & Characteristics
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Bearded Collie
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
Health
The Beardie is a robust breed, and prudent breeders evaluate their breeding stock for health issues like hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, autoimmune illnesses, allergies, and eye difficulties. As with all breeds, a Beardie's ears should be cleaned on a regular basis to eliminate foreign matter and prevent wax accumulation, and his teeth should be washed daily.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Elbow Evaluation
- Thyroid Evaluation
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Grooming
The Beardie grooming routine is divided into two sections. The first is a daily brushing to eliminate tangles and foreign matter, which should only take five or ten minutes if the dog hasn't gotten into anything messy. The second step is to use a pin rake, brush, comb, and potentially anti-tangle spray once a week to remove dead hair and restore the coat to exquisite condition. This usually takes between a half-hour and an hour. The Beardie's nails, like those of all breeds, should be clipped on a regular basis because extremely long nails can cause pain as well as issues walking and running.
Exercise
The Bearded Collie is an active, exuberant breed that needs plenty of outdoor activity. Beardies, unlike many of their owners, are content to run and play outside regardless of the weather. Every day, they require some form of movement, whether it is ball play, a lengthy walk, run, or trek, or simply playing in a large, fenced-in yard or another area with a buddy, human, or canine. Beardies, being raised to herd sheep, enjoy participating in athletic activities such as herding, rally, agility, and obedience competitions. A Beardie who is busy is a happy Beardie.
Training
Early socialization and puppy training sessions are advised for all dogs. Between the ages of seven weeks and four months, gradually introducing the puppy to a wide range of people, places, and situations will help him mature into a well-adjusted, well-mannered adult. Puppy training seminars assist owners learn to spot and avoid certain undesirable behaviors that may be emerging as part of the socialization process. The Beardie, like many other Herding breeds, was bred to work in the field without human supervision. This independent (some would say obstinate) streak can make training difficult, but with patience and lots of goodies, patient owners will eventually win over their Beardies.
Nutrition
The Bearded Collie should thrive on high-quality dog food, whether purchased commercially or produced at home with your veterinarian's supervision and consent. Any diet should be tailored to the age of the dog (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to becoming overweight, so keep an eye on your dog's calorie intake and weight level. Treats can be a valuable training aid, but feeding too much can lead to obesity. Discover which human foods are suitable for dogs and which are not. If you have any concerns regarding your dog's weight or diet, consult with your veterinarian. At all times, clean, fresh water should be available.
History
Originally known as the Highland Collie and Mountain Collie, Bearded Collies earned their keep in the Scottish Highlands for generations as rugged herding and droving dogs treasured by shepherds for their ability to work hard in Scotland’s harsh climate and rocky terrain. Beardies were anticipated to assist with cow control at pasture and driving the herd to market.
The origin legends differ. The Beardie was long thought to be an old breed, predating the Roman conquest of Britain in the first century b.c. Beardies are thought to be descended from Central European stock, specifically Polish Lowland Sheepdogs and Komondorok, which were transported to Scotland in the 1500s. No definitive records of the Beardie’s creation have come down to us, as with other breeds used largely by peasants and shepherds in the distant past.
The breed can be seen in paintings from the 1700s, a golden age of British portraiture. Dogs identified as Beardies were included in portraits of well-heeled Scottish clientele by artists like as Reynolds and Gainsborough. This suggests that the modest shepherd’s dog became a fashionable ornament of high society somewhere along the way.
By the early 1800s, the breed’s appearance and attitude had been established. They were popular on the Scottish exhibition circuit in the Victorian era, but the upheavals of World War I destroyed the number of Beardies and other popular breeds. However, you cannot keep a good breed down. Dedicated breeders in Britain regenerated the Beardie population between the two world wars. The very first litter of U.S. Beardies were born in 1967, entered the AKC Stud Book ten years later, and were charter members of the AKC Herding Group, which was created in 1983.
