The Bearded Collie

Appearance

A medium sized shaggy dog, the Bearded Collie has a long, lean body covered with long coarse hair and a soft dense undercoat. He should have a soft, wistful expression and exuberant but gently disposition. He should display neither nervousness nor aggression.

History

The Bearded Collie was originally bred in Scotland as a sheep drover, although he has also bee used as a butcher's dog and worked with dairy cattle. The breed almost disappeared toward the end of World War 2 but was revived in later years by a small band of enthusiasts who bred carefully using dogs found to be still prized as workers in their native home.

Temperament

Bearded Collie's are intelligent and quick to learn. They possess a well developed sense of humour and will do just about anything for approval, although sometimes with their own special twist. They are a family dog and will not be happy if restricted to the backyard. They are extremely good with children and other animals.

Care / Grooming

The adult dog has a long harsh coat that requires brushing for about 20 minutes to and hour once a week provided care is taken to remove all the tangles. However most puppies have a softer coat requiring more care. This varies from pup to pup and may last until the pup is about 2 years old. Always brush out any matts before bathing as the water will only make them worse. A Bearded Collie should only be bathed when dirty but his feet and face may meen attention more often than the rest of him.
A Bearded Collie is a working dog and needs quite a lot of exercise at least half and hour a day of free running.

Health

Bearded Collies as a breed are relatively free from inherited diseases, although as breed numbers increase the occurrence of such hereditary conditions as Addison's disease may also increase. Care should always be taken to keep the ears clean and free from hair as with any drop eared dog they may be prone to infection if not checked regularly.

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