History

The Bearded Collie as earlier stated originates from Scotland. It is one of Britain’s oldest breeds and its true background story is unknown. However, in the 1500s a visiting merchant in Scotland came with some Polish Lowland Sheepdogs. 

He brought these dogs as movers for this sheep grain shipment. In Scotland, a Scottish shepherd came to love the sheepdog’s herding abilities and purchased them for himself. These polish sheepdogs were eventually crossed with the local Scottish breeds and that’s how the Bearded Collie came to be. This breed came to the US in the late ’50s and it was admitted into the AKC in 1977.

Temperament

This breed is smart and he knows what he’s doing. He is a joy to everyone he meets and this makes him a great house pet. The bearded collie is more of a boisterous breed which displays his fun side whenever the kids are around and they find him funny. 

However, the temperament of a bearded collie puppy can be affected by a host of factors including training, hereditary and not forgetting early socialization with things, objects and people. However, this breed is an absolute delight as it only becomes independent when it’s time for his training. They love snuggling up to their owners, are highly sensitive to moods and are pretty great at wandering off.

Environment

This breed was developed as a herder, meaning the farm life, cow dung, and hay are things he relishes. However, they can fairly adapt to other home settings including apartment living. Also, if you have a home with a yard, they’ll really love playing and getting dirty there, you just have to ensure it is fenced around as Beardies have a high tendency for wanderlust. 

Bearded Collies do not offer a lot of stress on their owners hence they are also recommended for first-time dog owners. Their fur coat permits them to handle both weather extremities either hot or cold. 

Exercise

Bearded collies are very easy to train. Their intelligence level is pretty high and they have the ability to learn and understand simple commands and messages relayed by their trainer or owner. Their energy for exercise is also high as they’re very playful breeds. Also, the intensity of these exercises is also required to be high just so they can feel satisfied. 

In the absence of exercise, they tend to be very mouthy and could even be destructive. Hence, beardies or bearded collies are very happy in homes where their owners are either active, have lots of kids or have a yard they can play in. This way they get to exert a lot of energy and remain the happy fluffy breeds everyone loves.

Grooming

Bearded collies are fairly easy to groom. This breed possesses a strong yet flat and shaggy outer coat layer while its inner coat remains soft and furry. Their double coat is long and can often sweep the floor. Hence it requires weekly brushing. 

Their fur may break easily during brushing hence it’s important to use a dog hair conditioner and an anti-tangle spray on it to reduce this breakage. It could take about half an hour per weekly brushing session before the bearded collie’s fur is prim and proper once more.

Also, if you have a beardie puppy, it’s recommended you brush its coat thrice a week. As for dental hygiene, your beardie’s teeth need to be brushed twice or thrice a week to eliminate the buildup of tartar. Also, their nails should be trimmed regularly and they should bathe as needed. Be sure to check their ears, paws and other body parts for symptoms of an infection.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bearded Collies