IS THE BEARDED COLLIE
THE DOG FOR YOU?

You have seen or heard about Walt Disney Productions' remake of "The Shaggy Dog" and now you think a Bearded Collie (shaggy dog) may be the perfect dog for you and your family. If that's the case, we ask that you think twice and do your homework before running out and buying the first Bearded Collie or Beardie look-alike you can find. The information contained here and other referenced sources can help you decide if a Bearded Collie is the dog for you.

Northwest Bearded Collie Club of Puget Sound http://www.nwbcc.org

Do you know what you're getting into? Beardies are not for everyone, especially first-time dog owners, and they don't come trained. Any Beardie needs a minimum of basic obedience class, and more training is better. Beardies are wonderfully intelligent, clever and quick, and they make superb partners for virtually any pursuit. Training them is fun, but make no mistake, it is also mandatory.

Beardies need lots of grooming! Either you will have to learn to groom like a pro, have them groomed by a pro or clip all that shaggy hair -- say, isn't that the reason you want a Beardie? Grooming can take an average of one and a half to two hours or more per week. There are numerous grooming supplies you will need good brushes, combs, a grooming table, nail clippers, and the like. The bottom line - if you don't maintain the grooming you will end up with a matted mess that can lead to skin and other heath problems. Along with all that wonderful long hair comes everything that sticks to it; mud, leaves, twigs, and even poop and it all comes into the house. And, if you like dry floors, you don't have them with a Beardie. Their beards fill up with water whenever they drink and it drips throughout the house on the floors, furniture and you.

Do you have room for a Beardie? The ideal home has a large yard with a six-foot privacy fence. Beardies like to romp and run and jump (they don't call them bouncing Beardies for nothing). Many Beardies can jump a standard four-foot fence, and some climb. They are, in short, escape artists. And, Beardies are famous for excavating, so you may need some stones or concrete under the fence. Their digging skills also make them excellent gardeners happy to transplant your prize flowers and shrubs.

Beardies love and need their people! Many rescues come from homes that were not prepared to give their Beardies the appropriate attention and they need a lot. Beardies need something to keep them occupied most of the day or they will find ways to occupy themselves and not always in a good way. Beardies have been known to open cupboards and take food, "counter surf" (they are tall enough to remove items from counters), rearrange or shred your clothing, make little pieces out of the TV remote, and so on.

Beardies need lots of Exercise! And not just running around the back yard. They really need hearty exercise every day, but at a minimum they should get an hour of rigorous (romping) exercise at least three or four times a week.

Beardies like to jump! They jump to greet you, look you in the eye, and kiss your nose, which is adorable with the right people and at the right time. But unless trained not to jump on people they can frighten or even injure them, especially toddlers, the elderly, physically challenged and non-doggy people. Beardies also bark. They're great doorbells, announcing all visitors with joy. They also bark when they're excited, when the family comes home, or while playing. And like any dog, they may bark when they're bored. So do you still think a Beardie is the right dog for you? If so, see the back of this brochure for more information.

The Bearded Collie, known as the Beardie to those who love them, was developed in Scotland as a herding dog. The Beardie is an independent worker, able of making decisions concerning the well-being of the flock without depending on the shepherd who may be miles away; the Beardie is still used today for herding in Scotland, the U.S. and in other parts of the world. The Bearded Collie is a medium-sized dog with long, shaggy hair. The outer coat is of medium length and is harsh, while the under coat is close to the skin, furry and soft. The body is longer than it is tall from the ever kissing tongue to the end of its constantly wagging tail. Males stand between 21 and 22 inches at the shoulders and may weigh 45 to 60 pounds, while females are normally between 20 to 21 inches and weigh 40 to 50 pounds.

The Beardie is a friendly, whimsical, adorable, happy-go-lucky dog who has remained unchanged in its beauty and spirit over the centuries. This is all true; however, as mentioned in the book "Beardie Basics - Beginner's Guide to Bearded Collies", by Rieseberg and McKinney, Major James G. Logan of Scotland may have described them best:

A Beardie is a dog of almost over-powering friendliness, extremely active, boisterous, an expert in escapology, a dog with a loud bark who is not afraid to use it. It is not a dog for the house proud or car proud or the fanatical gardener or for parents of nervous children or for those who are forced to leave it in the house all day, but for anyone who is prepared to train it and control it, to exercise it and to look after its coat, to put up with mud, sand, or worse that it will bring into the house, and can keep it occupied, there is no breed which will provide more faithful companionship or greater entertainment.

This is the Beardie...

Published by the NWBCC Terry Davis, Editor