Skip to content Dogs of this breed are most often called simply and shortly – Birdie. Like all collies, Bearded collie is an agile herding dog, medium in size. It is this breed that is the ancestor of the English Shepherd. Bred in Scotland, the Bearded Collie has been used for centuries to graze flocks of sheep and cattle. In their selection, special attention was paid to such quality as the ability to make independent decisions in everything that concerns their immediate responsibilities without human participation. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Bearded Collie was practically on the brink of extinction. And although their popularity is growing today, Birdies are still quite rare.
Characteristic
The Bearded Collie is a hardy and active dog. Unspoiled by selection, a natural breed that turns out to be strong enough for hard work and at the same time, these dogs are confident enough that they are not familiar with either shyness or aggression. The Bearded Collie is always cheerful, extremely intelligent, reliable and you can always rely on him. It is a versatile dog, equally suitable for being a pet, or for working in all weather conditions, in any terrain.
Character
Full of enthusiasm, affectionate, and loving owner, the Bearded Collie feels great only in the company of his family and when he has certain responsibilities in the house. Dogs of this breed are extremely pleasant and easy to handle, as well as brave and noisy, sometimes a little too much. Birdies get along well with children and other pets. If left alone for a long time and not provided with the work they are used to, they can become homesick. Since the Bearded Collie is a herding dog, he can try to apply these talents of his to everyone and everything that will move within his reach. Dogs of this breed do not bark too much, but they will be able to warn you about visitors, show their excitement, or displeasure if they are bored.
Wool and care
The Bearded Collie has a long, fluffy coat that covers the entire body, even under the chin. The long and dense outer coat perfectly protects this dog from any bad weather, and in addition there is a soft and thick undercoat. During the life of these dogs, their coat color changes several times. Bearded Collie puppies are usually born black, brown, blue or fawn, then the puppy’s coat is discolored to a cream or light gray shade. Once the dog reaches maturity, its coat darkens again and in adult dogs the coat turns brown, fawn, blue, or black. Shedding medium intensity. To avoid tangles and tangled hair, the Bearded Collie should be thoroughly cleaned daily, and the dog’s coat should be treated with a special conditioner before cleaning. Professional grooming should be done every two months. If necessary, you need to bathe the dog or clean it using dry shampoo. The most common conditions for this breed are allergies, hip dysplasias, eye problems, hypothyroidism and autoimmune diseases.
Training
Since the Bearded Collie is used to thinking independently, he will sometimes decide what he knows better than you, what exactly and how to do it. Some dogs are easier to tame than others, although, in principle, representatives of this breed are generally very easy to teach all kinds of tricks. Because the Bearded Collie can be independent and stubborn, it is necessary to start early obedience training. Birdies follow the trail very well, they are wonderful shepherds, they do an excellent job with all tasks that require agility, ingenuity and absolute obedience, for example, in agility. Strong, fair, consistent training methods, combined with love for the dog, will be most effective.
Activity
Since the Bearded Collie is a very active breed, accordingly, it needs a lot of physical and sports activity. These dogs just need to run freely in the wild, so they are not suitable for keeping in an apartment. Although they are quite active indoors, the best qualities of this breed are manifested in conditions of living on a farm or in a house with a large yard. Bearded collies really do not like to be locked up, they need open spaces where they can freely communicate with the rest of the family or do their assigned work.
