Facts about Bearded Collie Puppies

The legend has it that a Polish sea captain traded some of his dogs to a Scottish shepherd for a ram and ewe.

Those dogs were bred to local herding dogs and formed the foundation for the breed as we know it today.

For centuries, the breed was used primarily for herding farm animals. Today, in addition to herding, these dogs are becoming very popular as pets.

The first Bearded Collie puppies in U.S. were born in 1967.

By the way, the word "Collie" is derived from the Scottish word "colley" and means a "herding dog". Because of the long hair under the chin that resembles a beard, and to distinguish it from other Collies, the word "Bearded" was used to describe the breed.

Physical Characteristics of Bearded Collie

This is a medium-size dog. It has a broad skull with a large muzzle, average drop ears and a large nose. The eyes are large, set wide apart and their color will generally tone with the coat color.

Almost forgot! There is very long hair (a "beard") under the chin.

The Bearded Collie has a double coat that consists of a dense, weatherproof outer coat and a thick, soft undercoat.

The coat comes in blue, black or brown with or without white markings. As the dog gets older, the coat may change in color.

Temperament

The Bearded Collie is an intelligent, friendly, and outgoing dog. It's loyal, devoted to its family and gets along well with other pets and children.

While males are more outgoing than females, both sexes are very playful and love to be with people. In fact, it's not a good idea to leave a Beardie alone without anything to do.

Like many other herding breeds, they may attempt to herd people by nipping at their heels. To discourage this behavior, I recommend obedience training while your pet is still young.

Best Owner / Living Conditions

This is a very active breed and will do best with an active owner in a suburban environment, preferably with a fenced yard. It's not well suited for an apartment lifestyle.

Some Bearded Collie breeders will interview prospective owners to make sure this is the right breed for them.

Activity and Exercise

Bearded Collies are fairly active indoors. To prevent destructive behavior, provide them with plenty of exercise.

Allow them to play and run off leash in a safe place.

If your yard is not fenced, consider getting an electronic dog fence. There are a lot of systems that are cheap (a lot cheaper than a physical fence), easy to install and will keep your pet well protected.

Better yet, because they excel at it, consider dog agility.

At a minimum, provide at least one long daily walk.

Grooming

To keep the long hair mat-free, I recommend daily brushing. At a minimum, you will need to brush your pet 2 to 3 times per week.

Contrary to what you may think, a Bearded Collie is just an average shedder. Still, it will shed twice a year.

If you live in a warm climate, consider taking your pet to a groomer for a professional clipping every 2 to 3 months.

Because of the long coat, take extra time to check your pet for any signs of ticks. To learn how to recognizing tick bite symptoms and how to remove ticks correctly, visit...

• Tick Bite
• Tick Bite Symptoms
• Dog Ticks
• Removing Ticks

Health Concerns

Like all dog breeds, the Bearded Collie is susceptible to complications caused by parasites such as dog ticks, fleas, and puppy worms, including tapeworms, roundworms, and heartworms.

Additional health concerns include allergies, autoimmune disease, and skin problems. To learn more about dog diseases and health care, visit dog health problems.

To reduce the risk of the above and many other health problems, buy only from reputable Bearded Collie breeders (visit dog breeders to learn how to identify responsible dog breeders).

No matter how small the risk of health problems is, any puppy may get sick or injured. Many health problems will require an immediate attention from your Vet, but there are many others that will not, and you may handle them on your own.

To save time and money, learn how to diagnose and treat dog health problems that don't require your Vet's attention.

Life Expectancy

The average life expectancy for a Bearded Collie puppy is between 12 and 14 years.

Did you ever consider adopting your next pet?

If this is the breed you are interested in, and adoption appeals to you, consider contacting your local Bearded Collie rescue. There are thousands of pets waiting for a loving home and, yes, it's possible to adopt a purebred dog.