Harcourt-Brown Bryony - Bearded Collie

Physical Characteristics of the Bearded Collie

(from the American Kennel Club breed standard)

Head: In proportion to the size of the dog.

Ears: Medium sized, hanging and covered with long hair.

Eyes: Large, expressive, soft and affectionate.

Skull: Broad and flat.

Neck: In proportion to the length of the body, strong and slightly arched.

Stop: Moderate.

Nose: Large and squarish.

Teeth: Strong and white, meeting in a scissors bite.

Chest: Deep, reaching at least to the elbows.

Forequarters: The shoulders are well laid back at an angle of approximately 45. The tops of the shoulder blades lie in against the withers, but they slope outwards from there sufficiently to accommodate the desired spring of ribs. The legs are straight and vertical, with substantial, but not heavy, bone and are covered with shaggy hair all around.

Feet: Oval in shape with the soles well padded.

Back: Level.

Tail: Set low and is long enough for the end of the bone to reach at least the point of the hocks. The tail is covered with abundant hair.

Hindquarters: The hind legs are powerful and muscular at the thighs with well bent stifles. The hocks are low. The legs are covered with shaggy hair all around.

Coat: Double with the undercoat soft, furry and close. The outer-coat is flat, harsh, strong and shaggy.

Color: All Bearded Collies are born either black, blue, brown or fawn, with or without white markings.

Size: The ideal height at the withers is 2122 inches for adult dogs and 2021 inches for adult bitches.

Contents

A skilled worker with strong herding instincts and a distinctive voice, the Bearded Collie originated in Britain as a sheep and cattle drover. Follow his rise in popularity as he becomes known worldwide. Guest author Christine Walkowicz provides an insiders view of the Beardie in the US.

Intelligent, loving and exuberant yet gentle, the Beardie makes a wonderful pet for owners who can devote the required time and energy to their dog. Learn about the Beardies personality as well as physical attributes and health concerns in the breed.

Learn the requirements of a well-bred Bearded Collie by studying the description of the breed set forth in the American Kennel Club standard. Both show dogs and pets must possess key characteristics as outlined in the breed standard.

Find out about how to locate a well-bred Bearded Collie puppy. Discover which questions to ask the breeder and what to expect when visiting the litter. Prepare for your puppy-accessory shopping spree. Also discussed are home safety, the first trip to the vet, socialization and solving basic puppy problems.

Cover the specifics of taking care of your Bearded Collie every day: feeding for the puppy, adult and senior dog; grooming, including coat care, ears, eyes, nails and bathing; and exercise needs for your dog. Also discussed are dog ID, safe travel and boarding.

Begin with the basics of training the puppy and adult dog. Learn the principles of house-training the Bearded Collie, including the use of crates and basic scent instincts. Get started by introducing the pup to his collar and leash and progress to the basic commands. Find out about obedience classes and other activities.

By Lowell Ackerman DVM, DACVD

Become your dogs healthcare advocate and a well-educated canine keeper. Select a skilled and able veterinarian. Discuss pet insurance, vaccinations and infectious diseases, the neuter/spay decision and a sensible, effective plan for parasite control, including fleas, ticks and worms.

Step into the center ring and find out about the world of competitive events for pure-bred dogs. Heres an overview of AKC conformation and some popular performance events for Bearded Collies: obedience trials, agility, herding events and tracking.

Analyze the canine mind to understand what makes your Bearded Collie tick. How to handle common problems, including jumping up, barking, different types of aggression, separation anxiety, sex-related behaviors, digging and more, is discussed.

K ENNEL C LUB B OOKS B EARDED C OLLIE

ISBN 13: 978-1-59378-236-8

eISBN 13:978-1-62187-009-8

Copyright 2005 Kennel Club Books An Imprint of I-5 Press A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC
3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618 USA
Cover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 Printed in South Korea

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

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Photography by:

Paulette Braun, T.J. Calhoun, Alan and Sandy Carey, Isabelle Franis, Bryony Harcourt-Brown, Carol Ann Johnson, Bill Jonas, Steven Surfman, Karen Taylor, Michael Martin Trafford, Alice van Kempen and Meryel Wood.

Illustrations by Rarie Low and Patricia Peters.

The publisher wishes to thank all of the owners of the dogs featured in this book.

Many people feel attracted to the Bearded Collie because of its shaggy-dog appeal. The Beardie is a handsome purebred through and through with a long history as a working sheep and cattle dog.

The Bearded Collie is very much the type of breed that many people feel they already know, simply because of its similarity to a lot of shaggy dog types. Until comparatively recently, however, many people did not know the name of the breed when they met one and would often confuse the Bearded Collie with the Old English Sheepdog. Despite the similar shaggy appearance and herding heritage, the breeds are actually very different in body and head shape, general construction and overall balance.