Bearded Collie Picture Gallery

Bearded Collie Breeders

Bearded Collie Clubs/Associations

The Full Bearded Collie Description

Bearded Collies work actively as herders, even today. But they excel as pets, too. Though best suited to suburban or country living. Beardies can be happy in the city with plenty of exercise.

Did you know?

The Bearded Collie is sometimes known as the Highland Collie, the Mountain Collie, or the Hairy Mou ed Collie.

The Bearded Collie is one of Britain's oldest breeds.

So you want to own a Bearded Collie?

Beardies need regular grooming to keep their coats free of mats.
 
Beardies need at least one to two hours of exercise each week to keep them fit.

The Bearded Collie is stable, self-confident, and outgoing. They are very accepting of other animals and people. By nature they love to have something to watch over.
 
They may take charge from instinct and start herding whatever they consider to be their flock. Above all, the Bearded Collie is a family dog who loves children.

Indicative Breed Standard

General Appearance

Lean active dog, longer than it is high in an approximate proportion of 5 to 4, measured from point of chest to point of buttock. Bitches may be slightly longer. Though strongly made, should show plenty of daylight under body and should not look too heavy. Bright, enquiring expression is a distinctive feature.

Characteristics

Alert, lively, self-confident and active.

Temperament

Steady, intelligent working dog, with no signs of nervousness or aggression.

Coat

Double with soft, furry, and close undercoat. Outer coat flat, harsh, strong and shaggy, free from woolliness and curl, though slight wave permissible.
Length and density of hair sufficient to provide a protective coat and to enhance shape of dog, but not enough to obscure natural lines of body.
Coat must not be trimmed in any way. Bridge of nose sparsely covered with hair slightly longer on side just to cover lips. From cheeks, lower lips and under chin, coat increases in length towards chest, forming typical beard.

Colour

Slate grey, reddish-fawn, black, blue, all shades of grey, brown and sandy with or without white markings. When white occurs it appears on foreface, as a blaze on skull, on tip of tail, on chest, legs and feet and, if round the collar, roots of white hair should not extend behind shoulder. White should not appear above hocks on outside of hindlegs. Slight tan markings are acceptable on eyebrows, inside ears, on cheeks, under root of tail and on legs where white joins main colour.

Size

Ideal height: dogs: 53-56 cms (21-22 ins); bitches: 51-53 cms (20-21 ins). Overall quality and proportions should be considered before size but excessive variations from the ideal height should be discouraged.