Bearded Collie

It has been exported to Australia and the United States, and finds favour among those looking for an independent and intelligent sheep dog. The beardie gained its epithet of the 'bouncing beardie' because dogs would work in thick undergrowth on the hill, and would bounce to catch sight of the sheep.

It is difficult to distinguish between fact and legend in looking at the history of a breed, but it is believed that in the 17th Century the Lowland Polish Sheepdog was bred into the local Scottish dogs, to give the typical appearance of the working strain of beardie, and that in the 20th Century Old English Sheepdog may have been bred in to produce the longer coat of the typical show beardie.

Charaterics

An active self confident and fun loving dog with endering expression, the Bearded Collie is many people's idea of the perfect pet - although it also makes a highly capable working dog. Blessed with plenty of staminia for outside life, however requires lots of grooming to keep its coat in good condition. The Bearded Collie is a hardy breed and requires a lot of exercise.