Bearded Collie

The male of the breed tends to be more affectionate and outspoken than the female. However, both genders are exceptionally lovable and loyal. The charm of the Beardie is infectious, and its love of interaction with humans makes it a perfect family pet. This dog is affectionate but demands equal affection from its owner.

Beardies love to play. They thrive on interaction with humans and will often ‘play up’ to us if they think they have a captive audience. Their bounce brings laughter and their overall playful nature is one of the blessings of owning a Beardie.

The Bearded Collie was (and still is) a herding dog. Dogs such as these tend to be boisterous and energetic. They are not easily scared but their vitality and excitable demeanour are such that ‘calmness’ is rarely a feature of the house of a Beardie.

Beardies love connection: it is a way for them to learn about you and to seek more from your friendship (such as cuddles and play). If you have a good approach to training a Beardie you will create an exceptional loyal and obedient dog that likes nothing more than to please its owner.

Bearded Collies are not hunters. They are herding dogs, and as such do not have a high prey drive. They are reluctant to give way if they feel their way is the right way. This stubbornness can be eliminated with training.

This breed interacts well with new people and animals, and lives in relative harmony with other pets of the household. Some dogs can be protective of their owners but of the Beardie this protective manner brings no more than a bout of barking.

The Beardie was designed to work on its own. In its early years as a breed it would have herded stray animals from the foothills of the mountains of Scotland. This independence can leach into some of its other behaviour: toy hoarding and bossiness are two such traits which result from this background.

Dogs need people, and the Beardie is no exception. He minds not being on his own for a limited period of time, but leaving any dog for a long time on its own is not advisable. Doing so can cause behavioural issues in even the most mild-mannered animal.

A very easily trained dog is the Beardie. Training however must be done right: a confident master who is consistent and varies their style of training is essential. Bearded Collies get bored easily of routine. A Beardie will eventually do what it is told but will not necessarily do so in an expected fashion. The breed’s intelligence makes it a formidable pupil!

The Beardie has an inquisitive mind; this manifests in its excellent ability to raise an alarm. Do not expect the Beardie to back up its vocalisation with aggression though. This dog is not known for its predatory exploits.