Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Flip

Original poster

Does anyone own a bearded collie ?

14 replies

heididrink · 02/02/2011 14:18

Hi we are thinking of buying a bearded collie.
Just wondered if anyone had any experience of them.
I have an old cat who is fairly tolerant but from what I have read the bearded collie seems to have a nice temperament.
Is this right ?

OP posts:

pawsnclaws · 02/02/2011 16:33

We had one when I was a youngster. She was lovely in temperament, absolutely soppy and affectionate. It was beautiful to watch her walk, she had that lovely bounce to her step and was a real looker.

But - just two words of warning - she was surprisingly hard to train, lots of energy, would have a funny five minutes every so often and just go loopy (although we stuck to the obedience classes she never really progressed beyond the basics) and secondly, sadly she didn't live as long as we had hoped (came from a reputable breeder, had a decent hip-score etc but never seemed a very resilient dog). We may have just been unlucky with the second issue, but having always had mongrels before they always seemed as tough as old boots.

Sorry if that sounds very negative, she really was lovely but I think it's always best to know the downs as well as the ups.

Original poster

heididrink · 02/02/2011 16:59

thanks for that - we have made arrangements to view a litter
Its good to know the bad as well as the good

OP posts:

vinorosado · 02/02/2011 17:04

We had a bearded collie when I was young, he was the best and most good natured dog in the world, an otter hound afterwards and that was a different matter!
I love bearded collies and am very jealous, do get one - they are gorgeous.

Original poster

heididrink · 02/02/2011 17:09

ok will tell DH - who is more reluctant- that you told me to get one so I must

OP posts:

brimfull · 02/02/2011 17:21

we had beardie until 2 yrs ago when she died at nearly 14
she was lovely temperment and very easy to train

she was very obedient and we didn't use a lead with her

as puppy and youngster she was bouncy which took some training and controlling but she grew out of it

healthwise she was unlucky , she had discoid lupus which resulted in her having to have all her nails removed around 6yrs old but other than that nothing beyond arthritis at late age.

I started grooming her myself but then I found out I was allergic so she was groomed and we kept her cut short.

minimu1 · 02/02/2011 18:24

Very energetic and they love to bark. They bark when they are happy, sad, worried, or just for the fun of it! They are not really a first timers dog as they need very consistent handling and reward based training. They will need a lot of exercise several times and day. They do not like being on their own and can only be left for short periods, they will need regular grooming and coat care.

If you want a life full of dog and doggy activities every day they will fit the bill but they are not dogs that will go unnoticed or sit quietly in the corner will you do something else.

The puppies are so cute but don't get taken in by that innocent little face - imagine a cold November dark evening out in the garden washing off the fox poo that your beardie has rolled in. If you are still interested .....

brimfull · 02/02/2011 18:26

agree about the fox poo
and also don't forget the having to clear the shit stuck in the hairy arse
this is when I envied my lab owner friends

pawsnclaws · 02/02/2011 19:39

Our dog did bark a fair bit, but it was such an inoffensive kind of bark - she just sounded like she was going "groooooohh" like she was talking, rather than an aggressive loud bark. She really was lovely, but she broke our hearts by dying relatively young .

brimfull · 02/02/2011 20:19

i have a fab video of 'happy' doing a groooh , wish I could link to it but am clueless

doodledrawers · 04/02/2011 11:37

I've got a 14 month old beardie, and she's the most gorgeous dog in looks and temperament! She's intelligent, reasonably well trained (and any deficiencies are my fault rather than hers ), and fantastic with children. I second what's been said before, though - she has loads of energy, and you really need to be prepared for lots of long walks and plenty of playtime. Luckily we've got a nice big garden that she can race around as well - she does the loopy five minutes mentioned earlier (more like half an hour actually!).

I don't know if you aware that there are two types of bearded collie? There are the KC registered ones, but you can also get working beardies. The working type have been bred specifically as sheep dogs. They have shorter coats than the show type, and apparently tend to be more stable in temperament. Ours is a working one - she was a "spare" from a sheepdog litter. She does still need a really good grooming a couple of times a week, or more when she's moulting / muddy / got burrs in her coat!

She loves being involved in whatever we're doing, whether it's playing with the children, lying under my desk while I'm on the computer, walking for miles in the rain, or cuddling up on the sofa to watch TV (and she has to be between DH & I!). So I'd say only get a beardie if you want a dog that's going to be totally part of your life at all times, and if that life is a pretty active one!

BunnyLebowski · 04/02/2011 11:46

My childhood (birth till 13) pet was a bearded collie. She was the most gentle, affectionate, chilled out, beautiful dog I've ever known.

She watched over me and my 3 siblings as babies and young kids, let us sit on her back and walk round the garden and lay on our beds at night.

Honestly she was like Nana from Peter Pan

Even when she was dying of cancer with a huge tumour on her optic nerve she never so much as barked or yelped at us as we clambered all over her (we found out very late that she was ill). My folks decided to have her put to sleep and we were all genuinely heartbroken .

That's my experience of Bearded Collies. If you do decide to get one I hope you're as lucky as we were .

doodledrawers · 04/02/2011 13:00

And can I add fitness DVDs to the list of things she likes joining in with? She likes to creep up behind me then lie down as close to my feet as possible - it's a miracle I haven't broken a leg . Have I mentioned the beardie sense of humour? Off up a hill to wear her out now!

Original poster

heididrink · 08/02/2011 10:35

thanks for all your comments. Well we went on Saturday to see the litter and only after we were vetted were we allowed to choose a puppy.

She is a working beardie not KC - we had the choice but we really just want a family pet.
She is beautiful and full of life and we collect her on Sunday.

I cant wait

Can I ask doodle where your beardie sleeps ?
My DH wants her to sleep in the kitchen at night but I worry that she wont settle

OP posts:

doodledrawers · 08/02/2011 14:05

So exciting ! My beardie now just sleeps where she likes downstairs, but when she was little she was confined to the dining room (slate floor, nothing to chew or damage!). As far as I remember I stayed downstairs with her for the first 2 or 3 nights. The next night I left her on her own - she barked on and off for 2 hours (!) but we didn't go down to her and she settled eventually. The following night she barked once, then not a peep for the rest of the night, and that was it. You should have no problem with yours sleeping in the kitchen. They really are wonderful dogs, and I hope you have as much fun with yours as we do with ours!

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread