Bearded collie? Other suggestions

[Jillcrewespony]

We hope to get a dog later this year. Have done lots of research online, and bearded collies keep popping up.

We have a small enclosed garden, but me and dh love going for walks, and would be able to commit to twice daily walks. I will be not working for a few months (although aim to go back part time next year - we would get dog walkers in then - have someone lined up), so it seems like a good time to get a puppy.

I had rough collies as a child, and loved them but dh wants something a bit bouncier. Anyone out there got a bearded collie? Or any other suggestions?

My preference is for a medium to small dog, not too barky, enjoys walks. I don't mind about shedding. Oh, and we have teenage children who would also be involved in training/walking.

Contact the breed club and try and get to meet some owners and breeders. Get to a show?
Grooming. Much much grooming? The mud. The twigs and burrs! Too hairy for me!

Thank you Wolfie. There's a show near us in September - we will go be going. I don't mind grooming - I grew up with rough collies!

Bearded collies are nuts! Very intelligent, and therefore need stimulation to stop them finding ways to entertain themselves. I fostered a beardie x greyhound pup who came into rescue as he was 'too demanding' and one of my pups recently went to a home with a pure beardie where they were having to get a young dog to play with them.
Lovely dogs though if you have the time and energy to give them. So start going for an hours walk morning and evening now, inc the teens to see if you could cope - and everytime you leave the house, say 'what would we do with the dog now'

The only one I knew recently belonged to a neighbour. It was truly loopy. Terrified of traffic. Barking at everything in the garden. Bonkers and a total live wire 24/7. Neighbour lost loads of weight due to stress. Far too high maintenance for me.
Maybe ok if you intended to do hiking or agility or flyball?

Don't get a beardie if you don't want barking. Beardies use their barking when herding stock so it is instinctive and they can be very vocal.

Two walks a day would not be enough for a contented beardie, they are a working breed and will need some brain work mapped into every day or else they will go self employed and find their own thing to do - which may not be want you want

It's a herding dog. It is an intelligent dog and will need stimulation and training. It will bark a lot.
This dog will not be happy with walks - it'll need a good run twice a day.
I would advise against if you are going back to work. Get a cat or rabbit instead.

I love beardies

Ours hardly ever barked when she was excited on a walk , not annoying bark like my tibetan terrier now who barks at a leaf or a bird falling into the garden -hey she's bred to guard so I forgive her

Anyway I would have another Beardie in a heart beat ..such friendly loving and humorous dogs.
Just make sure you get from great breeder and the parents aren't uncontrollable. I got from breeder in Guildford area.

Mine was called Happy ..aww I miss her .

I live in New Forest so my dog had one long run a day and a gentle stroll after dinner , she was happy with that.
She was well trained and a quick learner .

Ours hardly ever barked ONLY when she was excited on a walk

we did agility with her ..she was useless but she did bark her way round and thoroughly enjoyed it ..bringing back lots of memories

Tibetan Terrier? Smaller ... But can be just as loopy!

I've a beardie, he's lovely. Has the best temperament I've ever known.

He has one long off lead walk in the morning and a quick off less walk in the evening (helps I live next to woods)

He wasn't vocal at all, till we looked after a friends dog who barked all the time and taught him to bark. He just barks if someone comes to the house and when he's playing.

Tibetan terrier barks much more than Beardie in my experience. My tt guards us , they're lovely as well but if you don't want a noisy dog then TT isn't quiet.

Thanks, good to hear the good and the bad. Am hoping breed show will help us decide. Loving the sound of your beardies, ggirl and notapizzaeater.