Bearded Collie

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alfie754
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Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 11:51 am

Bearded Collie

Post by alfie754 »

Hello to all members

this is my first post and am very excited to be a member :D

my name is Jenny and I live in the UK, I am in my 30's and have owned a beautiful black Labrador for 12yrs. this was 4yrs ago I lost Alfie 4yrs ago to the jaws of another dog. Alfie was a wonderful and very healthy dog other than slowing down with age he had no problems but 3 months after his 12th birthday he was attacked by a staffie cross type dog, he had to be put to sleep as he was in a lot of pain and was not recovering of his wounds.

now its been 4yrs I am ready to bring another dog into my life now that I have grieved for Alfie. when I went to crufts this year the only breed I liked other than the lab is the bearded collie but have done some research first and the bearded sounds a good choice for me as there active , would be great at agility and love being close to there family.

there is only me in the house as I cant have kids and I am home all day. I just wanted to ask if anyone could tell me the differences or compare the bearded collie and the lab ownership. as I know what labs are like but want to know how different the bearded is to the lab.
ridgebackowner
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Re: Bearded Collie

Post by ridgebackowner »

Welcome to the forum

im sure some one will be able to help you, I have only ever seen a bearded in a movie called the shaggy dog.

Nettle is very wise she will be able to help.

im surprised you have not got a reply yet as normally reply's are within a few hrs. I sure you will get an answer soon
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Nettle
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Re: Bearded Collie

Post by Nettle »

There are working Beardies and show/pet ones. Workers are not suitable as pets. However there are very few workers about now.

Beardies are herding dogs - labradors are gundogs. Therein lies the difference. Even with show strains of each, the underlying desire to do their job is there. For labs, to find, flush and retrieve, for Beardies, to find, collect and drive. So while each is bred to range out and come back with something, the Beardie is of necessity more keen to work on its own initiative.

There is of course a huge grooming commitment with the Beardie.

It's my opinion that if you like labs, you'll get on fine with a Beardie, but they are not the same dog, not at all.
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JudyN
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Re: Bearded Collie

Post by JudyN »

I meet a few beardies on my walks. My impression is they are loveable clowns, but boy do they bark a lot! I usually know if they are in the woods a long time before I see them :lol: One I know is a jumper-upper and incorrigible treat mugger. I can't say if this is a breed tendency or just this particular dog/lack of training though. The owner tells her off, but not surprisingly this has no effect.

They also do seem to gather an entire nature collection in their coats. I really wouldn't like to sort that lot out every time I get home :lol:
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elisa
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Re: Bearded Collie

Post by elisa »

I admit I "secretly" also want a bearded collie.

I dug up this article on them I had just read a while back. It says they are energetic, adaptable and smart and thus of course need loads of activity and training. They can be soft as in take fright (sounds etc.) easily like collies tend to and thus should be trained positively - as all dogs of course. But it does say they can be barky - apparently it is their special way to herd. I've gotten used to a very non-barking dog so I think I will keep with "secretly" wanting one. ;)

Oh and the fur. I think it would be too much for me. One beardie owner once said that getting a long haired breed and then overly clipping them is just a silly idea and I tend to agree. (Of course "in the olden days" they most likely weren't so long haired...) I do like shaggy dogs - I would think there are those out there that are perhaps not bred to be so long haired and are not so barky.

Oh and they should be very good for agility and pretty much any dog sport I'd think.

Training them apparently takes tenacity and a sense of humour. So I think Judy's lovable clown is probably right. :D And a four feet off the ground jump seems to be their signature move. ;)

So other than the energy they seem very different to labs.
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alfie754
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RE: Cocker Spaniel

Post by alfie754 »

Hello

thank you for all your reply's.

I don't think a beardie is right for me like elisa said "secretly" :D

I have had a think and I know that I don't want a lab again as they just remind me of Alfie when I see one and I also think I should stay with the gundog group as since as I know that group well. before looking at other gundogs I wanted to ask like I did about the beardie about the Cocker spaniel as I grew up around them my dad has working line and he use to work them. I have looked up the cocker ( I am talking about the English Cocker in England) and I would have a show line as Alfie was a show line lab. grooming is fine as my mom is a dog groomer.

I have read a few thing that I did not know

what is rage syndrome I read that they randomly attack? although I am open minded Im not sure I believe this as all our cockers were great.

I read that show lines are snappy and are not easy to train or good with kids. is this true as I only know working lines.

as I know myself that a show line would be better for me.

I have read in breed Q's the post that said cocker spaniels and agree what a culture shock a cocker can be compared to labs and am fully aware of the no off switch. not many people really understand that just because cockers are small that they still NEED a Huge Commitment to Exercise EVERYDAY. :wink:

Looking forward to your reply's and advice :D
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Nettle
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Re: Bearded Collie

Post by Nettle »

"Rage Syndrome" was coined to describe a behaviour whereby cockers, especially pups, would 'attack' people in situations where they had been cornered. It was considered to be a genuine mental illness for a few years, but eventually people discovered it was a behaviour displayed by high-drive under-exercised under-stimulated young dogs that perceived they were being threatened by their owners e.g. being chased or forced to give up something they had in their mouths. It was a kind of collision between dominance-type training and highly sensitive reactive dogs.

Cocker breeders rose to the challenge and traced the influence of a high-drive red cocker male that had been used a great deal, and a slightly lesser influence of a black male. However, puppy farmers took no such precautions. Yet 'rage syndrome' vanished. It was never an illness at all.

They are straightforward to train, and will be as good with children as the children are with them. If mauled, teased, frightened or threatened, they will bite like any other dog. :wink:
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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