To protect him from Scottish weather extremes, the Beardie has a flat, harsh, strong and shaggy outer coat and a soft, furry undercoat. The coat falls naturally to either side without need of a part. Long hair on the cheeks, lower lips, and under the chin forms the beard for which he is known.

All Bearded Collies are born black, blue, brown, or fawn, with or without white markings. Some carry a fading gene, and as they mature, the coat lightens, darkening again slightly after one year of age. A puppy born black may become any shade of gray from black to slate to silver. The dogs that are born brown will lighten from chocolate to sandy, and the blues and fawns show shades from dark to light. Dogs without the fading gene stay the color they were when they were born. The white only occurs as a blaze on the face, on the head, on the tip of the tail, on the chest, legs, feet, and around the neck. Tan markings occasionally appear on the eyebrows, inside the ears, on the cheeks, under the root of the tail and on the legs where the white joins the main color.

The Beardie's long double coat requires weekly brushing with a bristle or pin brush to remove tangles and mats and reduce shedding. Mist the coat with a conditioning spray before brushing to reduce static and keep the hairs from breaking. If you run across any mats or tangles, spray them with some anti-tangle spray and work them out with your fingers until you can run a comb through the hair smoothly. Completely brushing the coat takes half an hour to an hour each week. Bathing can be done as needed.

As your Beardie puppy matures from 9 to 18 months of age, his soft puppy coat will start to come out. Brush him two or three times a week to help remove it and prevent mats. Once his adult coat has come in, brushing him weekly will be plenty.

Beardies shed heavily once a year for two to four weeks, and you'll probably want to brush more frequently during this time to keep the level of loose hair under control.

Other grooming needs include dental hygiene and nail care. Brush your Beardie's teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar buildup and the bacteria that lurk inside it. Daily brushing is even better if you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath.

Nails should be trimmed regularly to keep them short. Your Beardie's nails may need to be trimmed weekly or only monthly; each dog is different. If you can hear the nails clicking on the floor, they're too long. Short, neatly trimmed nails keep the dog's feet in good condition and keep your legs from getting scratched when your bouncy Beardie enthusiastically jumps up to greet you.

Begin accustoming your Beardie to being brushed and examined when he's a puppy. Handle his paws frequently--dogs are touchy about their feet--and look inside his mouth and ears. Make grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you'll lay the groundwork for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he's an adult.

As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin, in the ears, nose, mouth, and eyes, and on the feet. Ears should smell good, without too much wax or gunk inside, and eyes should be clear, with no redness or discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you spot potential health problems early.

« Children & other pets | Next: Size »