“Should you, while wandering in the wild sheep land, happen on the moor or in the market upon a very gentle knight, clothed in dark grey habit, splashed here and there with rays of the moon; free by right divine of the guild of gentlemen, strenuous as a prince, lithe as a rowan, graceful as a girl, with high king carriage, motions and manners of a fairy queen, should have a noble breadth of brow, and air of still strength born of right confidence, all unassuming; last and most unfailing test for all, should you look into two snow clad eyes, calm, wistful, inscrutable, their soft depths clothed on with eternal sadness — yearning, as is to be said, for the soul that is not theirs — know then that you look upon one of the line of the most illustrious sheepdogs of the North.”
— Alfred Ollivant, Owd Bob
The Bearded Collie, affectionately called the Beardie, was developed in Scotland as a herding dog. Its ancestors likely included herding dogs from the European continent, such as the Poland Lowland Sheepdog (Polski Owzcarek Nizinny) and the Komondor, blended with the sheep herding dogs of the British Isles. It was developed as an independent worker, able to make decisions concerning the welfare and safety of its charges without depending on the shepherd, who might be miles away. The Beardie is still used as a shepherd’s helpmate — not only in its native Scotland, but all over the world.
The mission of the Bearded Collie Club of America is to protect the long-term welfare and integrity of the breed by providing a variety of opportunities for Beardie owners, breeders and the public to learn, connect, and compete, while supporting research into breed-specific health issues and rescue of Beardies in need.
BCCA Breed Education on Facebook
The BCCA Breed Education Committee is now on Facebook. Breed mentors, Beardie judges, judges interested in judging the Bearded Collie, and all breed enthusiasts are welcome to join the discussion. Come visit us here.
Rescue
Looking for Rescue or Rescue resources? Go here.
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