(September 2020)
Some four decades ago or thereabouts, the favored few who enjoyed the company of Beardies in those days were often accosted in public by curious folks who queried, “What kind of dog is that?” Replying, “It’s a Bearded Collie,” inevitably resulted in a wrinkled brow, a puzzled expression (Lassie with a goatee?) and the question, “What’s a Bearded Collie?” Not an easy question to answer. But after giving the matter serious thought, I slipped a sheet of paper into my typewriter and took a stab at a description of our beloved buddies. (If the word typewriter is unfamiliar, you might want to look it up in Wikipedia under “ancient artifacts.”) This is what I wrote all those years ago:
What Is A Bearded Collie?
A Beardie is springtime on snowflake paws. It’s a happy grin, eyes brimming with innocence and a calculating mind covered in a shaggy coat cleverly concocted to invite cuddling. It’s an insistent paw stripping the blanket from your shivering shoulders and a chill, damp nose nuzzling your neck at sun-up. It’s your shadow.
A Beardie has carefully concealed coiled springs for hind legs and believes heeling at shoulder height is a perfectly acceptable practice. A Beardie can jump into the air facing north and come down facing south –removing your hat and kissing your ear in the process. A Beardie is devotion with a dash of devilishness, intelligence peppered with impishness and spirit sparked with a sense of humor.
A Beardie is a study in contrasts. She can hear you take out your car keys from five rooms away but can’t seem to hear your shout of “Come” from 10 feet. The sound of running water in her dish brings her to the bathroom but the sound of running water in the tub results in her disappearance. She’ll turn up her nose at her own dinner and gobble up someone else’s – even though they’re exactly alike. And you can always count on her to be well-behaved – except when you have company.
A Beardie is a glorious whirlwind of flying fur, a non-stop wag with dog attached. Or it’s a pleading face in the window, a paw against the pane, hoping you’ll reconsider and return. A Beardie is a ‘You’re not alone’ nudge under your elbow when you’re feeling down and an inquisitive tilt of the head when you talk. A Beardie is an audience, a companion and a friend. Living with a Beardie may not always be easy, but for me, living without one is impossible.
— alice bixler, Summerfield, Florida, alice@bedlamkennels.com, Bearded Collie Club of America.
