Bearded Collie

Bearded Collies, also known as Beardies, Highland Collies, Mountain Collies, Argle Bargles, and Mou'ed Collies, are intelligent breeds of dogs known for their long, shaggy coat that often covers the eyes and its popularity as a family companion.

Appearance
Bearded Collies are medium-sized dogs with a long and lean body that ends in a low-slung tail. They have a broad, flat, and relatively large head with a short muzzle that sports a large, square, black nose. Their medium-sized ears hang close to the head. The have a shaggy, waterproof, double-coat that covers the entire body; in fact, the presence of this fur on its chin earns it its name. Puppies are born with a black, brown, blue, or fawn colored coat with or without white markings. The coat color will change several different times before finally reaching the adult color. The terminal coat color is somewhere between the puppy coat color and the color of the coat when the beardie reaches 1 year of age. Bearded Collies stand at 20-21 inches tall and can weigh 40-60 lbs.

Behavior
Bearded collies are bright and cheerful sheep-herders that make great companions. Beardies are intelligent, cheerful, playful, affectionate, and bold. They love people, especially children, and make a great family pet. However, they need long daily walks, due to their activity. They require a daily, and quite thorough, brushing of the coat. Bearded Collies are used to herd sheep and cattle.

History
The bearded collie originated in Britain when a Polish sea captain made a trade with a Scottish shepherd in 1514. He traded 3 of his Polish Sheepdogs for a ram and an ewe. Later, the shepherd bred the dogs with other herding dogs, such as Komondors and Old English Sheepdogs. The dogs were used for centuries in Scotland and were referred to as Highland Collies, Highland Sheepdogs, or Hairy Moved Collies. Eventually their name was changed to Bearded Collie, due to the hairs on its chin. During World War II, the Bearded Collie nearly became extinct. But thankfully, in 1944, Mrs. G.O. Wilson from Great Britain bred a pair of the collies, resurrecting the breed. In 1967, the first litter of bearded collies was whelped in the USA. The breed was initially recognized by the AKC. They are still somewhat considered a rare breed to this day, and are still used to herd sheep and cattle.

Top Names

 * 1) Fuzzy
 * 2) Toby
 * 3) Rocky
 * Gus
 * 1) Avery
 * 2) Dixie
 * 3) Daisy
 * 4) Bailey
 * Joe
 * 1) Maya

In popular culture

 * Cole is the Bearded Collie in Shaggy Dog
 * A Bearded Collie is featured in the film Hotel for Dogs.

Link
http://beardedcollieclub.us/rescue/