Bearded Collie

Ancient Long-bearded Collie English Name BeardedCollie

Introduction to Bearded Collie

The Ancient Longbearded Collie is a medium-sized dog with a medium length coat that hangs down along the natural contours of the body allowing for gaps in the lower part of the body and a long, sloping frame that is strong but not bulky. An intelligent, curious expression is one of the distinguishing features of this breed. The Ancient Longbeard Sheepdog should always maintain its natural form.

Place of Origin

England

Characteristics

The Ancient Long-bearded Sheepdog is a courageous and alert true working dog that combines strength and agility. A companion and servant to mankind for centuries, the Ancient Longbeard Sheepdog is an intelligent and affectionate member of the family. He is firm and confident, with no trace of shyness or aggressive tendencies. It is a natural, unadorned breed.

Head

The head is properly proportioned to the body. The head is flat and broad; the stop is moderate; the cheeks lie below the eyes; the muzzle is firm and full; the length of the front face (muzzle) is approximately equal to the length of the head (the distance from the stop to the posterior occipital bone).

Nostrils large and slightly square. The elephant’s truncated muzzle is a defect (see ‘Pigmentation coloration condition’).

Eyes: The eyes are large, with a gentle and friendly look; they are neither rounded nor protruding, and are parted in a more open position. The eyebrows are rounded and arched, parted to the sides, and of sufficient length to join smoothly with the head coat on both sides. (See ‘Eye Color’)

EARS: Ears are medium sized, pendant and covered with very long hair. They are at the same level as the eyes. When the dog is alert, the roots of the ears are slightly raised. TEETH: Teeth are strong and white with a clipped bite and. A complete tooth system is ideal.

Neck

The neck is of proper length in proportion to the body, firm and slightly arched, and smoothly integrated into the shoulders.

Forequarters

The shoulders are inclined backward at an angle of about 45 degrees; the straight line formed from the highest point of the scapula forward to the point of union of the scapula with the forearm, and the straight line of the forearm from the point of union with the scapula downward, extending to the elbow, are exactly at a clear right angle.

The scapulae rest on each other at the malleolus, but they are sufficiently inclined outward to give ample room for expansion of the ribs. The forelegs are straight and perpendicular to the ground, sturdy but not bulky. The bones are covered by fluffy hair, and the ankles are supple but not weak.

Body

The length of the body is greater than the height, with a ratio of nearly 5/4. The length of the body is the distance from the forechest to the last point of the withers, and the height of the body is the vertical distance from the horse’s shoulder rump to the ground.

The length of the back is the length of the chest, excluding the loin. The dorsal line is horizontal. The ribs expand outward from the spine but are flat on both sides. The chest is deep and extends to the elbows. The loin is firm and the horizontal backline is smoothly joined to the curved hips. Flat hips or steep hips are considered serious defects.

Hindquarters

The hindquarters are strong and muscular, with moderately sloping thighs and hind knees. The fly joints are low. When standing normally, the fly joints are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed from behind, and the hind foot claws are located behind the vertical line at the end of the rump when viewed from the side. The hind limbs are covered with fluffy coat.

Tail: The tail is low positioned and is as long as the end of the tailbone can extend to the fly joints. When the dog is standing normally, the tail is down and the end of the tail is curled slightly upward; when the dog is excited or in motion, the curl is increased and the tail may be raised, but never curled to the vertical line. The tail is covered with a large amount of hair.

Foot and claw

The foot paws are ovoid with thick pads. The toes are rounded and compact, covered with hair (including between the toes).

Coat

There is a double coat with a soft, thick and compact undercoat. The outer cloak is flat, coarse, hard, firm and fluffy, not downy or curly, however, a slightly wavy appearance is permitted. The coat hangs naturally down the sides of the body, but the coat should not be artificially separated. The length and density of the coat should be sufficient to provide protection and outline the dog’s profile well, and should never be so dense as to detract from the natural profile of the body.

Its appearance should be carefully groomed to appear natural and harmonious, but the coat should never be trimmed in any way. On the head, the bridge of the nose is covered with slightly sparse hair, which is slightly longer, falls to the sides and covers the lips. The length of the hairs on the cheeks, lower lip and jaw grows gradually towards the chest, forming a typical beard. An excessively long coat, a silky coat, or a coat trimmed in any way is considered a serious defect.

Color

All Ancient Longbeard Sheepdogs may be black, blue, tan, or camel colored at birth, with or without white markings.

As they mature, the coat color will lighten, and dogs born black will change to different depths of gray: from black to blue-gray to silver;

Dogs born brown change color to varying depths of color from chocolate to beach;

Dogs born blue and camel also change color to different depth shades from dark to light. White markings, which should only appear on the white tendons of the face, on the head, on the tip of the tail, on the chest, on the legs and paws and around the neck. The white color should not appear on the body (the part of the horse after the withers) or on the face around the eyes.

It is sometimes acceptable to have brown markings: they should be found on the eyebrows, inside the ears, on the cheeks, under the root of the tail, and on the legs, where the white color meets the dominant color. PIGMENTATION: The pigmentation of the Ancient Longbeard Sheepdog is correlated with coat color.

Dogs born black have black noses, eye rings and lips;

Conversely, a dog born blue has blue-gray pigmentation; a dog born brown possesses brown pigmentation; and a dog born camel will have lighter pigmentation. The pigmentation should be full of color and free of stains and discolorations.

EYE COLOR: Eye color is generally consistent with coat color, and a slightly lighter eye color is normal and not a defect in dogs born blue or camel colored.

Size

Ideal heights are: adult males approximately 21 to 22 inches at the shoulder; adult females approximately 20 to 21 inches at the shoulder. Heights below these standards are considered serious defects. Strict adherence to this size standard is to ensure that the Ancient Longbeard Sheepdog is a medium-sized dog.

Gait

The movement is stretched, smooth and powerful. Full front torso extension and strong hind torso drive work well together. The dorsal line is level and firm. The paws are lifted just high enough off the ground to give the impression that the dog is gliding. The movement is soft and flexible, enabling the dog to make sharp turns or sudden stops (a necessary skill as a sheepdog).

Viewed from the front or the back, the corresponding front and hind limbs move in the same plane (from the shoulder or hip to the pads of the feet) regardless of speed. The legs are straight, but as speed increases, the paws lean inward until, at a fast run, the paws come together under the centerline of the body.