Many people, when they first see this dog, are very easy to mistake it for an ancient English Shepherd.
They are about the same size, about the same color, and all look like cute teddy bears.
However, if you look closely, you will find out how the hair quality of this "hairy bear" is so good?
That flowing and supple look, like doing ion hot!
Although they are very similar, they are not ancient shepherds, but long-bearded shepherds, also known as bearded shepherds.
- Basic information
Long-bearded shepherds
Bearded Collie
Body size ratio: Medium-sized dogs
Exercise Index: Energetic
Personality traits: strong, independent, friendly
Degree of affection: Gentle relatives, enjoy the company of someone
Ability to be alone: Can be alone for a period of time as an adult
Ease of domestication: strong independence, need to be patient
Hair Loss Index: Seasonal hair loss
Ideal height: 53-56 cm for male dogs and 51-53 cm for female dogs
Common coat colors: slate gray, brown, black, blue, may be white, no meteorite or speckled color.
- Dog breed history
Many believe that the Long-bearded Shepherd is a breed that has evolved naturally over the centuries.
They cannot be like the Golden Retriever, Doberman and other dog breeds, and can be traced back to the exact original lineage.
In the past, they were also known as mountain Scots Shepherds, Old Welsh Grey Shepherds, Highland Shepherds, and Rock Shepherds.
In fact, there are many dog breeds that are similar in appearance to each other, more widely present in other parts of Europe.
Therefore, it is difficult to identify a specific existing dog breed as the ancestor of this dog.
The breed's famous breeder, Mrs. G.O. Willison, thanks to her efforts, allowed the breed to continue after the war.
In The Bearded Collie, she speculated that they might have originated in Polish shepherds.
It is recorded that around 1514, a cargo ship from Poland sailed from Danzig to scotland, where they exchanged grain for sheep from scotland.
There were 6 Polish lowland shepherds on board for controlling sheep herds.
Polish Lowland Shepherd
After arriving at their destination, the local shepherds in Scotland took a fancy to the shepherds on the boat and eventually exchanged a pair of very good Scottish sheep for two female dogs and a male dog.
Their bloodline is constantly fused with the local shepherd, and under the continuous screening of excellent dogs by shepherds, they are eventually stabilized into similar-looking dog breeds so that they can perform the same work under similar conditions.
However, other scholars have speculated that they may have originated from the Grameen or other long-haired shepherds from Europe.
From 1707 to the early 1800s, it is said that when beef gradually became the main meat of Europeans, this sheepdog was once particularly valued for its excellent working performance.
In addition to sheep, they are also used to herd cattle and to drive cattle from the northern and western highlands to markets.
Images similar to them also appear in some works of art of the time.
In 1891, DJ Thomson Gray wrote The Dogs of Scotland. In it he also mentions the name of the long-bearded shepherd.
The author details the appearance of such dogs and further notes that bearded shepherds were not common in Scotland at the time, but they were not particularly scarce either.
And at that time, they were already seen in dog shows in some western countries.
However, the breed officially appeared at the Dog Show for the first time. Believed to be the 1897, Edinburgh Dog Show held by the Scottish Kennel Club.
In 1898, Mrs. Hall Walker, a lover of this breed, compiled the standard for the long-bearded shepherd through information provided by other enthusiasts and examiner H. Panmure Gordon.
To this day, Mrs. Walker's standards are still used by many kennel clubs with little change.
Later, two world wars dealt a near-devastating blow to the breed.
But there are still many people who value this breed, insisting on finding and trying to keep them from being forgotten by history.
Today, thanks to the efforts of these people, they have once again become one of the most popular varieties in the UK.
In 2021, the winner of the European Championship Dog Show in Hungary was a long-bearded shepherd.
- Dog breed characteristics
The Long-bearded Shepherd is one of the most popular family dogs in Europe.
They appear strong and elegant in appearance.
The thick, fluffy hairs are very supple, sometimes with a slight wavy shape. The hairs on the cheeks and chin are slightly longer, forming a classic beard.
In addition, most of them also have "long bangs" that are different from the ancient pastoral style - they look very thick when they are put down, and they look very cute when they are combed into small braids.
In addition, they have a cheerful personality and a clever mind, and are born with a flattering and curious expression.
Long-bearded shepherds mostly enjoy playing.
When establishing a close relationship with family members, they will appear very lively and cheerful, and even give people a feeling of "unscrupulousness".
If there are children in the family, they are willing to play any game with the children and can often be a good playmate for them.
However, they are essentially a working dog, and although they are friendly by nature, they will also be more sensitive.
They will be very gentle and affectionate to family members, but they will be more cautious when facing strangers.
Long-bearded shepherds are not the kind of dogs that are born to treat strangers as friends, and they often carefully assess their surroundings and the people in front of them.
If it feels that this guy is not a good person, it will rip open its voice in time to tell the owner that there is a situation!
However, they usually do not show obvious aggression, and if the owner guides them in time, it can immediately become good friends with each other.
Although long-bearded shepherds can also look after their homes on their own – and are some of the best "watchdogs"– they prefer to spend time with their families.
If they stay alone for a long time and do nothing, they tend to be sullen.
If the owners don't come back for too long, they may also "prank" because they are too anxious.
- Feeding attention
The Long-bearded Shepherd is a double-coated dog breed with soft undercoat in addition to its long, flowing outer coat.
So in order to avoid knotting their hair, the owner needs to brush their hair regularly with a needle comb, at least twice a week.
If you can brush it every day, of course, it is better.
Their coat is generally waterproof, and if they are often combed, they are relatively not easy to get dirty, so they do not need to take a bath too often.
In addition, regular examination and cleaning of ears, eyes is required.
If the hair is irritating to the eyes, it's best to braid it or trim it.
In terms of exercise, because they are more active in themselves, the owner needs to guarantee at least twice a day, each time for thirty minutes of outing.
The Longbeard itself is very sporty! They can run, play, and bounce anywhere.
They are very good at jumping and with proper training, they can become great agile dogs!
But for novices, training them is not so easy.
The long-bearded shepherd is very intelligent, and has its own small ideas, sometimes appears to be more stubborn, and it is easy to feel bored, and the ability to accept boring simple repetition is poor.
In particular, more complex techniques require the owner to induce them in an interesting way, so that they are constantly challenging to be easy to succeed.
And because they are more sensitive, it is best for the owner to carry out social training in time when they are still young.
Avoid unnecessary stress reactions later in life.
In general, they may be more suitable for rural life than cities with more crowded and complex environments.
You can play with it in the country yard and believe that its carefree optimist will be able to drive away all your unhappiness!
The picture comes from the Internet, invaded and deleted