Bearded Collie

One of the questions on prospective parents’ lips is sure to be: do Bearded Collies shed? The answer is, very much, yes, with a particularly heavy period of shedding to be expected once a year. Parents should brush their Beardies every day to prevent excessive fur loss and keep their coat clean and unmatted.

There are a number of other tasks that parents need to keep on top of, including regularly trimming nails, brushing teeth and cleaning ears to ensure that wax and debris don’t build up and lead to an infection. 

Then there’s the matter of exercise. As already mentioned, the Bearded Collie has energy to burn and as such, could do with around an hour’s activity a day. This can take the form of long walks or play sessions. Ideally, a Beardie needs a backyard to run around every so often, too.

Bearded Collie Health Risks

The Bearded Collie is considered to be a relatively healthy breed, with the Royal Kennel Club placing them in the lowest category of risk when it comes to inherited health conditions.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the Bearded Collie is completely immune from hereditary diseases and parents wishing to bring one of the dogs into their lives should only deal with responsible breeders that carry out tests on their animals — don’t be afraid to ask for proof of these.

Joint Problems

Much like other athletic canines, Bearded Collies can sometimes be struck down by genetic joint conditions that inhibit their movement. Two of the most common are Elbow and Hip Dysplasia.

These occur when either the elbow or hip joint fails to develop correctly, leading to the bone moving with friction against the socket. This causes limping and pain.

As fairly common health conditions, vets have several options when it comes to treating Elbow or Hip Dysplasia. Sometimes, mild cases can be soothed with weight loss and medication, but more serious instances might need physiotherapy or surgery.

Eye conditions

There are a few eye disorders that can occur during the Bearded Collie lifespan, including Corneal Dystrophy and Progressive Retinal Atrophy. 

The first of these is usually mild and involves the clouding over of the eyes. The latter often involves the same symptom, but can progress to sight loss. Both aren’t treatable, so the best form of defense is breeders carrying out genetic testing before allowing animals to reproduce.

For many years, it was thought that Bearded Collies weren’t affected by Collie Eye Anomaly. However, recent testing has found the gene responsible for the condition in Bearded Collies, although it’s thought that the prevalence of the disorder is much lower in the breed.

Collie Eye Anomaly (or Defect) normally develops before a dog reaches 12 weeks old and cases range in severity. Many pets with the condition will be barely affected, but an unfortunate few will go blind. As with many eye conditions, it’s not treatable and responsible breeders should take affected dogs out of their breeding pool.

Pemphigus

The Bearded Collie is also more prone to developing Pemphigus. This is an autoimmune skin disease that tends to affect middle-aged dogs. Parents will see surface-level symptoms, such as skin redness, blisters, scabs or hair loss. At the same time, dogs might also be lethargic, depressed or lacking an appetite.

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for this disease and a vet can only attempt to keep it in remission. This can often be done with topical steroids or nonsteroidal immunosuppressive drugs. Although a dog with Pemphigus will require regular monitoring, they can expect to lead a normal life as long as the disease is in remission.

The best way to spot diseases at an early stage is regular testing — this is one of the major perks of a wellness plan for your dog

What to Feed a Bearded Collie

As a particularly athletic dog, the Bearded Collie has a large appetite and it’s important that parents serve them a top-quality diet. This should be high in protein to help with muscle growth and repair, as well as full of the recommended vitamins and minerals for their stage of life.

Avoid products that are heavy on bulky filler ingredients, as these can contribute towards obesity. We would recommend skipping those that feature anonymous meat derivatives or byproducts, too.

Depending on how physically active your Bearded Collie is, you may want to consider our recommendations for the best dog food for working breeds or the best food for canine athletes. We’ve got some tips on choosing the best dog food here.

If you need a little help finding the right recipe for your Bearded Collie, our partner Dog Food Advisor can assist — here’s their list of the best dog food around