The Canadian Kennel Club standard for the bearded collie describes the coat as:
"... double with the undercoat soft, furry and close. The outer coat should be flat, harsh and strong, shaggy, free from wooliness and curl, though a slight wave is permissible. The length and density of the hair should be sufficient to provide a protective coat and to enhance the shape of the dog, but not enough to obscure the natural lines of the body. The adult coat may break along the spine, but must not be artificially parted. The coat must not be trimmed in any way. On the head, the bridge of the nose should be sparsely covered with hair which should be slightly longer on the sides just to cover the lips. From the cheeks, the lower lips and under the chin, the coat increases in length towards the chest, forming the typical beard."
Yes, beardies have a long coat. That beautiful adult beardie you saw at a dog show, with it's coat flowing as it moved around the ring did not look like that without a lot of work. Beardies require regular brushing - about one hour per week for an adult and more frequently during the transition from puppy coat to adult coat. This also means that the adorable puppy must be trained to be on a grooming table (or some such thing) at an early age. If the owner waits until he thinks the puppy "really" needs a brushing, the training has waited too long and it (the training and the grooming!) will be more of a challenge.
A beardie who has been trained to the grooming table
is happy to be there.
Megan before grooming
"It's my turn..."
Megan after grooming
"I feel pretty!"
Grooming your beardie can be an enjoyable experience for both of you and can help develop your relationship with your beardie.
You can learn specific details about grooming a Beardie in the article "Grooming Your Beardie"
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