Bearded Collie
This is a breed I see a lot of when in Europe and
the U.S. but is not so common in Australia. Perhaps it has something
to do with the amount of coat that daunts exhibitors? This hardy and
active working dog is really a very no nonsense breed and whilst he
is a larger dog with quite a lot of coat, the task ought not to be
onerous.
Referred to on occasion as the Highland Collie, the ancestry tells
you his coat has to be able to withstand a fairly rigorous and cold
climate. We who live in more clement parts of the world can be
lulled into forgetting the dire necessity of a good coat in cold
weather. His standard also requires that he is able to work in damp,
misty conditions and a rough, rocky terrain.
The Beardie has a double coat with a soft furry
undercoat and a close, harsh textured flat outer coat. It ought to
fall naturally to either side and the length and density to provide
a protective coat to enhance the dog without obscuring the natural
lines of his body. No trimming allowed. That ought to be
simple enough and the AKC standard specifies that the coat should be
shown as naturally as is consistent with good grooming. So therein
lies the challenge - to present this dog so he is able to show he is
capable of fulfilling his function and to find a way to groom him so
as to illustrate this
As the standard also states that excessively long or
silky coats are to be penalised, you don't use products that make a
coat soft and silky and at the same time endeavour to blow dry so as
to minimise wave though a slight wave is permissible. Once you
analyse what are the basic requirements you keep that focus in mind
and do the things that contribute to that outcome. Sounds easy but
so many have difficulty and perhaps this is the reason so many shy
away from a coat that presents some challenges.
I do believe that the preparation of this coat
between shows is of great importance to maintain the health of the
coat lengths and you can go no further than the Plush
Puppy Seabreeze Oil to do just that. Use at a dilution rate
of 1 tbspn to 1 gal/4 lt bucket of water and slosh well through the
coat or sponge through getting right down to the skin. This is an
all natural product from Evening Primrose Oil and Calendula oils
etc. Just marvellous. It won't soften the coat but will keep it
protected from dehydration and maintain the elasticity of the coat.
This is an active working dog so he will tend to be an outdoorsy dog
if he is allowed to be himself and this will ensure minimum wear and
tear.
For show preparation, start with the Plush
Puppy Whitening Shampoo for all your blacks and blues as
this will not soften but will tone any unwanted warm tones keeping
that nice blueish, silvery overtone to the coat. For the browns and
fawns use the Plush
Puppy All Purpose with Henna for shine and good depth to the
light reflect on the hair. Neither of these will soften the coat and
dilute for easier dispersion at a ratio of 5 parts water to one part
shampoo. Should you have any colour fade on the blacks or blues, use
the Whitening Shampoo for tonal effect to deepen the colour
slightly.
In your final rinse water, add 1 tbspn of Plush
Puppy Blow Dry Cream and 1 tbspn Plush
Puppy Swishy Coat to a bucket of water and liberally apply,
saturating the whole of the coat. The Blow Dry Cream will flatten
the coat and the Swishy will help eliminate the wave and assist with
reducing the fly away effects of static. Should the coat be really
too voluminous or a puppy coat which doesn't sit flat, then a bit
more Blow Dry Cream can be added to the mix. If the coat is really
dehydrated, then a light touch of Plush
Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner can be added in to the bucket
mix as well. I tend to avoid any conditioner on this type of coat as
conditioners will soften the texture.
Now work into the mid lengths and ends, a good
handful of Plush
Puppy Revivacoat. This is a great moisturiser and reduces
tangles and snarls in the coat. Work a wide toothed comb through the
whole of the coat before starting to blow dry. Never use a bristle
brush to work through wet coat. It will stretch and snap the coat
over time. The coat is at it's most vulnerable when really wet. Once
you can readily work the comb through the coat, section up the top
part of the coat and start blow drying the underneath lengths with a
cool dryer and an oval cushioned pin brush. This won't give you the
ultimate in straightening but will be kind to the coat till it is >
dry and then switch to an oval cushioned = bristle = nylon brush
such as the Plush
Puppy Porcupine Brush. This will give you the smoother
finish you require. Make sure you work the air of the dryer from
root to end so you don't swirl the coat around getting tangles.
It is a simple if time consuming task to blow dry a
coat such as a Beardie. Just patience and repetition will give this
coat a fabulous result. You can also work with a mix of 1 tbspn to 2
cups water of the Swishy Coat as you go section by section for extra
slip and slide to the brush through the coat. This will also help to
straighten further should you have a more challenging coat.
Now the trick is to not get this coat wet once you
have done the hard yard on all that blow drying. If you must gather
up the coat due to bad weather over night then use those big soft
scrunchies we use on long human hair. They won't put
"band" marks into the coat. Use lots of them so as not to
"over reach" the coat. Booties are a must to keep the feet
dry and if necessary use the Plush
Puppy Wonderwash for last minute clean ups and keep that
blow dryer handy at all times.
I know it is a lot of time consuming work but this
dog is sensational when presented beautifully and if you want to win
the big stuff then you have to do big stuff to get there. Just watch
the Poodle and Afghan people do their thing. I know of Poodle people
who spend at least 6 hrs getting a Std Poodle together for a show so
a Beardie is a doddle to groom compared to that.
Now on show day - let's work that headpiece for
final outline. Apply Plush
Puppy Puffy Dog, a doggy styling mousse for lift and hold,
approx a tennis ball amount to your hand and work through all the
hair of the top of the head from root to end. Brush up and against
the growth till 3/4 dry and then lightly comb into place without
flattening. You want the illusion of putting air into it for
fullness and height, allowing you to see that lovely Beardie eye and
expression You can further hold in place by applying Plush
Puppy Sit N Stay, just a touch to the fingertips, warmed
through by rubbing together till tacky and then applying at the
roots by grabbing down into the coat and clenching the fingers and
dragging up to the mid lengths. Allow this time to dry before
attempting to play with. You have kept the coat dry and it is nice
and smooth and straight, lying flat and not obscuring the natural
fall so you now need to rebrush and using the Plush
Puppy Pin Brush so as not to create static, apply a small
amount of Plush
Puppy Protein Coat Balm to both your hands and wipe down the
mid lengths to the ends clumping your hands to a fist with a touch
extra of the balm to the ends to add a modicum of weight to the
hemline. A touch of Plush
Puppy Odour Muncher and you are ready to rock the socks off
the judge with this wonderful show of workman meets high glamour.
This is your basic overall grooming regime. However,
you can go further with Plush
Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo to reduce staining around the
mouth when bathing. You can add Plush
Puppy Pixie Dust prior to adding the coat balm by dipping a
small amount onto the edge of the Porcupine brush and running
lightly down the mid lengths and ends for a light sparkle and
interest to the coat. You can use a treatment to the coat to put
some extra assistance down into the hair shaft with the Plush
Puppy Coat Rescue (a tbspn to a pint/500 ml water) - won't
soften but will re-hydrate. Do this prior to your final rinse.
Now I get a twinge of excitement whenever I see a
good Beardie well presented in the ring. That head extends forwards
and the topline flattens out and the tail trails and I catch my
breath as I watch to see if the handler will exhibit this dog just
the way he wants to work. I can see the heather on the moor and the
lichen on the rocks; I can almost hear the bagpipes. It has to be as
real as that. If you can't feel the mist and the cold cling of the
mountain air then you don't have a Beardie's heart. He is a majestic
and mystical creature living in our modern world. Show him with all
the pride of his ancestors and spend the time to do him proud. It's
not often we get to have a piece of history as a living exhibit.
CHERYL LECOURT
