Among all the currently existing varieties of dogs bearded animals stand apart. For some, they cause bewilderment and fear, while others do not like souls in their four-legged pets with such a feature.
In connection with what the dogs have a beard? What other features have such unusual animals? What breeds of dogs are bearded? Find answers to these and some other questions in our material.
Features
Traditionally, dogs with a beard are classified as companion pets. Such animals have an overgrowing face of the hair - the so-called beard. Depending on the specific breed, the ancestors of bearded dogs can be both guard and shepherd or even hunting breeds.
There is no single standard for bearded four-legged pets. They can vary in size, color, physiological characteristics, behavioral patterns, etc. Their only common feature is the presence of abnormally developed coat (it is called hypergrichosis in scientific circles).
Concerning The animal's hairline deserves special attention.. Their positive characteristics include the fact that bearded dogs do not shed. But on the other hand, they have long hair growing all over the body, including the front part, ears, legs, etc.
Hypergrichosis is a natural anomaly found in first domesticated dogs. Over time, this “deviation” was reinforced by the works of breeders.
Varieties
Today in nature there are a huge number of breeds of bearded animals. In our material we consider the most common and popular varieties.
Belgian Griffon
This breed of dog is quite small in size. As you can guess from the name of the variety, Belgium is the birthplace of the animal. Animals appeared in this country in 1800 thanks to the efforts of breeders.
From an anatomical point of view, representatives of the breed have several unique features, namely, a curved forehead, a short facial part of the head and a wide skull. The Belgian griffons are quite capricious, they can be stubborn and do not go in contact with young children, they dislike them.
Special attention requires pet diet. The fact is that some individuals belonging to the breed have an increased appetite, so it is very important to control the size of their portions, and also not to keep food in open access. Remember that overeating can negatively affect the health of your pet and lead to obesity.
Giant Schnauzer
Giant Schnauzer is another breed of bearded dogs, which is quite large in size and also possesses certain physiological features, in particular, great strength and power. It is important to note that this breed is an animal not only with a beard, but also with a mustache.
Like the previous species of bearded dogs, this breed is not recommended to start if there are young children in your house. The nature of the Giant Schnauzers is very restless, and the mood is not constant. In relation to the baby, a four-legged pet may show aggression.
This dog is physically active, so you should take it out for regular and long walks, which, if possible, are recommended to be supplemented with active games or training.
It is also important to follow the rules of hygiene in relation to giant schnauzers: animals need regular combing, brushing, trimming claws and grooming.
Bearded collie
The bearded collie is also called a bearded or bearded. This kind of four-legged animals is considered one of the oldest, and its homeland is Scotland. The body of the representatives of the breed has a developed muscular mass. In addition, animals have long and thick hair.
Owners of animals of this breed note that dogs are distinguished by highly developed intellectual and mental abilities.besides, they are brave, but friendly towards the owner and all members of his family, including young children and the elderly.
Particular attention should be paid to the training and education of dogs. Training sessions should be given at least 1 hour per day.
Lhasa apso
The second name of the breed is Lhasa. This breed belongs to the category of watchdogs. A Tibetan animal is distinguished not only by the presence of a beard, but also by thick and lush hair, hanging ears and tail.
Lhasa has a friendly character. An animal belonging to this breed can be safely raised even if other pets or small children live in your house. It will easily find contact with them.
Lhasa Apso requires some specific care measures. First of all, this refers to medical procedures. Periodically, the animal should be led to receptions to the veterinarian. This is necessary so that the specialist removes the resulting tartar and plaque in the animal's mouth.
Irish Wolfhound
Already by the name of the breed, you can guess that the original purpose of this breed is hunting. The animal was bred during the time of the ancient Celts. The wolfhound has a muscular developed torso, a long and elongated head, as well as hairline curling in structure.
This animal can not be kept in an urban environment in an apartment. In order for the Irish Wolfhound to be able to calmly carry out all the processes of his life activity, he needs a large amount of space.
If you ignore the training and education, the animal can grow evil and uncontrollable. Therefore, be sure to pay attention to the process of his learning.
In this case, you can grow a loyal, benevolent and courageous friend.
How to choose?
If you finally decided to have a bearded dog, then the first thing to do is to decide on a specific breed. In this sense, it is important to consider several factors.
- Appearance. It is no secret that we all want to have a beautiful and pretty animal. However, in addition to subjective external signs, close attention should be paid to the size of the animal. Match the size of the dog with the available living space. You should carefully consider the questions about whether the animal will fit in your apartment, whether you and the dog will be comfortable to coexist in the same area.
- Behavior and character. Before acquiring a puppy of a particular breed, carefully review the information regarding the characteristics of its character. For example, some animals do not get along well with children, the elderly, or other pets living in your house. Other species do not tolerate long-term loneliness. It is important to analyze such characteristics of the animal in order not to get unpleasant surprises.
- Physiological needs. In this regard, it is important to understand what specific care activities a dog needs. For example, some breeds like to spend most of their time outdoors. There are species that need constant medical examination. Make sure that you can provide all of these activities from a financial, time and energy-intensive point of view.
Once you have decided on a particular breed, it is important to find an official nursery that breeds such animals, or to contact an individual breeder. Anyway, you should make sure that you buy a pedigreed and healthy dog. To do this, read the certificates and licenses, as well as other documents available from the seller.
A puppy's appearance and behavior are also important factors. The animal must be well maintained and active.
If possible, inspect the parent pair to make sure that the puppy was born from healthy parents and did not inherit any genetic diseases.
Basic content rules
The rules of keeping bearded dogs do not differ from the principles of care for any other animals. Mandatory care measures include:
- control over the diet (it can be as ready-mix, and natural products);
- arrangement of a place for a dog (with a stove bench and bowls for food and water);
- hygienic procedures (bathing, cleaning, cleansing the eyes and ears, claw clipping);
- medical procedures (regular check-ups at the veterinarian and vaccinations).
An important feature of the content of bearded dogs is associated with the physiological characteristics of the animal, in particular, with non-standard hair. It is with regard to grooming that an animal needs additional activities.that are not required in the process of caring for other types of dogs.
This applies to daily combing using special combs and brushes. In no case should not be allowed to form shreds on wool. In addition, be sure to grooming (cutting) wool. To do this, contact the experts. Such care measures will not only provide a neat and well-groomed appearance of your pet, but also its health.
Training
Training and education is an important part of keeping a dog. As we mentioned earlier, many of the bearded dog breeds need training. If you do not carry out training and activities with the animal, your pet may grow evil, aggressive and naughty. He will not perceive your authority, and therefore may be dangerous both in relation to you and to your environment.
If possible, entrust the training to professional dog experts: Record your bearded pet for special group courses or private lessons. If desired, learning can be done independently. However, it is important to remember that such activities should be regular and systematic.
It is recommended to begin training from the very first days after you brought the puppy into your home. To begin with, master basic traditional commands, for example, Sit, Voice, Aport, etc. Only after the animal has begun to cope with such tasks can one proceed to the study of complex tricks.
The training process should be carried out in strictness, so that the dog understands who is in charge here.
At the same time, in no case should aggression and the use of physical force be allowed.
Interesting facts about the Giant Schnauzer breed look in the next video.