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 ¾ dry and then switch to an oval
cushioned ½ bristle ½ 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
Plush
Puppy Seabreeze Oil
Plush Puppy Whitening
Shampoo
Plush
Puppy All Purpose with Henna
Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream
Plush Puppy Swishy Coat
Plush
Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner
Plush
Puppy Revivacoat
Plush Puppy Porcupine
Brush
Plush Puppy Wonderwash
Plush
Puppy Puffy Dog
Plush
Puppy Sit N Stay
Plush
Puppy Pin Brush
Plush
Puppy Protein Coat Balm
Plush Puppy Odour Muncher
Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing
Shampoo
Plush Puppy Pixie Dust
Plush Puppy Coat
Rescue