Apologies I did not read the rules, in my post I failed to put an e amil contact address. So I have repeated my post (see below) so that I could leave an e amil address
Hi, advice please on a suitable breed to meet our needs.
We live in a small rural village in Devon . We are a married couple with a 5yo son. We feel he is now ready for a pup to grow up with him but we do not know what breed would be best.
We liked the look of 4 breeds, the Spinone, the Wheaten terrier, the Bearded Collie and the Golden Retriever. We have ruled out the Spinone because we don't fancy a dog whose spit hits the ceiling on a bad day, on a good day........ The Wheaten Terrier because his character is a bit to independant and as he is a terrier, is liable to shoot off at any time chasing owt that he fancies.
We want a dog that is medium size (not small) and we tend to like our dogs a bit scruffy. It is important that the dog is easily trained and will enjoy growing up with our son, and that eventually they will be able to go out safely together. We will probably be able to give the dog 1  to 2 hours exercise a day, either walking or the freedom of a field where I have a pigeon loft.
We fancy the Bearded Colie but would want to cut its hair, someone suggested a 'puppy cut' as being ideal but we would not be able to show the dog. The dog would be a family pet and kept for no other reason so that would not cause a problem, is hair cutting of this breed in anyone adverse to the dog? We did read somewhere that the Beardy can be snappy, can anyone confirm this?
The second breed is the Golden Retriever and meets we think  the things we are looking for above. But again any advice, or comments to the contrary, would be welcomed to help us make an informed decision.
Finally are there any other Breeds that you would recommend that you think might meet our requirements? Any comments, advice, help gratefully accepted
Many thanks
Alan, e mail: albear@f2s.com

Thr Bearded Collie's coat is there for a reason to keep the dogs warm in winter & cool in summer & to be honest if you buy a dog it should be for the whole dog & to cut a beardie's coat if you either wish to keep the dog looking like a puppy or because you do not wish to spend time & effort grooming your dog then a beardie is not for you & you should consider another breed. Other people on here will disagree(some because they see no reason why a beardie should not be trimmed & groomed by a dog groomer)

Beardies should not be snappy & basically should be similar to a BC but with less work drive(especially the show bred ones)& a more laid back character

Please do not get a long haired breed and have its coat cut off - long haired should be just that.

A puppy cut on a Beardie tends to be about three inches long all over.  It is not to enhance thier puppy looks but to make the coat more managable.  I know a lot of people who work thier dogs and have the coat shaved.  The dog is still the same underneath but it is a shame to loose that magnificent coat  I am not advocating coat cutting but offering alternatives.  My dogs coats are not cut nor are they snappy but they are not for the beginer.

This poster is genuine and has contacted me regarding a good choice of dog for his family.  Your help would be appreciated.

What about a lurcher??
Archer

Yes if the poster likes shaggy dogs then a lurcher like the ones off heartbeat would be ideal :)

<A puppy cut on a Beardie >

? Is this a new trend then sculpting beardies ?

Sorry but beardies are meant to have a long coat & they were never shorn in spring like the sheep as there would not be enough time for them to grow the full coat back for the autumn sheep & cattle moving. If the poster wants a dog that they can have looking shaggy but haven't got the time to groom their dog themself they do not have enough time for any dog & definitely not a beardie

Hello, I have lived with several breeds of dog during my life but there is only one breed really close to my heart and that is the golden retriever!  I have been lucky in that my girl, Abby, is especially placid, friendly, obedient (when it suits) and incredibily soft.  She is wonderful with children but has not been brought up with them.  She will take as much exercise as I can give her but is also happy with a run and a play in the garden as long as she can curl up in front of the fire afterwards.  Abby has been my faithful friend for nearly 12 years she was my first golden and because of her I will never be without one.  They do like lots of attention basically I think they love to be part of the family.  Downsides, moulting the hair does get everywhere, not a problem to me but to some people it maybe, when it's really bad it can sometimes affect my partner's asthma.  Water can also be a problem, Abby is quite often conveniently deaf, usually when there is water around!!  Many a time I've returned from a walk with a black golden retriever, the muddier and smellier the water the better!  Again it doesn't bother me it makes our walks interesting! 
An idea maybe to visit a show or Discover Dogs, we went to Crufts and saw a breed we have become interested in the Spanish Water Dog, but there are many other breeds you may not be aware of! 
Good luck!  Jan and Abby

What about a polish lowland sheepdog? THe are shaggy looking, but the hair is not as long as a beardie. Although i do not own them myself someone i know owns 2 and has 2 school age children, so seem good with young kids. As with all working breeds they do need regular mental stimulation and exercise.

<Beardy>

The coat of a Beardie is not just for the showring & as I used to have 8 all in full coat at one time I would never dream of sculpting one into a puppy trim. When my Champion bitch retired from the ring she remained in full coat until 2 years later & after she had a stroke 6 months before she died aged nearly 15 I trimmed a bit off the length & around her bum to make her more comfortable, my others were always in full coat. BTW I sold a puppy to Devon & he was never clipped off & lived happily in full coat until he was 16 1/2 years of age & he went surf boarding with his owners husband all year round

Grooming your dog is part & parcel of developing the relationship with your dog & to have a dog clipped off to reduce the need to do so begs the question why get a long coated dog in the first place.

How interesting  the exact year that the Beardie was introduced to the UK from what source did you glean this as it was in a time in history when few records were actually kept, most of the current Beardies in fact have BC's behind them as shepherds & farmers bred for ability & not looks alone & used over the centuries whatever dog produced the dog to do the job

Having spoken to farmers & shepherds who have used Beardies for droving they all had to laugh at the falsehood re them being clipping with the sheep in spring, one old shepherd(now sadly no longer with us)used his last beardie in all weathers to take stock the 20/40 miles to one of two markets as well as using her to drive sheep into the dip & from pasture to lambing fields.

Sorry but I will never understand the desire of the pet dog owners(mine were pets first BTW)to own a long coated breed & then lop off the coat

Many thanks to all of you who have replied. Because I asked the question I hope you will all appreciate that I am a responsible person who wants what's best for my family and our prospective dog which will be part of our family. I had my first dog when I was 6; it was a dog called butch who turned out to be a bitch! I loved that dog dearly as I will our next.
I hope no one will take offence at my comments that follow but I have an inquisitive mind and don't always accept what's written as given but respect everyone's opinions but not their assumptions about me.
Firstly to Moonmaiden do not assume you know my reasons for trimming the Beardy, looking at your profile you are a very experienced dog person, you would know therefore better than most that there are other valid reasons..
May I point out to Moonmaiden and Fillis that the Beardy was introduced into Scotland in 1514 and is in fact a descendant of the Polish Sheepdog, a dog that I quite like to. As breeders you will know that the Polish has less hair than the Beardy. Yes the Beardy had all that hair for a reason it was as a rugged herder in rough and cold terrain. But now ladies and gentleman I doubt there are many used for the purpose they were made. Moonmaiden my logic tells me that this hair is no longer needed unless of course you want to meet the show breed standard and I must admit I am not the greatest supporter of forcing dogs to walk and behave in an alien way. Devon is about 6 overcoats warmer than herding country in Scotland. Fillis and Moonmaiden I agree a dog should be kept intact that's why I'm against docking but I would not tell someone they should not keep a dog because they dock its tail.
To clarify my point, is there any adverse reaction the Beardy might suffer by having its coat cut back, to something similar in length to a Polish lowland sheepdog or a 'puppy cut'. If I thought the dog would suffer I would not consider it.
To Brimble thank you for your very considerate and helpful suggestions, I appreciate your care.
To Archer and Clarey, I thought a lurcher was a close haired dog, more like half ridgeback and I'm not sure what the other half is, Heartbeat sorry Clarey don't watch medical programs.
AbbyW lovely story thanks for sharing it, my heart at the moment is with the retriever but I want to make sure my brain makes the best decision (and I'd be delighted if it comes out on the side of the GR).
Would still welcome comments, especially if you think I have got anything wrong and if you have suggestions for any other breeds
Many thanks
Alan  e mail albear@f2s.com

>show breed standard and I must admit I am not the greatest supporter of forcing dogs to walk and behave in an alien way

do you mean for showing?  You would not win many prizes if your dog walked and behaved in an alien way
The lurcher on Heatbeat (not really a medical program by the way :)) is a Bedlington/Whippet cross, my favourite, but a lurcher can be several crosses although they will usually be a sighthound/terrier or sighthound/collie, ranging from smooth coated to rough even long-haired not seen any that involve a Ridgeback but that is not to say they are never used.

Are ridgebacks sight hounds ?

Yes I think they might be, not seen any used in lurchers though, have you?

Hi! this is a quote from the Association of Lurcher clubs.

"The lurcher is not a 'breed' of dog, as defined by the kennel club, but a 'type' of dog. The lurcher is originally produced by cross breeding two different breeds; "The lurcher is an intentional cross between a long dog and a herding dog, or the offspring of parents so bred". Historically, the two breeds used were the greyhound and a herding dog, such as the border collie. This was because these were the breeds which were most readily available as breeding stock."

Here's an article about the Heartbeat lurcher. Hope it helps!

<A unique combination of sighthound and scenthound, the Ridgeback has keen eyesight and trailing ability that make him ideal for hunting large game such as cougars, bears, wildcats, and wild boar throughout North America. >

Bot I have never seen a lurcher with RR breeding

I have seen RR lurchers, also Kelpie lurchers, Aus Cattle dog lurchers, AFGHAN lurchers!!!!!!!......

Yes, the Heartbeat lurcher, Alfred, this time round is a beddy x whippet. I think the one before that was a beddy x grey or even possibly a deerhound x grey..

I actually WOULDNT recommend a beddy x whippet to people not used to lurchers, for all they look cute and scruffy!

I have one here, and yes admittedly he also has working bearded collie and greyhound in his breeding, but i also know a lot of first cross beddy/whippet owners.

They are thinkers, they are VERY smart, quicker off the mark and with a damn long memory. The bedlington side (bear in mind please, these are rarely show bred bedlingtons, or show bred whippets, but WORKING bred ones!), is a sharp terrier, not given to starting fights, but he will get stuck in if he fancies it! They are VERY game, and feisty, energetic dogs.
The whippet is slightly less sharp than the bedlington, but not much! They are also rather sensitive, even the working bred ones and most of he beddy whps i know are quite sound phobic over certain triggers (wheely bins, thunder, fireworks, loud shouting).

If you want an easier going lurcher type dog, i can highly recommend the grey/saluki cross, as a rescue. I have one, and yes she is a bit nervy, but she is a quiet, easy going dog, and has been one of the easiest dogs ive ever owned (despite *that* incident with a cat and a parked car *ahem*).

Golden retrievers have a good reputation, HOWEVER, plan one of them carefully and shop around because there are thousands of people cashing in on this good reputation, with the result that there are some VERY dodgy temperamented Goldies showing up.

Have you considered a tibetan terrier, mid sized and scruffy? (not ACTUALLY  true terrier either).....

FWIW, im with the 'get a long coated dog and leave its coat alone' brigade im afraid.

Cutting long coats may seem like ti will save work. Sadly it wont.

A long coat cut shorter is still as dense as it was when it was long, so that isnt going to cool the dog down. Cutting a hard coat like a beardies will make it go softer -- this maens it will tangle MORE, hold MORE mud and be harder to look after.

Regular brushing, not bathing very often, will keep a beardies coat in good condition, drying the dog off when wet will help too. This will keep the natural oils, prevent the coat becoming soft, and the regular brushing thins out the hair as well as detangling, removing dirt and spreading the oils around the coat.

Em

Try this link with for a Lurcher with an RR in http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/lurcher.htm

hold on about beardies been trimmed. we trim old englishes of, also poodles the continental trim isant for nothing thats the working trim, people have then cut of for easier care.I dont see a problem with it!

Fiona

Hi Albear

Golden retrievers are a great family dog, so long as you dont mind a bit of mud and fur. However have you considered one of the Spaniel breeds? These at lease may not be quite so inclined to knock a child over with an enthusiastic greeting! They may however be slightly harder to train as most still have some working spirit, which IMHO has been bred out of a lot of golden retrievers.  Oh and some like the Irish water do come in Large if you wanted a bigger dog :) 

Oh and I would endorse getting out to local training clubs and other doggie events to see as many as possible of different breeds in different situations. There is a huge difference between the 7 year old that you see plodding round the block every day and a lively semi trained 6 month old - but Im sure that you know that.

I know a lot of Beardie owners and they do their nut when they see a Beardie who has been trimmed!

What happens if somebody loves the personality and temperament of a long coated breed but feels they cannot manage the coat? When you go on walks how many Shih Tzus' and Lhasas do you see in full coat? surly admitting that you cannot manage to keep the coat and getting it cut regularly is better and more responsible than the dog being left to matt up and the owner telling the Groomer that "the breeder said they were to be left long". Also if a beardies is left in a puppy cut the dog is still retaining more of the breeds characteristic coat than if it was to be completely stripped of.

Karen

<What happens if somebody loves the personality and temperament of a long coated breed but feels they cannot manage the coat?When you go on walks how many Shih Tzus' and Lhasas do you see in full coat?>

I see a lot of clippered long coated dogs in the nearest city that look most uncomfortable in both hot & cold weather &of course once clippered 90% of the dogs coats are ruined permanently(especially cavaliers)

I adore beardies but my health means I can not keep up the coat grooming(My beardies used to have ten minutes everyday & a complete groom & bath one a month minimum(more if they had shows)3 hours plus per dog)so I no longer have them, I can manage my Cavaliers who it takes 5 mins a day & 45 minutes to prepare for the show ring per dog. & my new baby is a smooth coated BC. I still do the odd beardie for friends but I don't have the daily grooming to do

Sorry if you can't do the grooming & would need the dog clippered or scissored then you should not have the breed

If he's still a bit shaggy I wouldn't see the problem to be honest, after all he won't be shown. I must admit I hate seeing Cavaliers with their coats clipped as short as a Jack Russell, but sometimes it is necessary for health reasons. How much work is a Beardie in full coat? I don't approve of clipping Cavs unless for their health because it only takes 5 or 10 minutes a day to keep them looking good, but if it's a matter of hours with a full coat or 10 minutes with a puppy clip that still keeps the dog looking reasonably like a Beardie, that should be ok? Sounds like they might be better off with a Goldie though!

Depends on the beardie ;) some of the modern ones have yards of soft coats which look lovely in the ring but are hell to keep looking ok for pet people

The coat is supposed to enhance the body shape but not obscure the natural lines

<Double with soft, furry, and close undercoat. Outer coat flat, harsh, strong and shaggy, free from woolliness and curl, though slight wave permissible. Length and density of hair sufficient to provide a protective coat and to enhance shape of dog, but not enough to obscure natural lines of body. Coat must not be trimmed in any way. Bridge of nose sparsely covered with hair slightly longer on side just to cover lips. From cheeks, lower lips and under chin, coat increases in length towards chest, forming typical beard.>

However most show bred beardies have floor length coats, my friends conform to the breed standard just as mine did

I spent a long time on my dogs grooming because I used to enjoy doing it, but a pet dog only needs a 10 min a day brush through with a bath when needed if  they have the correct coat(even my browns had a harsh  coat which is rare nowadays), however most don't have the harsh coat & like the cotton wool cavalier coats they are the ones that are hard to keep right.

BTH puppy beardies need a lot more grooming that the adults due to coat changes etc, plus puppies always take longer in any breed as they rarely lay back & enjoy it like the adults !

What about the owners and groomers who'd clip a Pembroke corgi?! :rolleyes: They're not even long coated! Let me assure you, they look absolutely ridiculous!

I am just picking up on this one and I hope I am not stepping on anyones toes.  I have none trimmed Beardies - harsh coated traditional looking dogs and long coated show dogs.  The harsh coat takes very little looking after, perhaps half an hour twice a week.  The show coat takes much more time but can be managed with about two, one  hour sessions weekly with more work before shows.

I find one of the biggest mistakes new owners make is to over bathe the coat making it softer and harder to manage.  I have to say though that they are quite shocked when I say just bath their dogs undersides weekly leaving the majority of the dogs body untouched unless they have got realy smelly.  The coat itself tends to shrug of dirt as it dries, testiment to this is on my floors in neat little piles after the dogs have dried out.

Breeders can quite often tell if the dog is going to have a thick coat or the harsher coat and I would be guided by what they have to say.

I have also seen a three year old beardie with a beautifuly trimmed coat, about 3 to 4 inches all over, and she looks lovely.  Still requires grooming but not as much as she did before.  The owners of this deligtful dog fell in love with the breed before realising the coat was going to be quite hard work and with a young family to bring up time is precious.  There was never any question of her not being the one for them, they love her scatty ways and if a trim is what it takes to fit her into the family routine I for one think she is a very lucky dog.  I know she is well loved and happy.

<The owners of this deligtful dog fell in love with the breed before realising the coat was going to be quite hard work>sounds to me as if they did not do enough research into the breed before getting one & also why did the breeder not explain ?, sorry, but if someone gets a breed & then goes oooops didn't realize they needed grooming  so much so I'll have it all cut off they still should never had bought the dog in the first place

Mind you around here due to 80% of the groomers coming via the agricultural college courses they clipper everything & I do mean everything that they groom

Before I got my working cocker Jack, I had looked at beardies.  I decided against the breed for one thing.  I didn't have the time to spend on grooming!  These are things that really have to be taken into consideration when choosing the breed that is right for you and, in my case, the beardie didn't suit my lifestyle although I do think the breed is beautiful.  If grooming does bother you then don't go for a beardie, even with a short coat the dogs get tangles and have to be groomed every day.  I know you can get it clipped but, to me, that defeats the purpose of having this type of dog!!  Just my thoughts.

Best wishes
Annie

You are of course correct a long coated dog is just that and should remain in its full coat.  It would be a perfect world if we could chose dog personalities to suit ease of care and to a certain extent we can, by careful reasearch as you rightly say.  I would still love my Beardies even if they were bald.

Perhaps the best way of choosing would be to look at the prospective new dogs quirks and foibles before even looking at the lovely well behaved grown up dog with a flowing coat, we all know that tooks months to acheive.

The best way is to go and have a look at as many grown up dogs a possible in their own environment, to run your hands through the coat, and to get a number of different views of which is best and for whom.  And most important talk to as many owners as possible.

I have seen what a big problem the wrong choice of dog can be.  If only the pup could chose its own new owner.

I DO agree that if you cant manage the coat, you shouldnt have the dog.

The reason for this is though, because generally, its NOT lack of time, or ability, its lack of understanding or money!

90% of the owners of dogs i see with shorn coats (and today i have seen several spaniels, springers and cockers, a beardie, a GSD!!!! and an OES all shaved bare) do NOT shave them themselves, they pay a groomer to do it.

If they can do that, why on EARTH cant they pay a groomer to groom the dog properly??

An old english is a pain to bath and dry, but the brushing just takes time , yet i know people who just cannot be bothered to brush their dog and take it to the groomers once every 6 weeks to be shaved and washed.

I know people with springers who have them clipped short, then complain that the dog looks like an exploded cushion a few weeks later!

Someone today was showing off her flipping GORDON SETTER's new haircut -- she was PROUD and thought he looked terribly smart -- shaved to the skin!

:Em wanders off grumbling and muttering:

Makes me wonder why these people don't just buy a chinese crested :( :(

It always amazes me that people get these coated breeds and then allow groomers to do an 'all off',  most groomers I've spoken to claim the owners just want it 'all off' ;)  most owners claim the groomer 'just does it' and then give the groomers justification ;) I think the truth is somewhere between.

There are hundreds of dog breeds and yet its usually the coated ones that are popular, when there is usually an alternative breed with a smoother coat which would be just as nice to own :rolleyes:

A lady I know had rough collies for years but age & arthritis have caught up with her & she now has a lovely smooth collie same look as the rough without the coat & all natural too ;)

This is what I mean :D there is usually a more suitable breed :D
Trouble is most people don't consider what breed of dog to get out of the almost 200 breeds available, they just get one that's fairly common.

Thats why I'm happy my new boy should be smooth coated as his mum & dad are both smooth coats but you can never tell with BCs plus I've never had a smooth before oooooh three weeks tomorrow & he will be mine ;)

If your already thinking about clipping why dont you look for a short coated breed , It will save alot of time ( going to the groomers ) money and save the look of your dog , I prefer short coated breeds over long coated ..clipted But thats just my opinion ;) , It can be stressful for some dogs to be clipted there are plently of short coated breeds out there why not widen your search . You can see lots of breeds on here if you go to search at the side then all breeds . it might help you find a dog better suited to you ;)

Several weeks ago when the weather started to get warmer I tried to book my Bichon in with my regular groomer but unfortunately she was booked up for 3 weeks because she had just come back from holiday.  I decided his hair couldn't wait 3 weeks and booked him in with another 'groomer' (although perhaps butcher might has been a better word)  This lady had been in the grooming business since 1992 so I thought she should be okay.   She asked how I wanted him (and he wasn't at all tangled although his hair was long) and I said I didn't want him doing too short.  She then answered well he will be short.  I picked him up nearly 3 hours later and he was nearly bald.  All the pigment in his skin was showing through and he looked a right mess.  I could have done a better job myself I should imagine.   She didn't pull the hairs out of his ears like my regular groomer does and he absolutely stank like cheap perfume, I have never known a dog shampoo that smells like that.

I have now made sure that I book with his regular groomer well in advance so that this doesn't happen again.

Because that would mean that in between they would have to keep it groomed or it would end up with tugs!!!!!  Shaving means that they don't have to do anything between the parlour visits.

My vet advised me to get my working cocker shaved off because he had a skin problem on one of his legs and she said that it would be easier to treat and better for the dog.  Fair enough I thought that makes sense so I duly went off and had him shaved off!!  Now, his coat is terrible because they cut him too short;  it's all fuzzy and I have to have him clipped to keep him looking smart.  However, I will never have him shaved off again, I have him cut in a springer style where he has all his feathers and is properly groomed.  I wish I had never taken the vet's advice as he had a beautiful silky coat before.  Don't get me wrong, he is still a handsome boy and he is brushed out regularly so he never has tugs but I do feel I am to blame.

Moonmaiden- good choice, i've got a smooth coated BC, the coat is extremely low maintenence! (Thats just about the only low maintenance thing about her though!!) ;-)

LOLOL all the puppies should be smooth & I chose on colour as I just love my B&Ws

and I'm one of them!!!

sorry just dont see the point in having a beardie and then cutting off thier beautiful coat there are plenty of other breeds with short coats available to you.
I also have a puppy who at present has a puppy coat which still has to be groomed as much if not more that the adult they still get the knots in all the same places so please look elsewhere.

And of course there is the mistaken belief that a shaved dog is cooler. Once again, not enough research.

It's interesting that most of the herding/flock guard type breeds are either long coated or smooth coated( like the Smooth Collie)& these breeds work 52 weeks of the year in all weathers & I cannot think of one that has a very short coat akin to being shaved, the shortest coat I think would be on a Lancashire Heeler & even that has a double short coat

<Fine undercoat is covered throughout by weather resistant, short, thick, hard, flat topcoat. Topcoat slightly longer on neck. Undercoat should not show through topcoat nor allow any longer hair at the mane to stand off. Long or excessively wavy coat hightly undesirable>

So why do people think they need to clip/scissor off long coats to make their dogs more comfortable ?

my Beardies dont seem to be affected by the hot weather we are having at the moment they still want to run and play (supervised because of the heat) but my friend who has a springer who is affected  by the heat  she has to be very careful with her.

Im not sure if anyone has already mentioned this, sorry if i missed it but have you considered the Labrador retriever. My family and i are in the process of buying a labrador puppy soon. I have researched a lot in to this breed and as long as you are careful with health issues in the family they seem to be a wonderful breed. Great with children, willing to please, very friendly less hair to manage and appear to be a good breed to train with patience (as most dogs). IMO they seem a great option for your family. Hope everything works out well and you find the right breed for you.

Hi everyone, thank you for the helpful suggestions and it's turned into a very interesting debate on the pros and ons of clipping and what is and what isn't best for the dog. For me it has proved one thing that the breed standard in any breed is not necessarily what's best for the dog.
We have decided on what breed to have and hopefully in February/March next year we will be the owners of a Polish Lowland Sheepdog pup.
Best wishes to all
Alan

What interesting topic, with lurchers invovled! I have to say i haven't seen a RR lurcher but i have heard of one. It  was a saluki/greyhound x RR/saluki. RR aren't a popular lurcher cross and i certainly wouldn't have it in a lurcher.

A bedlington/whippet is definately not for a first time dog owner. I own one and he is quite a handful. He is very mouthy towards other dogs and always wants to fight and he is very quick.

If you were to choose a lurcher i would suggest a bedlington/whippet x greyhound. These are fantastic. They are medium sized and very placid. I have a 4 month old one and he is a delightful dog. Mine is smooth coated but in his litter there were quite a few rough coated ones. If not one of these lurchers, why not consider a beardie x greyhound? Still shaggy but not as long haired as a beardie and they usually have the gentleness of a greyhound. David Hancock breeds these type of lurchers and i would recommend him to anyone.

Mmmmm i wouldnt recommend David Hancock quite so quickly.

For one thing, he IS a puppy farmer (ask him, he breeds puppies for money, i doubt he would deny it!)....

For another, he often  (or certainly used to) use working beardies or working beardie x's in his breeding, and trust me, you do NOT want a lurcher with that in there unless you want 15 years of a damn hard life watching the dogs every move, being outwitted at every turn...

Dills breeding is working beardie x greyhound (hancock bred bitch), bedlington x whippet (father)..... He looks like a beddy whippet, he has the thinking brains of the wbeardie, and the desire to get stuck in and have a good yap of the beddy... damn hard work dog he is!

Lovely all the same but had he been my first dog, i doubt id have had another, and i suspect he would have been a rug by now!

Em