How do you summarize a lifetime of Beardies? I have had Beardies since I was ten years old. Beardies have been my friends, my interest and my passion. In the early 70's, my Beardies were involved in almost every game we played. Since then, Beardies have accompanied me on countless walks in the forest, we've had picnics together, gone swimming together, gone camping together, gotten lost together. Through my Beardies I have gotten to know so many people, several of whom have become close friends. I've seen many different places because of visiting breeders and going to shows in other countries and states. I have served on boards and committees, gone to classes and trips, as well as authored a book - all because of my wonderful dogs.

This is not a breed for everybody, that is for sure. Unfortunately our wonderful breed is being changed from an active, outdoor, hardy working dog into a pretty, pampered generic show or family dog. It used to be that people who were attracted to Beardies were active, practical people who hiked, went camping and enjoyed the outdoors. Today, lots of people inquiring about Beardies just want a pretty little family dog that runs around in the yard and then sleeps on the couch. This is detrimental to the Beardie, and their wonderful intelligent working qualities.

There are other problems facing the Beardie, and many other breeds. Breeders focus too much on show wins alone, tempted by ribbons and fame. Forgetting the true Beardie type and temperament, they breed for a generic show dog that appeals to the group judges. Too many breeders go after the big winners, resulting in a few dogs having too many litters. This limits the gene pool and makes the breed more vulnerable to defects and diseases. The Beardie is still a relatively healthy breed, compared to many others, but you have to wonder about the future if the current path does not change and we allow more diversity into the breed.

When discussing genetic diversity with people, it is clear that this is a subject that few understand or have any concerns about. I think if breeders did explore the subject just a little, it would be clear to them that it is THE key to health and well-being of our breed. Please download and read this article by Per-Erik Sundgren, Ph.D. in domestic animal genetics, of Genetica AB (http://genetica.se). It is several pages long, but please at least look at the summary at the end and think about what you can do to help the Beardie stay healthy and happy in the future.

Genetic Variation