November is “turkey” month, but it’s also “No Shave November,” or “Movember,” a movement devoted to raising awareness of cancer in men. Fellas are encouraged to forgo shaving, and donate the money they’d typically spend on shaving products and barbers to charities that support research and cures.

Note the clever segue into talk about dog beards.

Lots of dogs have beards  (well, most, in fact), but some breeds have really good ones. The AKC even put together a list of them here. One breed can rightfully claim world domination, we suppose, just by virtue of its breed name: The Bearded Collie, while another one is nicknamed for its facial furnishing: ‘Des preux vuilbaard’ translates into ‘dirty beard,’ a moniker for the Bouvier des Flandres.  In other breeds, a beard is important enough to mention in the breed standard. The Tibetan Terrier’s “lower jaw has a small amount of beard,” and the Bouvier has a “rough beard gives that gruff expression so characteristic of the breed.” The Giant Schnauzer has “coarse hair on top of head; harsh beard and eyebrows, the Schnauzer hallmark.” The Spinone Italiano not only has a beard, but a tufted beard that helps save the dog’s face from laceration by briar and bush while hunting,  while the Wirehaired Dachshund’s standard mentions its distinctive facial furnishings that “include a beard and eyebrows.” The Black Russian Terrier’s “moustache and beard emphasize volume and give the muzzle a square shape,” while the Berger Picard’s beard is “not overly long or bushy.”

There are many more, and one day we’ll compile a list of breeds whose standards call for a beard. For now, show us your dogs’ beards!

Image: Bearded Collie by DJ Rogers – k9artgallery
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