By virtue of its very nature, the bearded collie is a working dog. That doesn't mean, however, that you cannot transform it into a family pet, but you have to remember it will not be content to sit at your feet or be confined to the backyard. They require a great deal of exercise, and are happiest when they are doing something. In spite of their need to have frequent exercise, they prefer to be indoors with their families when they are not working or exercising.
When you exercise your bearded collie, do not put him in the backyard and leave him on his own. He is quite an escape artist, and will likely manage to escape the confines of a fence if left unattended. You want to take your dog on a leash to a park or other large area where he can run, jump, and play. If your yard is big enough, you can take him in the backyard, but make certain you have some activities for him to do that will allow him to run off some of his energy.
The bearded collie is also very good in performing in agility trials, so you might consider placing him in a class for agility training when he is a puppy and training him to perform. By working with him to compete in agility trials, the bearded collie can compete in order to work off his abundance of energy, especially for those who are pets rather than working dogs. It also encourages the owners to work with their pet in order to prepare him for the trials, thus keeping him busy and doing something with all of that energy he has.
All of the energy that bearded collies possess makes them perfect as working dogs for herding sheep and cattle. They are reliable as well as hardy and can withstand the harshest conditions. You may find them bouncing around in the performance of their job as they stand watch out of site of their herd, only to bounce ahead in order to make sure the herd is continuing to follow their lead. Their high energy level makes them very efficient and boundless in their efforts as sheepdogs.
Whether you use your bearded collie as a family pet or a working dog, you must make sure that he has plenty of things to do to burn off his enormous energy. In most cases, the working dog will be able to do that in the course of his duties as a herder, but the family pet requires more personal interaction in order to release his energy. You have to make sure your bearded collie keeps busy or he will become bored. If he is confined to the back yard, boredom may cause him to escape even from a fenced yard.
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