Elizabeth Ayrton
I have owned dogs since I was a teenager starting with Rough Collies and then initially owning a rescue Bearded Collie. I have 4 Beardies at present who I show and are family pets. All my Beardies are hip scored and CEA tested and they are all eye tested. I bred my first litter last year.
I am also chairman of the northern branch of the Bearded Collie Club and Breed Health Coordinator.
I have worked as a veterinary surgeon first in mixed and then small animal practice for over 30 years and have just completed the taught part of a Masters degree in Companion Animal Behaviour. I am currently working in practice with Sarah Heath doing referral behaviour work and undertaking a Master's thesis on the effects of castration on animal behaviour. I enjoy learning and feel there is still a lot to achieve in the field of veterinary science.
I passionately believe we should doing our upmost to breed dogs that are sound in both health and temperament. I feel we can only achieve this through being open and honest and not having a blame culture in the breed. I encourage all owners who contact me to put their Beardies on the OHR and to submit DNA to our database (UK). We also need to be supporting all people who want to have a Bearded Collie and welcome them to our community in light of our falling registration numbers.