Description
It has been described as a dog with the heart of a lion and the appearance of a lamb. With his pear-shaped head, arched back and curly coat, the Bedlington Terrier in fact does look like a little sheep. The head has no stop, descending in an unbroken line from crown to nose. The eyes are small and deep set. It has a pointed tail and straight front legs with hare-like feet. The thick double coat is a mixture of soft and harsher hairs and comes in blue, liver or sandy. The dog may have tan markings over the eyes and on the legs, chest and rear. The Bedlington has a unique springy gait, particularly when moving slowly. Bedlingtons seem to fit into just about any home environment. For those who like to run many miles everyday, there’s a Bedlington for you. For the more sedate owners who enjoy their creature comforts, there’s also a Bedlington who will eagerly accept the easy life. In short, a Bedlington is a dog that is easy going, quiet, clean, sensitive, intelligent, aware of their owner’s mood, very polite, won’t demand to go walking if you don’t feel like it, will delight in a ten mile hike if you feel like it, won’t be constantly bouncing off the walls, will defend their owners perhaps to the death, will sleep on the bed, will sleep on the couch, will treat your guests as if they were best friends, will help you plant (or un-plant) your garden, won’t eat you out of house and home and so much more.
Temperament
If there is one playful, cheerful, and very loving terrier dog breed out there, it is the Bedlington terrier. With all these attributes, a Bedlington terrier can make one good family companion. Careful breeding has resulted in a more companionable and affectionate personality in today's Bedlington Terriers. Playful and cheerful, the Bedlington Terrier is loving with children and fairly friendly with strangers. They are loyal, lively and headstrong. Sometimes Bedlingtons can be very possessive and stubborn once they feel that their owners can be very passive. This breed needs to learn to like cats and other household animals when they are young. Usually they can get along with other dogs but keep them away from those that want to dominate, as once challenged they are terrifying fighters, despite their gentle appearance. A little powerhouse, it is courageous and energetic, with the ability to run very fast. It is an enthusiastic digger. Bedlingtons like to bark and can be high-stung. Only let this breed off its lead in an enclosed area. Like the Whippet, he is fast and loves to chase!
Height, Weight
Height: Dogs 16-17 inches (41-43cm) Bitches 15-16 inches (38-41cm)
Weight: Dogs 18-23 pounds (8-10kg) Bitches 18-23 pounds (8-10kg)
Health Problems
Bedlington Terriers may have a serious inherited liver problem known as Copper Storage Disease. They are also prone to hereditary kidney disease, PRA, thyroid problems and eye problems, such as cataracts and retinal disease.
Living Conditions
This breed will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Exercise
These active dogs need plenty of exercise and, like other terriers, will be bored and mischievous without it. They need to be taken for a long daily walk.
Life Expectancy
17+ years, one women reported her Bedlington lived to be 23 years old.
Litter Size
3 - 6 puppies
Grooming
The coat sheds little to no hair and requires specialized clipping every six weeks, so it is probably best if you learn to do it yourself. The coat is thinned and clipped close to the head and body to accentuate the shape. Shave the ears closely leaving a tassel on the tips. On the legs, the hair is left slightly longer. Have a professional groomer show you how to do it. Brush the dog regularly and clean the pluck inside the ears. Although frequent bathing will not dry out skin as it does on so many other breeds, it should not be washed too often or the coat will become lank, which is not considered appropriate for the breed. Dogs which are to be shown require higher levels of grooming. This breed is considered good for allergy sufferers.
Origin
The Bedlington Terrier was originally named the Rothbury Terrier, after the district of Rothbury on the English border. Gypsy nailmakers in Rothbury prized the breed as a hunter of various game including foxes, hares and badgers. In about 1825, a Rothbury dog was mated to a Bedlington bitch, resulting in the Bedlington Terrier. Some sources mention the Otterhound and Dandie Dinmont Terrier as some possible contributors to the breed. Today there are some breeders, especially in England, that will cross Bedlingtons with Whippets and Greyhounds to produce what they call Lurchers. The Bedlington was used as a vermin hunter by the miners of Bedlington who also exploited its gameness as a fighting dog in the pits. Hunters also used them as retrievers. The Bedlington was first exhibited as a separate breed in 1877. Originally it was developed for the hunting of rats and small game in lairs or on open ground (talents it has certainly not forgotten). Today the Bedlington is a good apartment dog. It is also an attentive and barking watchdog.
Group
Terrier, AKC Terrier
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