Bedlington Terrier
History of the breed
The Bedlington Terrier is a breed of terrier named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England.
Originally, the breed was known as the "Rothbury" or "Rodbery Terrier." This name derived from a famous bitch brought from Staffordshire by a company of nail makers who settled in Rothbury. The Terriers of this section were accustomed to rodent hunting underground, and worked with packs of foxhounds kept there at the time.
It is suggested that the Bedlington may well have made its way to Ireland and played a part in the early development of the Kerry Blue Terrier.
Appearance of the breed
The Bedlington Terrier average weight is 18-23 pounds. Height is 16-17 inches and their coat is Thick double coat with mix of soft and harsher hairs. The Bedlington Terrier often described as looking like a lamb on a leash, probably because it has non-shedding fur with a woolly texture. Bedlington Terriers may be blue, sandy, liver, or dark brown/black and sable and can be solid colors or have tan markings. These become paler as the dog grows older, but should never be pure white, which indicates a lack of "guard hairs;" the harsh hairs in their coat that give it texture and offer the dogs protection.
The Bedlington Terrier has a wedge-shaped head with sparkling, triangular eyes. Although it looks meek when in repose, the Bedlington Terrier is every inch a terrier when aroused. Its body shape, however, is unusual for a terrier, being somewhat like a Greyhound or Whippet in construction, which enables it to gallop at great speed. However, the front legs are constructed differently from those quick hounds (and almost all other breeds of dogs) in that the front legs are closer together at the feet than at the elbows - creating a triangular shape when viewed from the front. This enables a Bedlington Terrier to turn or pivot quickly when chasing quarry at high speed. The Bedlington moves with unique, light movement and seems to "float" above the ground. Bedlington Terriers should never have a hackney gait (the high-stepping action of some ponies, miniature pinschers or Italian greyhounds. They should cover ground effortlessly, but with power and grace.
Bedlington Terriers are groomed with long hair left on the top of their skull and muzzle, tassels on the ears and slightly longer furnishings on the legs than the body coat. This practice is thought to have originated when the Bedlington was used to hunt vermin. The quarry, trying to escape, would bite at the dog, and the hair saved the Bedlington from an injury to the important facial area and possible death from an infection.
Temperament of the breed
Bedlington Terriers are do-all dogs were able to do almost anything asked of them, if in classic terrier manner. In contrast to its placid appearance, Bedlington Terriers would have to be able hold its own when pitted in dog fighting contests and was particularly well known to fight to the death when set upon. In addition, it was fast enough to bay a badger or a fox and was a first-rate water dog. Bedlington Terriers are incredibly smart and attentive to its owner, the bedlington is one of the most reliable of the terriers. They are problem solvers and loyal family companions.
Health Concerns of the breed
Median longevity of Bedlington Terriers is about 13.5 years,[which is longer than for purebred dogs in general and longer than most breeds similar in size. The leading "hepatic" cause of death was copper toxicosis. Dogs that died of liver diseases usually died at a younger age than dogs dying of most other causes.
Bedlington Terrier most common health were reproductive (primarily of concern to breeders), heart murmur, and eye problems such as epiphora and cataracts. Copper toxicosis occurred among about 5% of living dogs.
Copper Toxicosis; Copper Storage Disease
Bedlington Terriers have an unusually high incidence of copper toxicosis, an inherited autosomal recessive disease, characterized by accumulation of excess copper in the liver. The disease is diagnosed with a liver biopsy. It is essential that anyone interested in purchasing a Bedlington is provided with proof of the dogs' unaffected status.
Bedlington Terriers don't shed but need weekly combing and professional grooming every 6-8 weeks to keep their coats (which tend to curl) in good shape. Dogs being prepared for the show ring often have much more hair left on them than those in "pet clips," which provide pet owners with a more manageable trim for their pets. The show trim is entirely hand-scissored, with the exception of the ears, face/throat, belly and tail which are trimmed with an electric clipper. It can take years to master the grooming pattern for this breed.
Bedlington Terriers need several vigorous walks and aerobic play sessions daily to keep them happy and content. The breed is well suited for agility, earthdog, obedience and other performance events.
Litter size: 3-6 puppies
Life span: 13+ years
