Named for Bedlingtonshire, Northumberland, England, these dogs were originally
known as Rothbury Terriers for their life with nail makers who lived in
the Rothbury Forest near the Scottish border. Their exact origins are unknown
but the dog of today dates to 1825. This dog is believed to be a cross between
wirecoated terriers, certain hounds, and the whippet. They were used originally
as hunters of badgers, rats, and other vermin. Due to their tenacity and
ferocity against these creatures, the Bedlington Terrier became known as
"wolves in sheep's clothing." In 1877, the National Bedlington
Terrier Club was formed in England.
The Bedlington Terrier is graceful, lithe and well balanced. He has a mild,
gentle expression but is very alert, full of energy and courage. He has
a great heart and a very loveable nature.
The head of the Bedlington is a long unbroken line from crown to nose end.
It is slender with no cheekiness. The muzzle is long and tapered, with a
scissors bite. The ears are triangular and set low, hanging flat along the
cheek with a tassel of hair at the end. The body is slightly longer than
tall with a natural arch over the loin. The tail is set low, of medium length
and scimitar shaped. Height ranges from approximately sixteen and one-half
inches for males and fifteen and one-half inches for females. They weigh
between seventeen and twenty three pounds. The coat color of the Bedlington
Terrier is either liver or blue. It is of crisp texture and may tend to
curl. It is not supposed to be wiry. It is to be trimmed to one inch length
to maintain the Bedlington type. There is a topknot on the head which should
be slightly lighter in color than the rest of the coat. For dogs with blue
coats, the eyes should be dark, whereas lighter coated dogs may have eyes
of various shades from amber to hazel. This is one breed of dog that does
not shed its coat.
Name withheld by request of Wales writes:
No longer gutsy enough as working Terriers.
I got my first Bedlington in 1998. He was the worst canine that I have
ever tried to do what working Terriers are supposed to be able to do, i.e.,
catch and destroy vermin. He was a complete non-hunter with an overly fragile
temperament.
wagcitycentral@aol.com of Florida writes:
Clean, intelligent and affectionate.
The Bedlington is, in my mind, the MOST PERFECT domestic pet in the
universe. He will not shed, drool or stink up your house (or your bed)!
I am proud to say that when people come into my home they do not have to
fear sitting on my furniture or having their clothes slobbered on or carrying
home remnants of my dog on their being. All visitors, including people who
are not dog lovers, love my Bedlington for those reasons. People are drawn
to him not only because of his attractiveness and general cleanliness, but
also for his intelligence and his affectionate personality. He is obedient
(with no formal training). He is never overbearing. He is gentle and graceful.
He is instinctively aware of his manners at all times. Bedlingtons are not
food motivated, they are affection and attention motivated. All this dog
wants is to please me. He will not eat you out of house and home, either.
This is my first Bedlington, and I know from this experience that throughout
my life I will have this breed in my home.
They are not that common, but they can be found. There are many wonderful
breeders of this dog in the U.S. As much as I love how unique my Bedlington
is, I would like to see him become more common so that more people could
have one of these wonderful dogs in their life. To anyone thinking about
getting a Bedlington, DO IT! More Bedlingtons can only make the world a
better place.
Name withheld by request of U.S. writes on 10/10/99:
Bedlingtons are intelligent and playful.
Bedlingtons are wonderful dogs. They do not shed, they get along great with
kids and are eager to please. They are a good size dog to have with kids
because they are not so large that they can run over a kid, but not so small
that they can be stepped on and hurt. They look delicate, but are really
sturdy terriers under their fur. The lack of shedding is a real plus and
they are one of the hypoallergenic breeds, so they should be good for someone
with allergies. Their best part is their personality. They are terriers,
so they are active dogs that love to run and play. They are very intelligent,
so they can be a bit strong-willed. To balance out the strong will though,
they are really eager to please and will try to do what you want. I love
Bedlingtons and could not imagine ever owning another breed. I love my wolf
in sheep's clothing!