Bedlington Terrier
The Bedlington Terrier is a breed of small dog named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England. Originally bred to hunt vermin in mines, the Bedlington Terrier has since been used in dog racing and dog fights, as well as in conformation shows, numerous dog sports, and as a companion dog. It is closely related to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Whippet and Otterhound.
It is described as being both good with children and "fit to kill any other dog of his weight".[2] They have powerful swimming skills, comparable to those of water dogssuch as the Newfoundland, and are noted for being very quick and having high endurance. Bedlingtons are noted for their similarity in appearance to lambs. The dogs have blue, liver or sandy colouration, all three of which may have tan points. Their fur forms a distinctive top knot on the dog's head. However, concerns have been raised about the modern Bedlington Terrier's gameness and drive to work, and the purity of its bloodlines, as some breeders are concerned that poodle may have been introduced to make the dog's coat easier to maintain.
Originally known as the Rothbury or Rodbury Terrier, the name Bedlington Terrier was not applied to the breed until 1825, but some dogs have pedigrees that can be traced back as far as 1782. The first dog shows with a class for Bedlington Terriers was held in 1870 at Bedlington. Bedlington Terriers shown at early shows were frequently dyed to improve the look of their fur. In 1948, a Bedlington Terrier known as Rock Ridge Night Rocket won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The breed has a high instance of copper toxicosis, but with the exception of eye problems, it is mostly free from health complaints.
Appearance
The Bedlington Terrier has been described as resembling a lamb.[3][4] At the same time, Frank Barton said that "the Bedlington can hardly be regarded as a handsome dog."[5] It has also been compared to a miniature version of the Scottish Deerhound.[6] George Shields stated that exceedingly well-bred dogs possess the spirit of a thoroughbred racehorse.[6]
The dogs have blue, liver or sandy colouration, all three of which may have tan points.[3] Bedlingtons carry what is known as the greying gene, a dominant trait carried on the G locus.[7] This gene causes puppies born with black or dark brown fur to lighten to grey or liver with age.[7] The fur of the Bedlington creates a shape on the top of the dog's head known as a topknot. Although most modern breed standards call for the dog's topknot to be lighter than its body, when the breed was first being formed there was at least one prominent breeder, Mr. Pickett, who believed that the topknot should be darker, not lighter.[6]
The dog's coat has been described as shaggy, hard, and rugged in style[8] and it has also been described as linty in texture, giving the breed the nickname of "linty-haired terrier".[2] Frank Barton refers to the Bedlington Terrier as a "broken-coated terrier".[5] Its coat is made up of a combination of hard and soft hairs.[1] It is extremely difficult to maintain the shape of their coats, even for professionals, and grooming can be quite expensive.[1][4] Dogs in what is referred to as show clip, or groomed for the show ring, cannot have fur that stands out more than 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) from their body, and the coat must have a "crisp" texture.[3][5] If grooming is not performed regularly, the coat's condition rapidly deteriorates.[5] Before the rise of professional grooming, Bedlingtons were frequently plucked, or had undesirable or loose fur simply pulled from their body.[9] Bedlington Terriers have been referred to as a nonshedding hypoallergenic breed.[10]
The head of the dog must be rounded in shape with no stop.[3] Their eyes are almond-shaped and small, and the lips are close-fitting and lack flews.[3] The back must be arched, and the body should be slightly longer in length than in height.[3] Although 16.5 inches (42 cm) is the preferred height for male dogs, a range from 16 to 17.5 inches (41 to 44 cm) is allowed; for females, the preferred height is 15.5 inches (39 cm) and the acceptable range is from 15 to 16.5 inches (38 to 42 cm).[3] Both genders must weigh between 17 and 23 pounds (7.7 and 10 kg).[3] They possess a light, springy gait.[1]
Temperament
Bedlington Terriers are extremely active and game dogs,[1] and so stubborn they would "rather die than succumb" in any situation.[2][8] Bedlingtons are sharp and plucky. Their bark has been called hound-like[2] and has been compared to the firing of a machine gun.[4] They are picky eaters[2] and have been accused of being generally lazy.[2] Fast dogs with high endurance,[1] the Bedlington Terrier is just as quick in water as it is on land, and their swimming speed rivals that of the Newfoundland.[2]Bedlington Terriers "have pace enough to keep up with the ordinary speed of a horse."[6] Because of the Whippet in their lineage, they have a tendency to bolt.[1] Their versatility has been praised, with some dogs willing to "[be] a house-dog, a gun-dog, a rat-dog, a badger-dog, or, if needed, [to] bolt a fox..."[9]
Their courage has been compared to a bulldog's, and some dogs have extinguished candles at the request of their owner.[2] They are also known for their intelligence and tenacity when it comes to taking on vermin.[2] Bedlingtons are quite fond of fighting, and are prone to jealousy when around other dogs.[2] One dog would become so jealous when around other dogs that he would grab them by the throat and attempt to kill them.[2] One man stated that "this dog was about fit to kill any other dog of his weight"[2] and compared him to the fighting dogs used in dog fighting.[2] They have also been used in pit fighting.[4]
However, both the AKC and the ASPCA call the breed "mild" and "gentle" and recommends it as being good with children.[3][11] PetFinder says the breed is soft in temperament, companionable, demonstrative, loyal, and a quiet housedog.[12] Although the breed may chase small animals outside, it is accepting of them inside.[12] Playful and cheerful, the breed can be high-strung and excitable, and is prone to being headstrong.[13] The New Zealand Kennel Club warns against keeping them with dogs that have dominate personalities, "as once challenged they are terrifying fighters, despite their gentle appearance",[13] but otherwise the breed is good with other dogs.[13]
Some breeders, notably George Newcombe, have argued that the working ability and courage of the Bedlington terrier has declined since it began being bred for show.[14] Poodle may have been introduced into the breed to make the coat easier to groom and maintain.[14] George Newcombe of the Working Bedlington Terrier Club said that "the pure [Bedlington Terrier] could no longer be considered a serious working beed" and proceeded to cross his dogs with Lakeland Terriers in an attempt to bring back the Bedlington's working qualities.[14]
History
Bred in the village of Bedlington in Northumberland, the Bedlington Terrier has been described as "the favorite companion of the northern miners".[2][8] They were originally known as Rodbury Terriers,[1] Rothbury Terriers,[1][3] or "Rothbury's Lambs",[3] because the Lord of Rothbury had taken a particular liking to the dogs.[3] Before this, they were known as "gypsy dogs", as gypsies and poachers used them to hunt.[3] The first mention of the Bedlington terrier, or as it was then known, the Rothbury or Rodbury Terrier,[8] was in 1825,[2] most likely in The Life of James Allen,[8] but some dogs' pedigrees have been traced as far back as 1782.[2] James' father, William, was much in demand as an otter hunter, and he kept Bedlington Terriers in order to help him hunt.[8] They were also valued by their owners as rabbit coursing dogs andracing dogs,[2] until the Whippet became more popular as a racing dog and a courser.[9]
The Bedlington Terrier name was first given to a dog named Young Piper, which was owned by a man named Joseph Ainsley.[2][8] Ainsley's Piper has been called "the best of his race"[2] and "had a reputation for great pluck and courage".[2] Piper began working with badgers at eight months old, and carried on hunting other animals generally regarded as vermin until he was blind.[2] Piper is also known for saving a child from a pig, keeping the animal at bay until help arrived.[2] Piper died at fifteen.[2]
The first shows that had a class for the Bedlington Terrier were held in 1870 at Bedlington.[2] The following year, there was a Bedlington Terrier class at a show held atCrystal Palace, where a red dog named Miner took first prize.[2] Miner also won a show held at Birmingham.[2] The Bedlington Terrier Club was established in 1875.[2][9]Many dogs in early shows were clipped and dyed to bring them closer to the breed standard and improve their chances of winning.[2] It is unknown if the judges of the time were aware of this practice, or if they cared.[2] The practice of trimming was eventually accepted by The Kennel Club, under the pretense that the trimming was being done to "smarten a dog to show his shape and general contour."[15]
Bedlington Terriers are closely related to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier.[2][8] In fact, the Earl of Antrim once exhibited two terriers from the same litter, and one won shows as a Dandie Dinmont, while the other won shows as a Bedlington.[2] Bedlington Terriers are also related to the Kerry Blue Terrier and the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.[3]The shape of its back suggests that it may related to the Whippet[3] and it may also be related to the otterhound.[10] Bedlington Terriers have been crossed with Whippets to produce a Lurcher with "extra guts, pep, [and] fire."[14]
In 1948, Ch. Rock Ridge Night Rocket took best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and was subsequently featured in LIFE magazine.[10] One of his descendants, Ch. Femars' Cable Car, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the February 8, 1960 edition.[16]
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| A gray (left) and a liver (right) Bedlington Terrier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Rothbury Terrier Rodbery Terrier Rothbury's Lamb | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country of origin | England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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