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, numerous dog sports, as well as in conformation shows and as a
companion dog. It is closely related to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Whippet and
Otterhound.
It
is described as a very versatile yet contradictory dog, being both good with
children and "fit to kill any other dog of his weight". They have
powerful swimming skills, comparable to those of water dogs such 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.
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.
Description
Appearance
The
Bedlington Terrier has been described as resembling a lamb. It has also been
compared to a miniature version of the Scottish Deerhound. George Shields
stated that exceedingly well-bred dogs possess the spirit of a thoroughbred
racehorse.
The
dogs have blue, liver or sandy colouration, all three of which may have tan
points. Bedlingtons carry what is known as the greying gene, a dominant trait
carried on the G locus. This gene causes puppies born with black or dark brown
fur to lighten to grey or liver with age. 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.
The
dog's coat has been described as shaggy, hard, and rugged in style and it has
also been described as linty in texture, giving the breed the nickname of
"linty-haired terrier". Its coat is made up of a combination of hard
and soft hairs. It is extremely difficult to maintain a "show clip",
even for professionals, and grooming can be quite expensive. 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. If grooming is not performed regularly, the coat's condition rapidly
deteriorates. For that reason, most Bedlingtons that are kept strictly as pets
keep a lower maintenance "pet groom" style. Bedlington Terriers have
been referred to as a nonshedding hypoallergenic breed.
The
head of the dog must be rounded in shape with no stop. Their eyes are
almond-shaped and small, and the lips are close-fitting and lack flews. The
back must be arched, and the body should be slightly longer in length than in
height. 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). Both genders must weigh between 17 and 23 pounds
(7.7 and 10.4 kg). They possess a light, springy gait.
Temperament
Bedlingtons
are sharp and plucky. Their bark has been called hound-like and has been
compared to the firing of a machine gun.[4] Fast dogs with high endurance, the
Bedlington Terrier is just as quick in water as it is on land, and their
swimming speed rivals that of the Newfoundland. Bedlington Terriers "have
pace enough to keep up with the ordinary speed of a horse." Because of the
Whippet in their lineage, they have a tendency to bolt. Their versatility has
been praised, with some dogs willing to " a house-dog, a gun-dog, a
rat-dog, a badger-dog, or, if needed, bolt
a fox..."
They
are also known for their intelligence and tenacity when it comes to taking on
vermin. Bedlingtons are quite fond of fighting, and are prone to jealousy when
around other dogs. One man stated that "this dog was about fit to kill any
other dog of his weight" and compared him to the fighting dogs used in dog
fighting. They have also been used in pit fighting.
However,
both the AKC and the ASPCA call the breed "mild" and
"gentle" and recommends it as being good with children. PetFinder
says the breed is soft in temperament, companionable, demonstrative, loyal, and
a quiet housedog. Although the breed may chase small animals outside, it is
accepting of them inside. Playful and cheerful, the breed can be high-strung
and excitable, and is prone to being headstrong. The New Zealand Kennel Club
warns against keeping them with dogs that have dominant personalities, "as
once challenged they are terrifying fighters, despite their gentle appearance",
but otherwise the breed is good with other dogs.
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. Poodle may have been introduced into the breed to make the coat easier to
groom and maintain. George Newcombe of the Working Bedlington Terrier Club said
that "the pure could no longer be
considered a serious working breed" and proceeded to cross his dogs with
Lakeland Terriers in an attempt to bring back the Bedlington's working
qualities.
Health
Longevity
Median
longevity of Bedlington Terriers, based on two recent UK surveys, is about 13.5
years, which is longer than for purebred dogs in general and longer than most
breeds similar in size. The longest-lived of 48 deceased dogs in a 2004 UK
Kennel Club survey was 18.4 years. Leading causes of death among Bedlington
Terriers in the UK were old age (23%), urologic (15%), and hepatic (12.5%). 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 owners in the UK reported that the most common health issues among
living dogs were reproductive, heart murmur, and eye problems such as epiphora,
retinal dysplasia, and cataracts. Bedlingtons seem to be more prone to these eye
diseases than other breeds. They also have a high incidence of kidney problems.
Copper toxicosis occurred among about 5% of living dogs. Inbreeding is a
concern, as some dogs " been bred in and in to a damaging extent."
Reputable breeders will conduct DNA
testing of all litters and will not allow pups who carry the copper toxicosis
gene to be bred, a practice which has significantly reduced the incidence of
this disease in the breed. Excepting these problems, Bedlingtons are generally
a very healthy breed.
Copper toxicosis
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