Bedlington Terrier

Bedlington Terrier Personality
Beautiful and distinctive with their lamblike appearance, the Bedlington was named after the mining town of Bedlington in northeast England where he originated and was used by miners to fight and hunt vermin
First recognized as a breed in 1877, alternatively known as the Rothbury Terrier
Cross of a Whippet and Dandie Dinmont
Lively, happy, faithful, devoted with a bit of Terrier stubbornness and feistiness mixed in
While they look meek they are a deceiving breed as they are known to have the appearance of a lamb and the heart of a lion

Bedlington Terrier Size
15-23lbs
15-17 inches at the withers (shoulder)

Bedlington Terrier Family & Home
An excellent companion that adores children and can be welcoming to strangers; however, he is a Terrier and that comes with an inbred feistiness
The Bedlington can be a great addition to any family but he does come with above-average grooming requirements and needs lots of exercise
He is well suited to an urban or suburban environment provided he is exercised and trained properly

Bedlington Terrier Bark
Bedlingtons are quick to bark -often with a high-pitch – at any new sound, person or animal; they will likely need some training instruction to learn when and when not to bark…or at least when to stop
Fine watchdog that will alert owner/family of strange noises or intrusions with a bark

Bedlington Terrier Training
Bedlingtons are excitable puppies and can begin training early on; they respond best to reward-based, gentle but firm, consistent training
If properly introduced and socialized with other dogs and fellow household pets, especially cats and other small animals, he will be a wonderful companion to other pets
If another animal challenges the Bedlington this little lion will not back down and can be a surprisingly frightening fighter – owners must be aware of this around other animals

Bedlington Terrier Exercise
Like most Terriers, the Bedlington needs plenty of exercise – one hour on leash and one hour off leash for younger Bedlingtons
Most Bedlingtons tend to be both mischievous and destructive if not properly exercised
Off-leash play should only take place in secured areas because if he sees what he deems prey he will be off and chasing before you can say “stop!”
Great agility dog

Bedlington Terrier Coat
Coats can be blue, sandy or liver and all can have tan markings
As the Bedlington ages their coat gets lighter
Bedlingtons have a hypoallergenic coat that does little to no shedding
Brushing suggested 2-3 times per week while paying special attention to the ears
Professional grooming required every 6-8 weeks
The “pom-poms” on the end of the Bedlington ears and the hair kept long on top of the head was kept this way so that the vermin they were hunting would get lost in fur instead of harming the Bedlington’s actual ears or head

Bedlington Terrier Care
Ears need special attention; combing on the exterior and using a pet/ear wipe for the interior

Bedlington Terrier Health
Sturdy breed that may be genetically prone to Cooper Storage Disease, an inherited liver problem; kidney disease, thyroid problems, cataracts and retinal disease

Bedlington Terrier Lifespan
15-17 years

To learn more about Bedlington Terriers visit the Bedlington America rescue group at www.BedlingtonAmerica.com.