Bedlington Terrier | Dog Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

The Bedlington terrier is a peculiar dog and underneath that lamb dress you will find all the vitality and strength of its breed

If there is a dog that grabs all eyes in its path, that is the Bedlington terrier. Everything that surrounds this breed of dog is glamor and delicacy, but behind those headdresses in the hair a terrier hides.

In any place, at any time, the Bedlington Terrier attracts people’s attention. All because of the unusual, one might say, exotic appearance of these animals. Bedlington dogs are very similar to cute, curly lambs. They are often called “a dog in sheep’s clothing.”

Despite the innocuous appearance, the representatives of the breed have the heart of a lion, simply speaking courage and determination Bedlington Terrier can be envied.

Dog sheet Bedlington Terrier

Bedlington Terrier photos

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Physical characteristics

Due to its size, it falls squarely in the category of medium dog, with a height in males of between 39 and 44 centimeters, and between 38 and 42 centimeters in females. With these measures, he is a very easy dog to keep on a flat, but his enormous vitality will take you to spend many moments outdoors with him.

His weight is usually between 8 and 11 kilograms, which is not much for his height. Its slim waist betrays its past crossing with the greyhound, giving it an agility and top speed that you would never imagine when seeing it for the first time.

Dog-characteristics-Bedlington-Terrier

Distinctive features

  • Head: Narrow, deep and rounded, the jaw is longer than the skull.
  • Jaws: The teeth are large and strong. Scissor bite, where the upper teeth closely overlap the lower teeth and form a square jaw.
  • Ears: Medium sized, hazelnut-shaped, set low and hanging over the cheeks. Fine and velvety texture; covered with short, fine hairs edged with silky hairs at the ends.
  • Eyes: Small, sunken, slightly triangular in shape. The color varies from amber to hazelnut.
  • Torso: Muscular, supple. The back has a natural arch over a curved kidney. The chest is deep, rather wide.
  • Legs: Long hare’s feet with thick, well-closed pads, without cracks or horny growths. The hind limbs are larger than the forelimbs.
  • Coat: The curly coat is a unique blend of coarse and soft hair that hides the bony structure on the muzzle and thickens on the front legs. Colors – blue, sand, yellow-brown. Today, blue color is more popular than the rest.

Character and behavior

If we are guided by its flirty image, it seems that we are facing a calm and delicate dog, those who prefer a beauty salon to a route through the countryside. But make no mistake, underneath that evening gown is a terrier, with all that that entails.

The positive qualifications for the Bedlington terrier are more than justified, but it is true that they need more exercise time than others of their size. It is a dog with a lot of physical resistance and with more strength than it appears; he who has had a terrier knows what we are talking about …

The Bedlington terrier is perfect to take it with you to exercise, and you will surely end up getting tired before him. But do not fear, because at home you can behave and you enjoy your long hours of sleep very much.

Its character is restless and active, but very adaptable to almost any size of house. He loves children and will help them to sleep better at night because he does not let them stop. In addition, its protective instinct will watch over the well-being of these.

Important

The breed loves to bark, so the dogs make good guards, able to warn the owner in time about the presence of strangers in the house.

Health

Bedlington Terrier is a breed with fairly good health, but certain problems still occur:

  • Copper toxicosis is a hereditary disease;
  • Dislocation of the patella;
  • Distichiasis;
  • Renal cortical hypoplasia, due to which the dog subsequently develops renal failure;
  • Retinal dysplasia is a malformation of the retina with which the dog is born.

Life expectancy

The average bedlington terrier lifespan is 12 to 14 years, which is longer than most breeds of a similar size.

Care

The Bedlington Terrier has a much less typical dog odor than most dogs. Grooming can be a little tricky. It is better to clean the curly fur 1-2 times a week, clean the ears daily after returning from the street.

These dogs do not shed much hair, but need a special haircut once every 1.5 months. It’s good to learn how to do it yourself.

Exercise

The Bedlington Terrier needs one hour of daily exercise. They stand out in games that involve running, jumping and recovering items.

Fun facts

  • Bedlington Terrier puppies are born with brown or black coats. As they grow older, the coat becomes lighter. The final color can be observed at the age of two.
  • After puppy birth, after a stressful situation and for other reasons, the color of the bedlington coat may change.
  • The Bedlington Terrier was especially popular among the gypsies. Thanks to the intelligence and ingenuity of these dogs, it was easy to teach them to steal wallets from gaping passers-by.

History of the breed

Bedlington Terriers originated in the parish of Bedlington in Northumberland, England in the early 19th century. This is a breed that was originally called the Rothbury Terrier after the region of the same name on the English coast. She was appreciated by gypsy nail makers as hunters of foxes, hares, badgers and rats. Around 1825, a Rothbury Terrier was mated to a female Bedlington, and the Bedlington Terrier was born. Otterhounds and Dandie Dinmont Terriers are also thought to have contributed their genes to the breed.

A daring pest hunter, the Bedlington Terrier was a fearless fighter. In addition, these dogs were used by hunters as retrievers. Over time, terriers began to be taken to elite homes, the inhabitants of which valued these dogs for their ability to be first-class companions.

The current Bedlington, which was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1967, is larger than its earlier cousins.