Bedlington Terrier

For the football club, see Bedlington Terriers F.C.
Bedlington Terrier
Other namesRothbury Terrier
Rodbery Terrier
Rothbury's Lamb
OriginEngland
Traits
Height Males 16.5 inches (42 cm) preferred, 16 to 17.5 inches (41 to 44 cm) acceptable
Females 15.5 inches (39 cm) preferred, 15 to 16.5 inches (38 to 42 cm) acceptable
Weight 17–23 pounds (7.7–10.4 kg)
Coat Curly, 'crisp' in texture with a distinct topknot, nonshedding, minimal odor
Colour Blue, liver, or sandy, or any of these with tan points
Litter size 3–6[1]
Life span 13.7 years
Kennel club standards
The Kennel Club standard
Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

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, 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. 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. They love snow, and can achieve a Husky-like turn of speed on ice or in deep powder, using their powerful noses as a plough. 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. It is nonshedding and with minimal odor but needs weekly grooming to remove dead hair.[2][3]

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 show 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 incidence of copper toxicosis.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NewTerrier was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPLee(2001) was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference LIFE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).