Looks can be deceptive. This breed stands out with its temperament even from terriers. The sensitive, pious and elegant appearance is deceptive. Bedlington terriers are not timid; they are rather bellicose, assertive and bold dogs. A true terrier! Their behaviour, the essence of their nature, can only be understood if we examine the history of their origin.
Hound, poacher, gladiator
Bedlington is one of the oldest members of the family of Terriers. They are most probably from Northumberland, which can be found in England. Still, if we want to know more, due to the lack of documented evidence, we can only rely on intelligent guesses and hypotheses. The first Bedlington that we have proof of did not even have its breed name; it was the dog of Squire Trevelyan “Old Flynt” and was born in 1782. The dog historians’ job is undoubtedly more manageable if they work on the period after 1873 because the English Kennel Club, founded in that year, is doing a precise data collection and registering. The first breeding book of the club contains thirty Bedlingtons’ names. These dogs were called Rothbury Terriers at the time, mainly because the breed’s well-known dog lived in Rothbury. Who would think today that Bedlingtons used to be hunting dogs? Initially, they were used to catch rats and snakes and hunt poultry. Meanwhile, their duties have changed- instead of sub-ground rodent hunting, bunny hunting became their primary duty. Their physique changed, and their profile transformed. Instead of short legs, they now have long ones, the robust and strong body transformed into an elegant, streamlined stature. Whippet had a role in this transformation. What could be the other breeds that contributed to the birth of the breed Bedlington? They were probably the bull and Dandie Dinmont terrier. However, greyhounds must have contributed to the breed's birth as well. Bedlington was not only useful for hunting. In mining towns, the English Bedlington Terriers were trustworthy attendants of the miners and their watchdog; furthermore, - it is hard to imagine it when you are looking at this “lamb”- they were also capable of participating in dog fights. Thanks to the mixture of the terrier’s brave hunting instinct and persistency with the skilfulness of the star runners of dog shows, Bedlington Terrier became a breed that is the dream of every poacher. To this day, people in England call Bedlington terriers “gipsy dogs”…
From under the ground into a sofa!
Near the turn of the century, the duty of the breed has changed. They became the sophisticated dog owners’ elegant partners in the salons. Leaving their hardworking ancestors behind, they got fond of luxury. Meanwhile, trimming developed into an art branch: into the skilful strengthening of the breed’s already existing silhouette. The head started to look more and more like a pearl, the brisket became more profound, and the hindquarter became more robust and more bent dynamically. Finally, the fur is trimmed by scissors. It needs time and patience, but it requires less knowledge and skill than the other terrier breeds. The modern Bedlington terriers’ movement is light and elastic, and if it moves slower, it can be seen as a bit stiff. But when they are sprinting, every part of their muscular body sets into motion, their spine lashes under themselves, and the hindlegs are going further ahead than the forelegs, just like in the case of greyhounds.
Knowing the breed's history, the owners of Bedlington terriers should not be worried about training their dogs. Bedlington terriers will enjoy themselves at training; they will be motivated and combative in the guard exercises. The training will strengthen their muscles and blow off steam and playfulness. While it is true that they are indoor dogs, they kept their initial temperament; therefore, it can be helpful for their body and their mind if we do not treat them as lambs but as true terriers.
