Bedlington Terriers

[GreenleafGreyhound]

I couldn't sleep and it was 2 AM. I reached for the nearest book on my desk and I ended up reading The Soul of the Silver Dog for the 50th time . Now, I'm kind of interested in Bedlingtons. I've always loved their sighthound-ish, streamlined look with those peculiar lamb heads. Although they're AKC recognized, they're pretty rare and I have a soft spot for uncommon breeds. Seeing they're terriers, I know I could not provide the exercise they need. However, I've been planning on landscaping my sloped, weed-covered hill of a backyard or at least get some people to whack all the weeds down. Bedlingtons are so unique and I'm becoming very interested in them...Does anybody have any experience with them? I honestly couldn't add another dog into my household for Lucky would poison me in my sleep ( ), but perhaps a Bedlington in the future? Are there any Bedlington lurkers out there?

Edited to add: Does anybody have info regarding Copper Toxicosis? It doesn't matter if it's a Bedlington or not.

[Cassiepeia]

I don't have any experience with bedlingtons (although I have met one and it was a little reserved, but gorgeous), however, I did find these two websites with a bit of info on Copper Toxicosis, one is about Bedlingtons, the other is for Westies hope it helps.

Cass.

[Ritz459]

Originally Posted by GreenleafGreyhound

I couldn't sleep and it was 2 AM. I reached for the nearest book on my desk and I ended up reading The Soul of the Silver Dog for the 50th time .

LOL that sounds like me..... Only I normally play my GameBoySP if it is that early.

I don't really know a whole bunch about Bedlingtons. I've never met one and they've never really interested me a whole bunch so I've never bothered to reserch them.
I could probably find an article about them somewhere though......

(And what is up with their Lamb cut? I think that it makes them look odd. Cute, but odd. Kinda makes you wonder what one would look like if it wasn't clipped......)

( This has nothing to do with the conversation but the smiley face that is bangging it's head on the table is bagging its head in time with the music my brother is listening too. LOL)

[Cassiepeia]

Originally Posted by Ritz459

(And what is up with their Lamb cut? I think that it makes them look odd. Cute, but odd. Kinda makes you wonder what one would look like if it wasn't clipped......)

I could only find one picture that might solve that mystery.. or at least give you some idea. After I read your post, you made me curious to find out.

Unclipped Bedlington... well, not as neatly groomed as usual anyhoo.

Cass.

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

I really don't have any experience with the breed either, other than visting with a few from time to time at the dog shows but they seem like a very nice breed.

I've never been thrilled with that lamb cut they give them either. lol

[GreenleafGreyhound]

Aww hey! I like their lamb clip. That's what intrigued me in the first place . I personally like their rounded, no-stop heads with a Whippet-ish body. They have such fierce jaws and beady eyes...*sigh* I guess the Bedlington is going on my Favorite Dogs List, LOL. After seeing the unclipped Bedlingtons, I have to say I really like the lamb clip. Dontcha like the little tassels at the ends of their ears???

Thanks for the links on CT. I was rather worried about Copper Toxicosis, and that's one of the reasons why I've been hesitant about BTs.

[Bedliegirl]

Hello all,

I have been lurking around for a bit and it took a thread on Bedlingtons to get me out of my hole.

I have a 6 month old blue Bedlinton female named Paisley. She's a sweetie.

We have a five year old daughter and my husband has asthma, so I did tons of research on the breed before getting in touch with a good, responsable breeder (whose dogs are CT negative, yet she still tests each pup for copper toxicosis -- our girl is free of "bad genes", if you will). So far our experience has been smooth and great.

Given the opportunity, Paisley will dig, but not necessarily more than the average dog. We have set a corner for her to dig in. Plus she's so busy discovering the world and being silly. She's good natured, calm (unless there is someone new to meet, human or animal -- that's way exciting!), not a fussy eater, a great cuddler and very patient with kids. Her fur is a challenge to maintain -- even with daily brushing, it's hard to remain ahead of mats. But I'm getting better at it, and her fur is soft and sheds very little.

I'd be happy to answer any question and will try to post some pics (she still has a puppy cut) once I find out how to do it.

Cheers!

[PitBullie09]

Welcome! Do you have any pictures of your girl?

[GreenleafGreyhound]

Awesome! A Bedlington owner! How are Bedlingtons exercise wise? I'd love to hear more about their overall temperament, exercise requirements, and please emphasize anything on grooming. Do you go to the groomers or did you buy yourself shears and clippers? Feel free to share your BT stories and if there are any quirks I should know about (I know many terriers are quite aggressive/dominant).

If you need help posting pics, I'll be glad to help you

[Bedliegirl]

Originally Posted by southern_girl09

Welcome! Do you have any pictures of your girl?

Thanks for the welcome. I posted 3 pix of Paisley in my user gallery a few minutes ago.

[Bedliegirl]

GreenleafGreyhound,

Let me preface this post by saying that Paisley is my first dog, so the following is based on what I have read on the breed and on my own very limited experience. I am far from an expert on the subject!

How are Bedlingtons exercise wise?

I have read that Bedlingtons welcome as little or as much exercise as you’re willing to give them. I think it’s true. They can walk and run forever, but they also do well with minimum exercise. Paisley usually gets a ½ hour walk a day, plus a few smaller outings which usually includes a some running. She also burns off some energy by chasing wind up toys in the kitchen. So far, she hasn’t been destructive from getting too little exercise and she’s a real couch potato in the house. She seems to be in great shape.


Do you go to the groomers or did you buy yourself shears and clippers?

I don’t feel confident handling her clip by myself. Yet (if ever). The clip is achieved with both clipper and scissors. I hear one can learn the cut. We go to the groomer’s about once every 6-8 weeks.

The ears are a challenge, at least to me -- especially since this is the only part of her Paisley doesn’t like touched. So she squirms, and I haven’t yet gotten the hang of it yet. Fluffy fur also grows inwards and has to be yanked out on a regular basis. This is terrifying to me, but a breeze for my groomer.

The nails are also a challenge as they tend to be very dark and it’s difficult to see the quick. But again, you can blame it on me being I’m a newbie.


I'd love to hear more about their overall temperament

I’ll start with the potential quirks (mostly from what I have read).

You might have come across the description that a Bedlington is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I suspect a Bedlington’s temperament is molded when they are pups – if you need a working Bedlington, you can encourage their bravery and toughness (they may not look like it, but they are very sturdy) from the get go and you’ll have a hardworking tough dog who excels at killing vermin. On the other hand, if you want a housedog, when socialized early, you can have a calm and affectionate pet -- who loves to hunt and kill the occasional wild dishtowel. Then again, with her set of teeth, I am amazed at how gentle Paisley is: she has a stuffed animal that the breeder gave her and six months and many “killing” sessions later, the teddy only has three very small holes in it. She could easily have torn it to shred, but she settles for toying with it.

I had read that Bedlingtons are not fighters, but if provoked, they will stand their ground and can be fearless fighters. This was a concern for me. I didn’t want a battling dog. Fortunately, I had also read that socializing them early made a big difference. This, with the fact I kept hearing the adjective “sweet” from other owners, made me think we could handle it. Turns out, Paisley was very easy to socialize and I can’t imagine this little girl fighting – she’s never shown an ounce of aggression. We took a puppy class and she was so happy to meet other dogs. Still is.

Dominance-wise, she doesn’t appear dominant, but then again, I think she knows I am the alpha and she’s familiar with the NILIF principles. Given the chance, she could probably take the initiative and run the household -- but that’s not part of my agenda.

Obedience-wise, they seem at once stubborn and eager to learn and please. You just have to be more stubborn than them. She turned out much more eager to please than I would have thought, but her streak of independence interferes with this at times. She picked up basic obedience commands very quickly. But, if she doesn’t feel like working or she’s “busy” (and is she ever busy when she’s busy), then it doesn’t matter how loud I am she won’t hear/listen to me. Conversely, if she feels like working or pleasing me, I can whisper commands and she’s all ears. Overall, she’s usually pretty compliant.

Paisley is quiet and calm indoors, and extremely alert outdoors. She is very affectionate but not clingy. She loves car rides and hanging out with us. She is funny and loves to make people laugh. She’s enthusiastic and very easygoing. (I sound like I'm writing a personal ad for her)

She seldom barks. She tells us she needs to go outside by ringing a bell by the door. A while back, she got annoyed with the rain and didn’t want to go out. I brought a cookie outside and that was enough to entice her. She left the cookie on the ground to go do her business. We went back inside and I saw how it dawned on her she had forgotten the cookie outside. She whipped around and rang the bell. I took her out and sure enough, it was the cookie she was after – she zoomed right back in the house with it.

I suspect most would say this of their beloved breed, but given how good a little girl she is, I am surprised there are not more Bedlingtons out there. She is such a cuteheart!



Some good info:

http://clubs.akc.org/btca/index.htm
http://ashcrofterriers.com/About%20The%20Breed.htm

Hope this helps.

[GreenleafGreyhound]

Ahh, it feels so good to hear from a conscientious owner. Thank you so much for the info. Exercise wise- Bedlingtons sound very similar to Greys. The only thing that worries me if I get a BT is the extensive grooming. There was an article on the BTCA regarding how to clip, and it was fairly intimidating.

Also, is Paisley your first dog in general or your first BT? I figure by the time I get a Bedlington, I'll have enough doggy experience and I'll have mastered NILIF (but those melting, brown eyes....). Thanks again for the info!

[sarasota blues]

[willowmum]

Would just mention, knowing Greenleaf also like greys, Bedlingtons are one of the most popular terriers used to produce lurchers and are gorgeous.

[donbanks]

Hi I'm in England (UK). I'm on my third Bedlington, I wouldn't have any other breed. If anyone is interested I have some pictures of Megan , my latest puppie at twelve weeks old. http://homepage.mac.com/donbanks/PhotoAlbum12.html