| Bedlington
Terrier Details
Height: Height: about 41 cms (16
ins) at withers.
Weight:
between 8.2-10.4 kg (18-23 lbs).
Colour:
Blue, liver, or sandy with or without tan. Darker pigment
to be encouraged. Blues and blue and tans must have black noses;
liver and sandies must have brown noses.
Coat:
Very distinctive. Thick and linty, standing well out from skin,
but not wiry. A distinct tendency to twist, particularly on head
and face.
General
Appearance: Lamblike in appearance, long slim head with
ears hanging down side of the head. Elegant, graceful on the move
with low-set tail.
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Dog
Facts
Price:
$800 +
Temperament:
Good tempered, having an affectionate nature, dignified, not
shy or nervous. Mild in repose but full of courage when roused.
Characteristics:
Spirited and game, full of confidence. An intelligent companion
with strong sporting instincts.
Lifespan:
About 14 Years
Recommended
for: Families, Allergy Sufferers, Elderly
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Head
of a lamb, heart of a lion.
One of the gamest terriers with a history that goes back so far
no one really knows where they originally came from. The first Terrier
Clubs formed in the UK were the Dandie Dinmont Club and the Bedlington
Terrier Club and they were both formed on the same day.
They take their name from the town of Bedlington in Northumberland
where they first became popular with Terrier men. They have also
been known as the Rothbury Terrier, the Northumberland Terrier,
the Gypsy dog (the Gypsies used them for poaching because they are
noiseless killers of vermin and small game) and the Miners dog (they
were taken into the mines to eat scraps and kill rats so the mines
did not become infested with plague carrying rats). They are one
of the few terriers game enough to take on badger.
It was thought they originally came from the border area between
England and Wales and could possibly have a relation to the Dandie
Dinmont, but no one really knows for sure. They have been used for
racing, pit fighting, poaching and competitive rat killing and even
today are a formidable foe to a rabbit or mouse and of course are
by far the fastest terrier.
They are sensitive, highly intelligent and extremely affectionate.
They love children and being hypo allergenic are ideal for asthma
and hay fever sufferers. They are easy to house train and excel
at dog training. They do bark but usually only with good reason
and make good watchdogs.
Grooming-
Their coat does not moult or shed and does not have a "dog odour".
It needs to be clipped about every 6 weeks and most Bedlington pet
owners learn to clip their dogs themselves very well. Of course,
you can always take them to a Grooming Parlour. They need to be
slicker brushed and combed regularly, eyes cleaned and hair removed
from inside ears to allow air to circulate.
Exercise-
They will take as much or as little exercise as you care to give
them and still stay fit. Exercise does not mean you have to go for
long walks, it may mean getting a tennis ball and throwing it for
20 minutes or so. Bedlingtons also make great "couch potatoes" and
love nothing better than to watch the Midday Movie with you. Bedlingtons
are quite capable of digging but usually only do this when they
are bored. Most would rather lie in the sun. Plenty of toys relieve
boredom.
Health-
They need a diet consisting of good quality dry food, lean mince
and/or cottage cheese. Occasional raw (always) chicken necks or
wings are good. They do not tolerate large amounts of fat. The Bedlington
terrier used to suffer with copper toxicosis which was genetically
inherited. For the last 10 years the Bedlington Terrier Club of
New South Wales has had a program to eradicate the disease from
the breed and today there is no excuse for anyone to breed a Bedlington
Terrier with the disease as there are now plenty of clear dogs and
bitches available for breeding. Anyone buying a Bedlington should
make sure they see either a DNA test for both parents or for the
puppy itself showing either 1:2 Carrier or 1:1 Clear.
For Diet and other general dog health information Health/Nutrition
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