Origin
The Bedlington Terrier is a quite unique looking dog that's often described as being "lamb-like". However, true to their terrier type, these little dogs are skilled hunters in the field and remain so even when kept in a home environment. One of the oldest pedigree terriers around, the Bedlington was originally bred in northern England, but by 1877 their reputation for being extremely able hunters soon spread to other regions of the land. These dogs may look like lambs, but they have the heart of a lion.
Today, the Bedlington is a popular choice as a family pet not only because of their adorable looks, but because of their kind and sweet natures which makes them the perfect dog to have around and share a home with.
The actual origins of the Bedlington Terrier remains a bit of a mystery, but it is thought that the Rough Scotch Terrier may be part of their ancestry. However, there are those who believe the breed is a result of breeding from various terriers that were commonly found in different regions of the country and as such these dogs were given the names of the regions where they were originally bred.
One thing that is known about the breed, is that these unique looking terriers originate from the hill country situated in the north of England and along the Scottish borders. Miners bred this type of dog to keep vermin under control and Bedlington Terriers being fast on their feet and extremely agile soon became firm favourites with the upper classes of the day.
It was Lord Rothbury who promoted the breed being a real enthusiast although back then they were called either Northumberland Terriers or Rothbury Terriers. Although it is not known exactly which type of terrier form the foundation of the Bedlington we see today, there are those who believe the Dandie Dinmont and the Old English Terrier were crossed with Whippets and Otter Hounds to produce them.
The name Bedlington was given to the breed by Joseph Aynsley, a breeder of the day who hailed from the town of Bedlington. It was not until the 1900s that better breed records were kept because these terriers were fast becoming a popular choice not only as a hunting dogs, but as a companion and show dogs too.
In 1869, the Bedlington Club was founded in the UK with the first breed classes finally being introduced at a dog show held in Newcastle in 1879. The breed was officially recognised by The Kennel Club in 1948. Over time, these adorable looking and highly skilled terriers have found their way to many other regions of the world although to this day, they remain quite a rare breed.
