# Bedlington / whippet?



## Nosey (15 February 2013)

Any opinions/experience/general info on suitability as a pet please? Briefly lost my perfect little border terrier aged 17 couple mths ago & starting to think about filling the void later this year...don't want another BT as feel we'd be constantly comparing. Our family dog history is of terriers of one sort or another..so used to a bit of single mindedness...tho usually on shorter legs! I had collies at home while growing up. Always loved beddy/whippets but need to check how well one wld fit in with us...ie rural home/space/ I work pt & hubby lots of work @home. 2 kids..youngest 4yrs. Love to hear your experiences! Thx


----------



## boxcarhorse (15 February 2013)

I know two, they are both sweet, gentle natured dogs.  Enjoy a good run around, but seem more bidable/trainable than full Whippets.


----------



## CAYLA (15 February 2013)

A very popular choice for pet lurchers, generally lovely little dogs, we have one i our rescue I am following up an enquiry about him though.


----------



## Janee (16 February 2013)

We had a Lakeland Terrier for 14 years and she was irreplaceable.  We got 2 Beddlington Whippet pups when our girls were 2 and 5, fantastic kind and tolerant with the children but one of the dogs had attitude in that if she wasn't ready to come home she didn't, although never ran away just lurked far enough away not to be caught. The dogs are nearly 10 now and are still a joy to us all.


----------



## Nosey (16 February 2013)

Thanks all..all positive comments & good to here about temperament with young children. They do seem to tick lot of boxes for us..janee your situation was v similar to ours! Next challenge I think will be sourcing one from a reputable source..some of the adverts I've seen look anything but!


----------



## Springy (16 February 2013)

Bedlington terriers are lovely.... There are more breeders in this area Northumberland as Bedlington is here than else where... 

There is also bedlington terrier rescue


----------



## TeamChaser (16 February 2013)

My Bruce's mum was Bedlington/Whippet - she used to run off quite a bit hence we're not sure who his dad was!!


Bruce though is a poppet and a really easy dog to have around. As long as he gets good run off the lead each day, he's happy, without needing hours of exercise. Never runs off and excellent recall. THE most cuddly dog I've ever known, likes to be close. Very gentle - in fact bit of a wuss - and have never seem him show any aggression whatsoever. He was a little too timid as a pup but he has come out of his shell as he's grown up and is more relaxed these days. Can still be a little nervous so likes his quiet, peaceful home life!

Mum also very sweet natured and they're generally quiet, placid dogs and the ones I've known haven't been very vocal - Bruce hardly ever barks in fact. Wouldn't make a guard dog


----------



## Alec Swan (16 February 2013)

I've never seen a Bedlington / Whippet that I didn't like.  Those which I've seen have all been of a pensive and slightly withdrawn disposition,  aloof almost,  which I don't mind,  as they seem to be fairly self contained.  I'm sure that there are others which are the opposite of that though!!

Alec.


----------



## satinbaze (16 February 2013)

Bedlingtons do have a copper deficiency problem so please make sure all correct health tests are clear. This applies to crosses too


----------



## Alec Swan (16 February 2013)

satinbaze said:



			Bedlingtons do have a copper deficiency problem so please make sure all correct health tests are clear. This applies to crosses too
		
Click to expand...

How strange,  and it's the first that I've heard of it.  I'm not doubting what you say,  but how does it manifest itself?

Your sig pic,  is that a Flatcoat?  If it is,  how were the trophies earned?

Alec.


----------



## s4sugar (16 February 2013)

It had been well documented for some time - http://www.bedlingtonterrierhealthgroup.org.uk/

The summary page makes interesting reading too.


----------



## satinbaze (16 February 2013)

Alec 
Yes I have flatcoats. The trophies in the avatar are Lily's obedience trophies. Last year she was top winning obedience flatcoat for both the flatcoat retriever society and northern England flatcoated retriever society. She was also top all round  dog (showing and obedience combined) for derby and district DTC
Lily is my pride and joy especially as I bred her


----------



## Dizzykizzy (16 February 2013)

My friend has 2 Bed/whips, sisters with a year between them....first one was so nice she got another when they had another litter. She does flyball with them and they are super, lovely natured and very trainable.


----------



## Nosey (16 February 2013)

Aw thanks all so much for your lovely comments...really helpful in firming up on the detail. If anyone knows of any sources of nice pups I'd love to hear from you...slightly freaked out by some of the adverts I've seen ;-)


----------



## Nosey (16 February 2013)

Ps I'm in west sussex! Thanks everyone!


----------



## Teaselmeg (16 February 2013)

My mother lost her beddie whippet to Copper Toxicosis and another died from the litter a year later. However, they were beddie/whippet mum and pure beddie dad, so beddie on both sides.

OP, how about this little lad ?  http://www.lurcherlink.org/llink/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87206&highlight=


----------



## Nosey (16 February 2013)

Aw bless..Love his little beard! Bit far away for us realistically though..hope he finds a special home.


----------



## 2Greys (17 February 2013)

i think lurcher link has some beddie x types in could also check greyhound gap, GRWE and if south theres couple more lurcher rescues. They do get puppies in but rough coats


----------



## 2Greys (17 February 2013)

tend to be more popular anyway. 
LL seem to have good network of volunteers to assist with transport run, one went off to scotland recently. where abouts are u nosey?


----------



## Bosworth (17 February 2013)

copper toxicosis is actually not rife in the well bred bedlingtons, so if you are wanting a beddy whippet cross, check out the breedlines on the beddy. I have a bedlington he is clear of CT, but he is DNA tested, as is his line, and he is very well bred on both sides. There are an awful lot of beddy/ whippet breeders who quite frankly breed rubbish and use 'working' beddies who are a totally unknown quantity

Poppy my gorgeous bedlington lurcher which my ex took






She was gorgeous, a total sweetie. incredibly well trained. walked to heel, sat stayed when she felt like it. She would hunt for her own tea. And rat like a demon. Totally loyal and extremely loveable, with the ability to vanish in seconds at home. But could be taken for a walk anywhere and would stick to us like glue

Flodden my wonderful Bedlington dog


----------



## Nosey (18 February 2013)

Wow bosworth lovely pics & absolutely gorgeous dogs.
2greys..I'm in west sussx


----------



## Nosey (18 February 2013)

Oops pressed wrong button..we are in west Sussex..bit unsure of a rescue dog as younger dtr is 4 & we have 2 cats...which I thought wld prob eliminate us from lot of them...


----------



## 2Greys (18 February 2013)

the rescues mentioned often use Foster homes (I've an LL Foster dog here) and cat test their dogs,puppies also come in. I'm not sure on their individual homing policys but often


----------



## 2Greys (18 February 2013)

they are more flexible than big rescues. those lurcher rescues  home nationally, ill look up ones near to you on pc as it keeps posting too soon on phone.


----------



## Faro (18 February 2013)

Gorgeous, gorgeous dogs! I have my own Beddy/Whippet curled up asleep behind me here in the office right now.

Very friendly, wants to get to know everyone. Would be a useless guard dog, because he'd probably go and lick any burglars all over!  However, although a very quiet, non-yappy dog, he WILL bark an alarm (and that's just about the only time he does bark).

Similar to a greyhound, he's happy to sleep all day as long as he gets a chance to have a good run off lead every day.  And he absolutely LOVES to run flat out.  However, once he's got the zoomies out of his system, his endurance is pretty good, and he'll just keep going for however long you want to walk him for (and is always very "Busy" - typical terrier).

Ours spends 99% of his time off lead (but that's because we're fortunate that we have safe fields where he can zoom to his hearts' content).  His recall can be a little bit slow - definitely has selective deafness - but he does always come back.  He'll never actually go far from us anyway, seems to have a maximum zone of about 200 metres, then he'll come back and check in with us.

He has a strong chase instinct - although he hasn't ever actually succeeded in catching anything yet (he's 21 months old).  We got him (rescue) at 6 months of age, so he was young enough to learn to live with cats.  He's fine with our own 2 cats, but any other cat is seem as a target for chasing.

He's gentle, non-aggressive, likes to be close to you, likes physical contact.

Very soft mouthed.

A very sneaky thief!  (But once told no to something, he's very good at leaving it be).

The terrier side is very dominant.

We don't trim his coat, but he gets a thorough brushing (by me) once a week.

Oh and, contrary to popular belief (and sorry if it's not what you'd hoped to hear) but Beddy/Whippets DO shed their coats!

Ronnie has turned out to be the perfect dog for us, and if I were looking for a second dog, I would without hesitation look for the same cross again.


----------



## Nosey (18 February 2013)

Thank you so much 2 grays..really kind. Faro what a lovely chap Ronnie is..his character sounds a very good blend of the 2 breeds. So nice to hear the real stories & I'm reading these posts to my hubby who knew less about the cross & he's impressed..& keen that they sound right for us!


----------

