# Bedlington terriers



## willhegofirst (1 April 2012)

While on holiday last week, we met a Bedlington on the beach, our youngest Spin had a loverly game with her, later this year I will hopefully be in a position to get another dog, to replace the collie we lost in January, I was very taken with this little Bedlington, so can anyone tell me the pros and cons of Bedlington Terriers. We used to have a JRT so we are used to terriers.
Thanks.


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## numptynoelle (1 April 2012)

I can't help - but Bosworth has a gorgeous pup called Flodden  There are a few threads about him on here (not enough IMO!)

(I know there are others too, but for the life of me I can't think who! )


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## Bosworth (1 April 2012)

I am the bedlington terrier owner on this site  Flodden  If you check back on my posts I have put loads of pics up, and videos and loads of info about him

Bedlingtons are fantastic,  yes I am slightly biased, but they are wonderful. I got flodden in May last year at 8 weeks old. 






 Jet black and gorgeous, he was house trained at 8 weeks, developed recall almost immediately and was so chilled about everything. I took him everywhere. he met my friends 7 labs after 2 days with me, he was fine. 






 click on picture for video

He was brilliant with my lurcher, although she hated him with a passion, he was an interloper, her beloved Bosworth had died and she was presented with this! Outraged. 

As he got older he was still the calmest dog ever, absolutely no trouble  not phased by anything. We had builders working here for several months and he just was happy to sit and watch and occasionally help
	
	
		
		
	


	





He soon worked out how to get filthy
	
	
		
		
	


	




 but then realised that meant bath time so decided mud wallowing was not a hobby he liked. 

And then at 7 months he had his first grown up haircut
	
	
		
		
	


	





And all bedlingtons have a boing




 click on picture for video

They do like their home comforts
	
	
		
		
	


	




And fall asleep in odd places
	
	
		
		
	


	





But apart from that, he is incredibly loyal, adores our cats, is calm and confident around other dogs, is not yappy, has a hound bark not a yappy bark when strangers come to the door. He is not demanding or hard work. He doesn't moult. He is so calm and gently you can trust him with the smallest child. He is such good fun, will play for as long as you want, then just fall asleep when you have had enough. Only needs about an hours exercise, but will occupy himself. has no obsessive behaviours, has never been destructive, settles happily in what ever environment he is in. Comes on driving lessons with me and just sleeps in the boot so my students have no idea he is in there.  but be warned, Bedlingtons are wolves in lambs clothing, he takes a lot to get annoyed, and I mean alot. I have seen him see of a JR, he told it and told it he had had enough, it ignored him, he went for it and that was that problem solved, JR now treats him with respect. i have never ever seen him lose his temper with anything else, he just cannot be riled by anything. With an aggressive dog he is subserviant, knows exactly how to play it and that is just instinct. I would say he is the politest dog I have ever come across and that seems to be the usual for the breed. 
I have him entire at the moment and he really has no idea what his bits are for. I decided to show him as he has to justify keeping his parts, if he wins then to be honest I would like to buy a nice bitch puppy and breed from him. I know I could sell his puppies with ease and would love to show his offspring. having had numerous dogs before I am now well and truly hooked on my Beddy. if you have any questions please ask, i will happily talk about them for hours.

Sorry to all you non bedlington people..... long post but you know you love him


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## Native Speaker (1 April 2012)

Love Flodden?   What's not to like about the boy - he's just about the cutest terrier on here!  (Please, no one tell Bear The Border I said that! )


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## numptynoelle (1 April 2012)

Bouncy bouncy Flodden....although I'm afraid I'm still convinced he's a lamb (or a pyjama case)  I think I'll need a closer inspection...


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## willhegofirst (1 April 2012)

Hi Bosworth, he sounds just the sort that would fit in with our household, he is absolutely lovely! I can see why you are tempted to breed from him, do they have any health issues to be aware about when looking for a pup? I have noticed on the lower end websites there are a fair few "working" unregistered pups for sale quite cheaply, I would go for a KC reg. Pup when I look for one, I know that doesn't always mean they are well breed, what health checks should they have.
Even my OH was taken with the little bitch we met and he wants another collie. Funny enough before this holiday I don't think I have met  one in the flesh, and saw the one on the beach and then a lady with three at a boot sale.
We hope to move house this summer so once moved and settled I will be very tempted to go for a Beddy.


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## Dobiegirl (1 April 2012)

Flodden is one of my favourite AAD dogs even though I have 2 Dobes and a Lancashire Heeler there is something about Flodden I love and I always love to see his pics and hear  his updates.


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## Bosworth (1 April 2012)

Bedlingtons have only one health problem and that is not major, they can have copper toxicosis, the inability to process copper in their liver. However the gene for this is well known and any decent breeder should test for it before breeding. Flodden does not have it. And many bedlingtons do not have it. You need to check with the breeder and find out if they have tested the sire and dam. There is also an eye problem, but that makes them blind from birth and is very very rare and would be obvious in any pup you went to see, apart from that nothing. They are incredibly hardy. The working strains are likely to be less reliable temprament wise than the KC registered ones as there is some whippet and some other terriers in some alleged pure bred working beddies. I would also chose the bravest of any pups, the one who comes forward to meet you, all of Floddens litter were confident and outgoing,  Flodden is very brave, in fact nothing phases him, but I brought him up with builders hammering and using air tools so bangs and loud noises are an everyday thing to him. 

Whereabouts in the country are you willhegofirst, I may know someone who can point you in the right direction of a good breeder. I have built up a network of people from showing and I have to say they are all so helpful and friendly. You will need to meet up with someone who knows how to trim them as not many dog groomers will touch them unless you want an ordinary trim, a bedlington trim takes ages. A professional did Flodden for me the first couple of times and the first time took 4 hours! I now do it over 4 evenings, I know I am not the best but I am getting there, still put to shame by the keen show people but we are getting there.


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## willhegofirst (1 April 2012)

At the moment we are in South Bucks, but we are moving to the Staffordshire Derbyshire area, and I wouldn't look for a pup until we have moved. Thanks for the info regarding copper toxicosis, The Spins have to be tested for cerebella ataxia, so I will be careful to ask about the copper toxicosis and will avoid the working strains. Interesting about the trimming, I do the Spins myself, but they aren't shown so just kept tidy with clippers and hand stripping their backs.


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## Bosworth (1 April 2012)

The waiting list is several months, if not years for the decent breeders, but moving to staffordshire/ derbyshire area will put you more into bedlington territory, I would be tempted to put my name down with a couple of decent breeders and see what happens. there are not a lot of them in the country so you will probably have to wait a while. Although I do know Floddens breeder will be putting his litter sister in pup and she is lovely, and a friend of mine is putting her bitch in pup in the next month providing she has a season. Her bitch has done very well showing. Down here in Devon they are a rare breed, but the further north you go the more breeders there are. If you are not showing then clippers with a number 7 blade will do for an all over trim. And then a number 10 for his toes and feet. And a pair of forceps to pull the hair out of the ears. You need to pull the hair from deep inside as some have a tendency to ear infections, again I am lucky as Flodden has not got that tendency yet, but I do take care to remove the hair every couple of weeks. Its all very easy to do as a standard trim, just gets complicated when its a show trim.  I go up to Derbyshire fairly regularly as my parents live there. if you would like to meet flodden you are more than welcome


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## willhegofirst (1 April 2012)

Thanks for that, I will look into breeders in the area, I would love o meet Flodden, tho when we will actually move is anyone's guess!


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## rubysmum (1 April 2012)

we have the lovely Blue - now aprox 7 yrs old [ is a rescue - so a little vague on age] - would post a pic but he was recenlty clipped with clippers with no variable speed - so am too ashamed
Bedlingtons have theri own rescue -f you would like to go down that path
we have found |Blue to be a prefect house dog - loves to sleep & very good with people but is a little agressive with other dogs - mostly just terrier shouting
he is the terrier who got chased by  afox & heads butted by a sheep - so maybe not typical of the breed
they are very lovely dogs


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## touchstone (1 April 2012)

We had a bedlington that we lost a few years ago.  She was a very affectionate dog, but also quite lazy and wouldn't expend any energy unnecessarily.  She hated going out in the rain and had to be forced to go for a walk.  
She could also be quite stubborn if she didn't want to do anything!  Her hearing could frequently be selective.

Clip wise I just did her and her offspring myself, a proper Bedlington trim isn't that difficult to do with plenty of practice, although we didn't show.  

She could be quite aggressive with strange dogs if she didn't like the look of them too.

Other than that she was a lovely little dog.


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