Bedlington Terrier Standards
- AKC (Terrier)
- FCI (Group 3)
- KC (Terrier)
- UKC (Terrier)
- 15-17"
- 17-23 lbs
- small terrier
- hanging, triangular ears with rounded tips
- long, scimitar shaped tail
- coat is a mixture of hard and soft hairs
- blue
- liver
- sandy
- may have tan markings
History of the Bedlington Terrier
The exact ancestry of the Bedlington Terrier remains unknown, although it is widely accepted that it has existed in the area of Rothbury, England since at least the 1800s. Several breeds have been suggested as their ancestors, including the Whippet, Otterhound, and Dandie Dinmont Terrier. The name Rothbury Terrier was originally used to describe terriers that were kept by Gypsies living in Rothbury forest and it is likely that today’s dog stems from there, although the aforementioned breeds may have been used in the Rothbury’s creation. The name Bedlington was chosen in 1825 after the Bedlington Mining Shire, where many of these dogs were kept for hunting and ratting.