Breed library

Bedlington Terrier

Also known as Rothbury Terrier.

Bedlington Terrier photograph.
Boutchie apres championnat 004.JPG - David Owsiany. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boutchie_apres_championnat_004.JPG. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.

Breed overview

The Bedlington Terrier is a breed of small dog named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England. Originally bred to hunt, the Bedlington Terrier has since been used in dog racing, numerous dog sports, as well as in conformation shows and as a companion dog. It is closely related to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Whippet and Otterhound. It is described as a very versatile yet contradictory dog. They have powerful swimming skills, comparable to those of water dogs such as the Newfoundland, and are noted for being very quick and having high endurance. Bedlingtons are noted for their similarity in appearance to lambs. The dogs have blue, liver or sandy colouration, all three of which may have tan points. Their fur forms a distinctive top knot on the dog's head. It is nonshedding and with minimal odor but needs weekly grooming to remove dead hair.

  • Breed classification: terrierBreed reference breed group.
  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: EnglandBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • Before this, they were known as "gypsy dogs", as the Romani people, called 'Gypsies' in those days, and poachers used them to hunt.
  • The first mention of the Bedlington terrier, or as it was then known, the Rothbury or Rodbury Terrier, was in 1825, most likely in The Life of James Allen, but some dogs' pedigrees have been traced as far back as 1782.
  • James' father, William, was much in demand as an otter hunter, and he kept Bedlington Terriers in order to help him hunt.
  • The Bedlington Terrier name was first given to a dog named Young Piper, which was owned by a man named Joseph Ainsley.
  • Piper began working with badgers at eight months old, and carried on hunting other animals generally regarded as vermin until he was blind.

Size and appearance

The Bedlington Terrier has been described as resembling a lamb. It has also been compared to a miniature version of the Scottish Deerhound. George Shields stated that exceedingly well-bred dogs possess the spirit of a thoroughbred racehorse. The dogs have blue, liver or sandy colouration, all three of which may have tan points. Bedlingtons carry what is known as the greying gene, a dominant trait carried on the G locus. This gene causes puppies born with black or dark brown fur to lighten to grey or liver with age. The fur of the Bedlington creates a shape on the top of the dog's head known as a topknot. Although most modern breed standards call for the dog's topknot to be lighter than its body, when the breed was first being formed there was at least one prominent breeder, Mr. Pickett, who believed that the topknot should be darker, not lighter.

  • Body mass reference: 7.711 - 10.433 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 17 - 23 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Body mass reference: Up to 10 kgBreed reference body mass. maximum.
  • Body mass reference: 8 kg or moreBreed reference body mass. minimum.
  • Height reference: 41 cmBreed reference height.
  • Coat texture: shaggy
  • Coat texture: curly
  • Height category: medium
  • Weight category: small
  • Weight category: medium

Personality and behavior

Bedlingtons are sharp and plucky. Their bark has been called hound-like and has been compared to the firing of a machine gun. A fast dog with high endurance, the Bedlington Terrier is just as quick in water as it is on land, and their swimming speed rivals that of the Newfoundland. Bedlington Terriers "have pace enough to keep up with the ordinary speed of a horse." Because of the Whippet in their lineage, they have a tendency to bolt. They are also known for their intelligence and tenacity when it comes to taking on vermin. Bedlingtons are quite fond of fighting, and are prone to jealousy when around other dogs. One man stated that "this dog was about fit to kill any other dog of his weight". They have also been used in dog fighting.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat texture: shaggy
  • Coat texture: curly

Health and lifespan

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.7 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Breed history

Bred in the village of Bedlington in Northumberland, the Bedlington Terrier has been described as "the favourite companion of the northern miners". They were originally known as Rodbury Terriers, Rothbury Terriers, or "Rothbury's Lambs", because the Lord of Rothbury had taken a particular liking to the dogs. Before this, they were known as "gypsy dogs", as the Romani people, called 'Gypsies' in those days, and poachers used them to hunt. The first mention of the Bedlington terrier, or as it was then known, the Rothbury or Rodbury Terrier, was in 1825, most likely in The Life of James Allen, but some dogs' pedigrees have been traced as far back as 1782. James' father, William, was much in demand as an otter hunter, and he kept Bedlington Terriers in order to help him hunt. They were also valued by their owners as rabbit coursing dogs and racing dogs, until the Whippet became more popular as a racing dog and a courser.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Bedlington Terrier - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Bedlington Terrier, revision 1370655990. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bedlington_Terrier&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:Boutchie apres championnat 004.JPGWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Boutchie apres championnat 004.JPG - David Owsiany. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boutchie_apres_championnat_004.JPG. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.