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Explore the history, standards, and versatility of the Bedlington Terrier, from its hunting roots to conformation breed judging.
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COR-RECT [ADJ] – (of a thing or course of action) meeting the requirements of or most appropriate for a particular situation or activity.
It’s no secret that the Bedlington Terrier was originally developed to be a hunting dog. A specialized hunting dog at that, being very well suited to hunting at night and coursing its quarry. It is a quiet breed (out of necessity) with intensely powerful jaws. After a few years’ experience in dealing with it, I’m forced to admit that the rather unique coat does afford some degree of protection from the elements. The Bedlington can, did, and does put meat on the table and money in the pocket. The Conformation breeders, though, have contributed greatly to the breed’s overall health and well-being.
Like other breeds, Bedlington Terriers are judged in Conformation against a written Breed Standard. No matter whether it is AKC, FCI, UKC, or anyone else, they are all intended to describe the same breed to perform the same purpose. Moreover, the Bedlington Standard has changed very little since its inception. The last AKC revision was in 1967. It is written on about one and a third pages, considerably shorter and less detailed than some other breeds. What makes the Standard unique is that it covers all the specific requisites for breed type, without being unduly restrictive or judgmental. Many of its provisions have helped to ensure that the breed remains typey, healthy, and capable. To their credit, the breeders and parent club have resisted changing the Standard for the sole purpose of adapting to current trends within the breed.
The AKC Standard has no disqualifications for the breed at all. The word “preferred” appears just once in the Standard in connection with the height of the dog, but even that is quickly qualified with an exemption for a dog or bitch of obvious quality. We have no idea who prefers that height. But the amount of latitude in many characteristics, including height, enables the Bedlington to be a versatile and very useful breed while remaining “correct” in most of its iterations.
As Conformation judges, we are discouraged from having preferences within the breed. Good breeders do, of course, have many preferences. They can and should breed along the lines that will satisfy their goals. Judges, though, are sworn to uphold the Standard, the whole Standard, and nothing but the Standard. We’re not allowed to have preferences where none are indicated in the Standard, but we can and should have priorities.
In the fairly recent past, most Breed Standards contained a Scale of Points (SOP) that allegedly assisted Conformation judges in determining the priorities in a “correct” exhibit. No need to actually observe the breed hunting or form your own conclusions on the importance of the various tools that the Bedlington Terrier uses to get the job done. Unfortunately, among those who assembled the Scale of Points in the first place, most had little or no experience hunting over the breed.
Today’s judges’ education process and mentoring opportunities afford Conformation judges the opportunities to form their own priorities within the breed. Those priorities may be based on your own experience, or the mentoring one has received, but in any case, they should directly relate to the actual working purpose of the breed.
While the Conformation community has contributed immensely to the betterment of the Bedlington Terrier, it must be kept in mind that the breed is still today (and every day) used for hunting a variety of game, from rats to fox, across Europe, the UK, and the US. It’s even used on badger in those countries where that is legal. Those owners demand a dog that is ideally suited not only for their chosen quarry but for the type of landscape they hunt. That’s as true today as it was when Lord Rothbury hunted the breed. (The Rothbury estate of 9500 acres was sold in October 2024 to a land trust for £35 million, ensuring that it will remain accessible to hunting. It had been in the family since 1332.) To get that dog, hunters may often outcross to other breeds (such as Whippets) to gain a small advantage. In nearly every case this is a single event, kind of like breeding mules, and not intended to create a Beddy-poo.
Despite a fair number of breed outcrosses, the hunting community has been sensible enough to maintain four distinct and solid lines of purebred Bedlington Terriers so that the hard-won gene pool remains available forever. You can look at even the most rugged of these dogs and visualize the Standard.
The Bedlington is not, in the strict sense of the word, a true “working terrier.” By definition, working terriers are those bred specifically to go to ground. The short-legged breeds are not as adept at coursing their quarry nor do they necessarily have the power to bring larger game. Still, Bedlingtons can and do frequently serve as earthdogs, particularly on badger. The 81-square-inch tunnel used at earthdog tests and den trials presents no problem at all for even a medium-sized Beddy, and many have attained earthdog titles and Certificates of Gameness.
One hears arguments that the “correct” Bedlington Terrier is of such and such a height, is this color or that color, or weighs so many pounds. Every Bedlington will have faults, but each of them is “correct” as long as it conforms to the Standard. I’m a ratter and a fox hunter. I use a Bedlington as a small lurcher to wait outside the burrow for the hole dog to do its work. Should the quarry successfully bolt, the Bedlington is able to run it down and finish the job. For my own dogs then, I’m looking for something at the high end of the permissible scale. Bedlingtons at the larger end of the spectrum are easily able to match the 31 miles per hour of which the red fox is capable. Attaining that speed is more difficult for those with less leg under them, but it can be done.
Those who use the breed to go to ground are looking for dogs as small as permissible to reduce the chances of them getting caught underground. There’s available work for all sizes and they are to be regarded equally.
The Bedlington Terrier Standard as written is, in this writer’s opinion, one of the better Breed Standards in existence. It’s as adequate today as it was in 1967. Many Standards are too detailed for even the most proficient judge to make a 100 percent accurate assessment in the two and a half minutes of allotted ring time. Other Standards are so permissive as to describe a wide variety of breed pretenders and, over time, may have a detrimental effect on breed type.
Our Standard speaks little about grooming, except to say, “When in show trim [the coat] must not exceed 1 inch on [the] body; hair on [the] legs is slightly longer.” Bedlington groomers are the best on the planet and are expert at making exhibits appear at their (ahem) best advantage. There is no way at all to accurately assess a Bedlington Terrier without getting your hands into that perfect groom. You need to feel the bone of a hunting dog, no matter how tall he or she may be. You need to feel the muscle tone that is beneath that carefully sculpted silhouette. The well-groomed Bedlington will always appear “correct” and catch your eye, but it is what’s underneath it all that counts.
The degree of “correctness” in a Bedlington may be vastly different concepts to different people, and the capable judge will be able to appreciate all of the dogs that fall within the Breed Standard. There is no preferred color. (“Darker body pigmentation of all colors is to be encouraged (emphasis mine).”) There is a preferred height, but an exception is quickly made for dogs that may vary from that. Neither the word “correct” nor anything similar appears in any Standard. That which is “correct” is up to you to decide, based on your knowledge, experience, and priorities. Any dog that fits the Standard may qualify.
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