The Bedlington Terrier - A Complete Anthology of the Dog -

By Read Books Ltd.

The Bedlington Terrier - A Complete Anthology of the Dog gathers together all the best early writing on the breed from our library of scarce, out-of-print antiquarian books and documents and reprints it in a quality, modern edition. This anthology includes chapters taken from a comprehensive range of books, many of them now rare and much sought-after works, all of them written by renowned breed experts of their day. These books are treasure troves of information about the breed - The physical points, temperaments, and special abilities are given; celebrated dogs are discussed and pictured; and the history of the breed and pedigrees of famous champions are also provided. The contents were well illustrated with numerous photographs of leading and famous dogs of that era and these are all reproduced to the highest quality. Books used include: My Dog And I by H. W. Huntington (1897), Dogs Of The World by Arthur Craven (1931), Hutchinson's Dog Encyclopaedia by Walter Hutchinson (1935) and many others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Oct 19, 2011
• ISBN: 9781447491712

Book preview

1935

THE BEDLINGTON TERRIER.

BY HUGH DALZIEL.

Of all the varieties of terriers, not one owes more to dog shows than the Bedlington. Until these institutions came in vogue they were almost unknown out of their own district, having the strictly local habitation which their name imports; indeed, so much was this the case that, when first brought before the general public, and their merits and claims to long descent descanted on by some of their admirers in The Field eight or nine years ago, there were not a few to question their good qualities, and to deny them the right to be considered a distinct variety. Now no one doubts that they possess characteristics clearly distinguishing them from every other variety of terrier; nor would anyone, I imagine, now be rash enough to assert that a Bedlington could be produced in a few years by crossing certain other varieties, as was boldly stated in the discussion on the breed in The Field in 1869. The Bedlingtons, however originally produced, exhibit pronounced distinctive features separating them from all other terriers; and this is so thoroughly recognised that separate classes are made for them at all our principal shows.

The history of the breed, and the long pedigree claimed for them, are not quite so clear, resting, as they do, to a great extent on traditional evidence, which is never severely accurate in such matters. I have before me, by the kindness of Major J. A. Cowen, the pedigree of his blue and tan dog Askim II., pupped in 1874, which goes back to about 1792; the oldest named progenitors being A. Evan’s Vixen, by the Miller of Felton’s dog, out of a bitch of Carr’s, of Felton Hall. The pedigrees of Nailor and Rosebud, the subjects of our engraving, as furnished me by the secretary of the Bedlington Terrier Club, Mr. W. J. Donkin, go back through the same channel, claiming as the fountain head Old Flint, the property of Squire Trevellyan, of Netherwitton, the same date being given as the limit to which the breed can be traced. Granting, however, that these facts are correct—and I think there is very good evidence that they are at least approximately so, which is all that can be reasonably expected in such a case—there is no proof that Old Flint or the Miller’s dog had the characteristics of the modern Bedlington; and I think, had there existed a breed in that district at the date referred to differing so widely from the ordinary run of terriers, we might expect to find some notice of it in Bewick, whose book was first published at Newcastle in 1790. But the terrier shown in his woodcut is a totally different animal, being a heavy, coarse, unshapely dog, with rather short and thick legs, the fore ones heavily feathered, a rough bearded muzzle, prick ears, and coarse tail turned over the back; and of terriers he writes: There are two kinds, the one rough, short-legged, long-backed, very strong, and most commonly of a black or yellowish colour, mixed with white; the other is smooth, sleek, and beautifully formed, having a shorter body, and more sprightly appearance; it is generally of a reddish brown colour, or black with tanned legs, and is similar to the rough terrier in disposition and faculties, but inferior in size, strength, and fierceness.

BEDLINGTON TERRIERS.—MR. F. ARMSTRONG’S ROSEBUD AND MR A. ARMSTRONG’S NAILOR.

Neither of these varieties, it will be seen, bears any resemblance to the modern Bedlington; and how this dog, as he is, was produced must be to a great extent matter of conjecture. If we go beyond the present century—or I might fix a much more recent date—there does not exist, so far as I have been able to discover, an engraving of a terrier with other than prick ears; and I imagine the Bedlington owes his hanging filbert-shaped ones to otter-hound blood, whilst his general conformation suggests a combination of greyhound and terrier. When once the properties desired—if the breeder had a design—were developed, they would be improved and fixed by selection; but, as often happens, the first real Bedlington, as we now understand it, may have been the result of haphazard breeding. It was not, however, until the year 1825 that the name Bedlington was given to this breed of terriers by Mr. Ainsley, the breeder of a celebrated dog, Young Piper; and this date gives some confirmation to the claim that the pedigree dates back to 1792, for Young Piper was by Anderson’s Piper out of a bitch known as Coate’s Phoebe. This bitch was brought from Bedlington in the year 1820, and given to Mr. Andrew Riddle, of Framlington, and subsequently passed into the hands of Mr. Ainsley; and as her pedigree is traced for four generations, and that of Piper, with which dog she was mated, for five generations, it is just barely possible that it might take us back to 1792. The names of the principal breeders before the Young Piper era were Messrs. R. Cowen, Rocklaw, Dixon, Longhursley, Anderson, Rothbury, and Edward Donkin, known during the first quarter of this century to sportsmen of Coquetdale as hunting Ned. He was the owner of two celebrated dogs, Peachem and Pincher, whose blood runs in the veins of all our best dogs.

Before proceeding to give a description of the Bedlington as he is, I will put on record descriptions of these two famous progenitors of the modern dog. Anderson’s Piper was a slender-built dog, 15in. high, and weighing only 15lb.; he was liver colour, the hair being of a hard, linty texture; ears large, hanging close to the cheek, and slightly feathered at the tips. Phoebe was black, with brindled legs, and with a tuft of light-coloured hair on the top of her head; she was 13in. high, and weighed 14lb. This shows that more than fifty years ago some of the features peculiar to the Bedlington of to-day characterised their ancestors.

In general appearance the Bedlington terrier has little to recommend him; to strangers he must be known to be appreciated. He looks lean and leggy, his flat sides, cut-up flank, and light thighs give him a starved appearance; in fact, as a rule, he is an indifferent feeder, and never carries much flesh; he has, too, in quiescence, a soft look, although when roused he is all fire; he is a remarkably courageous dog—deadly to vermin of every kind, from the rat to the otter and badger; rather too fond of a free fight, but not the vicious brute he has been described. I may mention that the two dogs, Nailor and Rosebud, were in my keeping for two days whilst Mr. Baker sketched them; and, although I had never seen them, except a few times on the show bench, I let them run loose in the street and fields, and found them most tractable, under perfect command, and instantly obedient to voice or whistle.

The points are:—

1. Head.—This is long and narrow, and wedge-shaped; the skull, however, is not long, it is the jaw that gives the length, and in thickness it is a medium between the tapering muzzle of the English terrier and the broader muzzle of the Dandie Dinmont; the skull is high, narrow, and peaked at the occiput.

2. Ears.—These are filbert-shaped, lying close to the cheek, and set on low, leaving the outline of the head clear. They should be slightly feathered at the tips.

3. Eyes.—In blue and blue and tans the eyes have a dark amber shade; in livers and sandy specimens they are lighter, commonly called hazel eyes. They should be small, well sunk in the head, and placed close together.

4. Jaws and teeth.—As already said, the jaw is long, lean, and powerful. In most specimens the upper jaw is slightly longer, making the dog overshot. The level-mouthed dogs are termed pincer-jawed. The teeth should be large, regular, and white.

5. Nose.—The nose should be large, standing out rather prominently. The blue and blue and tans have black noses; the livers and linties have them red or flesh coloured.

6. Neck and shoulders.—The neck long and muscular, rising gradually from the shoulders to the head; the shoulder is flat and light, set much like the greyhound’s.

7. Body.—Moderately long, with rather flat ribs, low at the shoulder, especially in the bitches; arched light and muscular loins, slightly tucked up flank, deep chest.

8. Legs and feet.—Fore legs perfectly straight and rather long; feet large, furnished with long, strong claws.

YORKSHIRE TERRIERS.—MRS. FOSTER’S HUDDERSFIELD BEN AND LADY GIFFARD’S KATIK.

9. Coat.—The coat is rather soft, about the texture of fine flax, hence called linty, with a few hard hairs scattered through it; but a decidedly wiry coat is not orthodox.

10. Colour.—The recognised colours are blue, blue and tan, liver, liver and tan, and various hues of sandy, the lightest called linty; but this term is objectionable, as it originally referred to the texture—therefore, it would be better, to prevent confusion, to call them light sandy or flaxen, as there are often special classes for this colour. The coat should be open and straight, but some are slightly curly.

11. The tail.—This should be of moderate length, 8in. to 10in., set on low, carried straight, or with a slight curve, not curled, over the back.

12. Weight.—This varies considerably, running from 16lb. up to 25lb.; but 18lb. to