Bedlington Terrier
A lamb by design, a terrier by conviction.
Vital stats
| Size | Small · 38–43 cm |
| Weight | 8–10 kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–14 years |
| Energy | Moderate — 60 min/day |
| Shedding | Very low |
| Coat | Curly, linty · blue, liver, sandy — with or without tan |
| Group | Terrier · FCI №9 / AKC |
| Origin | Northumberland, England |
| FCI group | 3 — Terriers · FCI 9 |
Breed traits
Friendliness
Care
Mind
The Bedlington Terrier by the numbers
The Bedlington Terrier facts owners search for most — price, lifespan, weight, shedding and colours, in one place.
Less common, so expect a waitlist and some travel to a reputable breeder — which pushes the price up. Ongoing costs stay modest — it eats little and routine vet care sits at the lower end. Its coat also needs a professional groom every few weeks — a real line in the budget.
We don't quote a single figure: the real price swings with breeder, region, bloodline and health testing — and a rescue costs a fraction of a breeder's litter. Adopting is almost always the cheapest route.
Temperament
Northumberland's miners and nailers bred the Bedlington to kill rats and rabbits by day and race for wagers by night, and both gifts remain: a soft, devoted housemate that transforms into a blur the instant something small bolts. It's milder and more cuddly than the terrier average — until challenged, when old pit courage resurfaces.
Habits & quirks
The instant transformation
Sofa ornament to sighthound in half a second flat whenever something furry moves.
Lamb impressions
Strangers will ask if it's a lamb, a poodle cross, or real; it enjoys the attention.
The dignified cuddle
More affectionate than most terriers, it claims laps with quiet, immovable certainty.
Grudge-free days, long memories
Sweet with people always — but it rarely forgets a dog that started something.
Health
One inherited condition defines health in this breed: copper toxicosis, an inability to clear copper from the body so that it builds up in the liver. The good news is that it is straightforward to screen for — a DNA test identifies affected and carrier dogs — so buy only from parents that have been tested, and tell your own vet the breed's history so it is on the radar from the start. Beyond that, the Bedlington is a hardy little terrier; the main day-to-day job is that curly, linty coat, which needs regular clipping and combing or it quietly mats.
Nutrition
| Grooming | Clip every six to eight weeks and comb weekly; the linty coat barely sheds but felts if ignored. |
| Health | Copper toxicosis runs in the breed — buy only from DNA-tested lines and tell your vet the breed's history. |
| Exercise | An hour daily with real sprint opportunities in secure areas; that Whippet blood wants using. |
| Containment | Off-lead freedom needs fenced space — recall competes badly with rabbits. |
The Bedlington is a small dog with a real turn of speed, so the aim is a lean, athletic terrier, not a soft one. Measure the meals, keep treats in proportion to an 8–10 kg frame, and check by feel: you want to find the ribs easily under that thick, curly coat, which hides a bit of extra weight better than a smooth coat would. Feed to the exercise the dog actually gets, and keep it trim — the arched, sprinter's back is not built to carry spare padding.
Puppy guide
A Bedlington puppy is gentler than the terrier average, but the prey drive is already in there, waiting for the first small thing to bolt. Socialise him early and widely, get recall started from the beginning, and build good coat habits young — regular gentle handling and grooming now makes the six-to-eight-week clipping routine easy for life. Introduce him calmly to other dogs, since a sweet-natured Bedlington can still be slow to forget one that starts a fight, and let those growing legs run in safe, enclosed space rather than flat-out on hard ground too soon.
Training
For a terrier, the Bedlington is agreeable and affectionate, and it responds well to reward-based training done with a light touch. The honest limit is instinct: put a rabbit up in front of one and recall competes badly with several thousand years of ratting and coursing, so the sprint has to happen somewhere fenced. Train recall anyway, keep sessions short and fun, and manage the prey drive rather than expecting to erase it — with people it is one of the softest terriers going, but that Whippet blood means a bolting squirrel will always be interesting.
Life expectancy
Bedlington Terriers live 12–14 years. Bedlingtons are generally long-lived little dogs, and the thing that most protects those years is buying from copper-tested lines so liver trouble never gets a start. After that it is the familiar routine: keep the dog lean, keep the coat clipped and combed, stay on top of teeth and vaccinations, and give it the daily sprint it was bred to want. A well-bred, well-kept Bedlington stays sprightly a long way into old age.
Similar breeds
Breeds with a similar build and background — worth a look if this one isn't quite the fit.
Breeds that look like this
Common questions
Do Bedlington Terriers shed?
Barely at all — the curly, linty coat holds its hair, which is why the breed suits many allergy-conscious homes. The trade-off is clipping every couple of months.
Are Bedlingtons aggressive?
With people, no — they're among the gentlest terriers. With rodents they're deadly by design, and some males won't back down if another dog picks a fight.
What is copper toxicosis in Bedlingtons?
An inherited inability to excrete copper, which accumulates in the liver. A DNA test identifies affected and carrier dogs, so buy from tested parents and screening is straightforward.
Is the Bedlington Terrier hypoallergenic?
No dog is truly hypoallergenic, but the Bedlington Terrier comes closer than most: its low-shedding coat releases less of the dander that triggers allergies. Many allergy sufferers manage well with this breed, but spend time around one before committing.
Is the Bedlington Terrier good with children?
They can be. The Bedlington Terrier is reasonably sociable and can be good with children in the right home, especially when socialised early. Supervise around young kids and teach dog and child to respect each other.
Is the Bedlington Terrier easy to train?
Reasonably. The Bedlington Terrier is trainable with consistency and rewards, though it isn't the quickest study. Keep sessions short and positive, and be patient with the basics like recall.
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