Bedlington Terrier puppies

About the Bedlington Terrier

The Bedlington Terrier came out of the mining country of northeast England, where they were worked on vermin and, quietly, on poached game. The pear shaped head, arched loin and crisp curly coat give them the outline of a lamb, and underneath there is a fast, hard little dog of 38 to 44cm and 7.7 to 10.4kg with genuine sighthound speed. They are affectionate and playful with their own people, keen to chase anything small, and they can be sharp with strange dogs.

Bedlingtons are energetic without being manic: a long walk or a game of fetch, then a place on the sofa. Gardens need fencing and walks need a lead, since the chase instinct is fully intact. The coat barely sheds, which suits some households, but it grows fast and needs clipping every two months plus a comb through once or twice a week. New owners often let that clipping schedule slip, or skip the DNA test for copper toxicosis when choosing a puppy.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Bedlington Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get them socialised before the vaccination course finishes. They will still need four meals a day. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Copper toxicosis, in which copper builds up in the liver and causes liver failure, detectable by DNA test
• Patellar luxation, a slipping kneecap, found on a patella evaluation
• Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Von Willebrand disease and thrombopathia, inherited bleeding disorders confirmed by clotting and DNA tests
• Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow evaluation of breeding stock
• Hypothyroidism, diagnosed on a thyroid blood panel

Your Bedlington Terrier puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Bedlington Terrier.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 7.7 to 10.4 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 10.4 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other small breeds

More on the Bedlington Terrier

Previous: Beauceron · Next: Belgian Laekenois

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Bedlington Terrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/bedlington-terrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: David Owsiany, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.