Prepare for unexpected vet bills
The Bedlington Terrier is an elegant looking little dog with a curly white coat that is most often seen in the show ring or viewed as a companion animal. While they are a touch more refined in their behavior than the average terrier, they are still a terrier breed, and they are an athletic and energetic dog breed with a cheery demeanor. These dogs tend to be very people oriented and enjoy entertaining others but do tend to retain some of the higher prey drive from when they were more often used as working dogs, and they can sometimes be overly vocal.
This breed of dog was originally developed as pest control dogs; the Bedlington Terrier is a very intelligent and people-oriented canine that tends to pick up obedience commands rather quickly. Proper training goes a long way towards ensuring that your canine companion doesn’t develop stubborn behaviors. They tend to be comical and entertaining at home, and they seem to enjoy the spotlight, making them well-suited to activities with an audience. Advanced and competitive obedience is a great way to work both their minds and their bodies as well as possibly giving them an opportunity to show off their new skills to an appreciative audience.Â
Lure coursing is an activity that was originally established as a way to allow sighthounds like Greyhounds and Saluki breed dogs to follow their instincts in a safer and more controlled environment. In this sport a lure, most commonly a white plastic bag, is attached to a line that is attached to a series of pullies that drag the bag quickly down the field, frequently switching directions in order to more accurately mimic the movement of fleeing game. While the Bedlington Terrier isn’t strictly a sighthound, many experts believe that they likely have whippet in their ancestry, and they are likely to take to this sport very quickly.Â
Therapy dogs make visits to hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and even sites of recent tragedies in order to provide comfort and support to the people in need of it. Unlike becoming a support animal which can require years of training, therapy dogs just need a great attitude and a few months of training to be ready to do their job. Bedlington Terriers are upbeat and friendly dogs who love to spread happiness and joy, but are somewhat calmer than many other terriers, and they don’t tend to drop shed hairs very often making them well-suited to this particular type of work.
While the Bedlington Terrier's prey drive is somewhat muted compared to some terriers, it is still a prominent part of their personality. Barn hunt uses live rats hidden among bushels of hay in special safety tubes in order to allow rat and vermin hunting dogs like the Bedlington to satisfy their hunting urges in an environment that is safe and controlled for all the animals involved. Â
A dog like the Bedlington Terrier has plenty of energy to go around. Rather than take them on a casual stroll now and then, spice it up a bit by alternating times of sprinting throughout the walk.