Top Activities For Bedlington Terriers

Introduction

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.

Advanced Obedience

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Moderate

Normal

15 - 60 min

Items needed

Leash

Treats

Activity description

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.

Step

1

Pick a technique

There are several obedience training techniques that are effective for both basic and advanced training levels. Methods that can be effective for training your dog can include relationship training, positive reinforcement, clicker training, and model or mirror training. Bedlington Terriers usually do best with upbeat training sessions, and they respond particularly well to praise as a motivator.

Step

2

Train for the basics

In order for your Bedlington to be able to compete at the Novice Level, they will need to know several specific commands. Some of the commands that they will need to know in order to be awarded the Companion Dog title that is required in order to advance to higher levels include a long sit for one minute, a long stay of two minutes, come when called, heeling on and off leash, and stand for exam.

Step

3

Locate a venue

There are several types of competitions and shows where you can showcase your dog’s new skills and talents. If you are new to this sport, you may want to start out participating at competitions that are held by local pet-related companies, training clubs, or even breed specific clubs before advancing to larger competitions, such as those put on by the AKC or the UKC.

Lure Coursing

Popular

0 Votes

Sunny Day

Moderate

Normal

15 - 60 min

Items needed

Crate (for transportation)

Muzzle (if required by the organization)

Water

Activity description

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.

Step

1

Check your dog

Lure coursing is a physically demanding sport and it is important to be sure you’re your dog is in good health before allowing them to participate. If your dog has not had a recent check-up with a veterinary professional, this would be a good time to have that information updated to ensure that their heart and lungs are strong and healthy enough to handle full out running, and to ensure that their joints can handle the additional pressure from the intense turns and zig zags.

Step

2

Find a club or group

Lure Coursing is not a particularly easy sport to practice in your backyard unless you have a large yard and are able to set up a pulley system. Most pet parents who participate in this sport contact a lure coursing group instead of trying to learn on their own. This can either be with one of the four officially sanctioned coursing clubs: the FCI, the American Kennel Club, the American Sighthound Field Associaton, and the Canadian Kennel Club, or you can choose a smaller club in your local area that can help to show you the ropes when it comes to this high-energy sport.

Step

3

Learn and compete

For most prey-driven dogs like the Bedlington Terrier, this sport tends to be fairly instinctual, but many courses will still allow first-time competitors to run the course by themselves first to acclimate to the field if they mention that they are a first-time racer. It is important for you to review the rules and regulations for your specific group as some groups have strict rules requiring muzzles on all dogs unless actively coursing, while others are much less strict about such things.

Therapy Dog

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Moderate

Normal

15 - 60 min

Items needed

Patience

Time

Training

Certification

Activity description

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.

Step

1

Socialize

The job of a therapy dog is to provide comfort to those who are in distress, and it is much easier to do so if the dog is also comfortable. Introducing your dog to as many types of situations as possible, not only different types of people, but also different sounds, surfaces, and smells. This step will help your dog to remain calm so that they can help others, no matter what the circumstance.

Step

2

Train

While there isn’t nearly as much training required to prepare a therapy dog for their job as many other service positions available for canines, there is some training needed. A dog that desires to be a therapy dog needs to consistently display polite behaviors and be able to dependably respond to basic obedience commands. In order to prove their ability to behave properly in multiple situations, an AKC Good Citizen Award must be earned by the canine in question.

Step

3

Register and visit

There are several National Therapy Dog organizations which can help you navigate your and your pooch’s adventures. Joining one of these groups will give you and your dog the opportunity to get insurance, information, and other types of support, including which locations you and your canine companion are most needed at and when you can start making visits.

More Fun Ideas...

Barn Hunt

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.

Sprints

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.

Conclusion

Bedlington Terriers are joyful and energetic dogs little dogs that are happiest with several varied activities to do. They are both sturdier and faster than they might first appear, and while they are most often seen at dog shows at this time, they were originally bred as pest control dogs and they still exhibit a strong desire to hunt and kill small scurrying critters.