The Bedlington Terrier. 319 



at the shows. Indeed, a furious controversy has been raging as to 

 whether the strain is deserving of recognition as a fixed and well-defined 

 breed at all, and some of our south country friends have made fun of 

 the question ' What is a Bedlington terrier ? ' To this query the best 

 answer that can be given is that furnished by perhaps the most successful 

 exhibitor of the present day, Thomas John Pickett, of Grey-street, New- 

 castle-upon-Tyne, who says : ' The Bedlington is a light-made, wiry dog, 

 with a bright, alert bearing, and whose cut and demeanour is indicative of 

 fire and resolution. The head should be high and rather narrow, and 

 when looked at from behind should be almost wedge-shaped ; it should 

 be surmounted with a fine silky tuft, and this with the ears and tail 

 should, in the blue sort, be of a much darker shade of colour than the 

 body. The eyes should be small and a little sunken, and the jaw long, 

 quickly tapering, and muscular. The ears should be long, should hang 

 close to the cheek, and should be slightly feathered at the tip, whilst the 

 neck should be long and muscular, and should rise well away from widely- 

 set shoulder blades. The legs should be rather high, and should be 

 straight, hard, and sinewy. The body should be compact and well 

 formed. The tail should be small, from 8in. to 12in. long, and slightly 

 feathered. The coat should be rather wiry, and the colour blue-black, 

 sandy, or liver. The dark blue dogs should have black noses ; the liver 

 or sandy are most approved of with flesh or cherry- coloured noses, but I 

 would not object to a sandy dog with a black nose if from the blue strain.' 



" Although the Bedlington terrier is only a new comer, I think he has a 

 great future before him with regard to popularity and esteem. The breed 

 can well afford to depend upon its merits to push its way to the front, and 

 the more well-bred specimens get spread about, in the greater demand will 

 the dog most assuredly be. The Bedlington, I take it, is a farmer's friend, or 

 a country gentleman's companion. No breed of terrier can compare with 

 him for stamina, fire, courage, and resolution. He will knock about aE 

 day with his master, busy as a bee at foxes, rabbits, or otters ; and at 

 night, when any other sort of dog would be stiff, sore, and utterly jaded, 

 he will turn up bright as a new shilling, and ready for any game going. 

 He takes to the water readily, has a capital nose, is most intelligent and 

 lively, and, as I have said, as a rough and ready friend about the fields 

 and woods he has no equal. 



" Despite the vast body of evidence adduced to clear up the question 



