The Bedlington Terrier. 323 



but experience has shown them to be wiry, enduring, and in courage 

 equal to the bulldog. They will face almost anything, and some queer 

 stories could be told about them ; they will seize a burning paper ; and 

 Mr. Thos. Wheatley, of Newcastle, had a dog that carried a red hot 

 poker in its mouth, the mouth after having much the same smell as when 

 putting a new shoe on a horse's foot. The dog mentioned was a very 

 little one, and was greatly in-bred. To their other good qualities may 

 be added their marked intelligence and hostility to vermin of all kinds. 

 They will encounter the otter, fox, or badger with the greatest determina- 

 tion." 



The same writer, I may observe, in common with most fanciers of the 

 breed, claims for them a pedigree going back to 1792 ; but it is quite 

 clear from the above statement that an admixture of terrier blood from 

 Staffordshire was introduced, and the colour of the Alnwick bitch bred 

 from by Ainsley goes to show she was not in that point at least what we 

 now recognise a Bedlington to be. The evidence, written and traditional, 

 is, however, conclusive that a terrier of a distinct type had, prior to that, 

 been recognised as peculiar to the district, and the infusion of a strain of 

 foreign blood, although it might modify, would probably not greatly alter 

 the original type. 



In respect to the character of the Bedlington, I have been converted 

 from a prejudice against him to a very strong feeling in his favour, and 

 that by fairly studying the breed and finding that two, the only dogs of 

 the breed I have owned, were all their most ardent admirers claim for 

 them. I have found them easily kept under command, a remarkably 

 lively and cheerful dog, with plenty of " go " in them, capital at vermin, 

 showing plenty of courage and bottom, receiving punishment in silence 

 and returning it with interest ; handsome I cannot say I think them, but 

 they possess a style, and are stamped with character which removes them 

 from any suspicion of mongrelism. I have found them first-class water 

 dogs, and most intelligent, obedient, and useful as house guards and com- 

 panions. In none of the specimens I have had to do with have I 

 observed the disagreeable odour referred to by the writer in the " New- 

 castle Chronicle," quoted above. 



In general appearance the Bedlington is somewhat leggy and flat- 

 sided, but useful, active, and hardy looking. It is a practice very 

 commonly indulged in to pluck the hair from the face and muzzle. Dogs 



T 2 



