The Bedlington Terrier. 185 



concerned, the Bedlington terrier requires a con- 

 siderable amount of " trimming " that is, he is not 

 sent into the ring with his coat quite in the natural 

 condition nature produced it. " Plucking" is carried 

 on to a great extent, and so highly do " fanciers " 

 value the correct blue colour and the light hue on 

 the top of the head that certain of them go so far as 

 to dye or stain their dogs. Then most of the judges 

 either altogether fail to detect this deceit or tacitly 

 wink at it anyhow the custom was particularly 

 common two or three years ago, and no doubt similar 

 instances can be found to-day at any of our big shows. 

 Then the Bedlington terrier is rather fond of fighting, 

 and not being a particularly elegantly shaped dog 

 he is not valued highly on that account ; nor is 

 he unshapely, crooked-legged, and big-headed to 

 the extent of being admired and run after for his 

 very ugliness. He is, however, a useful dog in the 

 country, but jealous in temperament where other 

 dogs are concerned, and a terrible foe when he is 

 that way inclined. An old gamekeeper of my 

 acquaintance owned a red Bedlington dog, about as 

 good at rabbits and vermin as any animal I ever 

 saw. He would distinguish between a hare and a 

 rabbit, never moving a yard after the former ; the 

 latter he would either catch or run to ground. He 

 would not hunt with any other dog, and a stranger 



