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CHAPTER XIX. 



THE BEDLINGTON TERRIER. 



A DOG which has made vast advances towards improvement of type of late years is the 

 Bedlington Terrier. Like the Irish Terrier, some few years back it was practically unknown, 

 and, like the Irish Terrier, its existence on the bench is in a great measure due to the 

 correspondence and support it received in newspaper columns. A few ardent dog-lovers, 

 amongst whom the late Mr. Samuel Handley was eminently conspicuous, being struck by this 

 dog's gameness and love of sport, determined to bring the merits of the Bedlington Terrier 

 before the public, and having interested many persons by their letters on the breed, were 

 at last successful in getting them classes at most of the principal shows. 



Unfortunately the support of the public at large has not hitherto extended much beyond 

 affording prizes for Bedlingtons, and Geordie, the miner, is still almost alone in the possession 

 of the breed. It is quite true that several north-country amateurs have patronised this dog, 

 but it has only been in a lukewarm sort of way ; and the majority of the southern exhibitors 

 who took it up have quickly abandoned the Bedlington in favour of other breeds. This is 

 almost unexplainable, for its merits as a companion and a vermin dog rank very high. Some 

 are certainly rather short in their tempers, but so it is in every breed, and we have met with 

 scores of Bedlingtons who will compare in temper with any variety. The more natural deduc- 

 tion to be drawn from the want of support which has been accorded this breed is that it 

 is not an easy thing to get hold of a good strain of Bedlingtons without great expenditure 

 of time and money. Miners are not able to show their dogs often, and even if they did so, 

 are devoted enough to them to decline to let them go on any terms. An admirer of the 

 breed, therefore, who purposes going in for it to any extent, will have to search the Newcastle 

 and Blaydon districts thoroughly before he is likely to get together a stud of dogs which 

 will do him credit. A Norfolk gentleman who had invested largely in the breed some time 

 back, and who was pretty successful in his show operations, told us that though he had got 

 together a nice strain of dogs, yet the difficulties he found put in the way of his obtaining 

 crosses had determined him to give it up. He most sensibly remarked that it was useless 

 to commence the foundation of a new strain without a dash of one or two of the best old blood 

 in it, and as lie could not be positive that this would be obtainable at the time he wanted it 

 he did not care to risk a probable failure at the end of one or two years' breeding 

 operations. 



Though the breed may not be so popular as others with " doggy " men throughout the 

 country, it is nevertheless certain that in its own district its merits meet with due recognition. 

 In Newcastle and its environs almost every man has a "poop," and that "poop" is certain 

 almost to be a Bedlington. In the company of his trusty tyke, the miner when off duty is 

 supremely happy. They hunt or poach together, fight together, sleep together, and not unfre- 

 quently drink together ; it is no uncommon sight to enter the tap-room of a. north-country 

 public-house and see as many dogs as men in the room, and all apparently equally interested 

 jn the evening's proceedings. The greatest insult which can be put upon such a master is a 



