Of all “purebred” terriers, the Bedlington has the oldest non-broken pedigree going back to 1782. This notable dog was owned by Squire Trevelyan in the town of Netherwhitton located not far from the towns of Morpeth, Rothbury and Bedlington in northern England.
Many publications suggest that Bedlingtons were known as “gypsy dogs” because gypsies and poachers used them as vermin hunters and small game retrievers, but in reality, the popularity of Bedlingtons crossed all social boundaries. They were favorites of factory and mine workers, as well as Lord Rothbury whose estate was located in Bedlington. The breed was even known for a time as Rothbury terriers, but eventually the name Bedlington stuck. The first dog to actually be called a Bedlington Terrier was “Ainsley’s Piper” a dog owned by Joseph Ainsley in 1825.
Bedlington Terrier by Paul Doyle
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