Evening star., 1940-05-12
KEEPING TAB ON THE DOG WORLD
News of Leaders Dogdom and Their Masters Comments
Breeds: Notes Shows Here and Elsewhere
By r. r. Taynfon.

Win the 6eounGtOn Tor r0ughneSS,
toughness and general willingness
to mix 1t in any kind Of . scrap.
1t is now lis years since this pet
of miners and gypsy sportsmen was
first called q Bedlington terrier, but
that is not the age Of the breed.
Prior to 1925, when he was 80 chris
tened by Joseph Ainsley, . mason
from the town OF Bedlington, he was
known as q Rothbury terrier or q
Northumberland fox terrier.
There is no doubt that there is =
close relationship between the Bed
lington terrier and the Dandie DIM
mont terrier, although 1t is not
definitely known which came first
as . distinct breed. The most pop
ular theory Is that the Bedlington
resulted from q cross between the
Dandie and the otter hound, and
circumstances would seem to bear
out the logic Of this theory.
Both breeds were very popular for
otter, badger and other small game
hunting; the Dandie Dinmont was
the choice Of the gentry, the Bed
lington the companion of the
miners, gypsies and other hard
working sportsmen who resided III
that region. The latter were pri-
marily concerned with working abil-
ity, while blood lines and pedigree
meant very little to them unless
they were the blood lines and pedi-
gree of dogs that got the game. 1t
is safe to assume that II one OF
them happened to get good, work.
ing Dandie Dinmont by some hook
or crook and another had good
otter hound of the opposite sex,
they would try a little miscegena-
ton for the chance Of getting a
superior dog inheriting> the quail
ties of both parents.
Qualities Inherited.
For the purpose for which he was
designed, certainly the Bedington
terrier is superior dog. From his
otter hound forebears he has in
herited a much keener nose than
most terriers have. He can get on
the trail of small vermin in less
time and stick to it longer than any
other terrier breed. From his ter
rier ancestry he has inherited all
the pluck, dash. perseverance and
foolhardiness which lead him into
fights with formidable foes and
make him stick until the foe Is
vanquished. Another possible In
heritance from his otter hound
branch of the family is water-re-
sistant coat unlike that of most
terriers and love of water, which
makes him an easy subject to teach
retrieving. The Bedlington Terrier
Club of America manual shows 9
picture of Ch. Speedside Express
retrieving a duck in the icy water:
of White Bear Lake, MINI. THAI
he Is not an isolated water lover !.
proved by the fact that another
Bedlington is in the water with him
although he has no duck to retrieve
The Bedlington terrier is frs
mentioned In the biography ol
James Allan, a piper and member
of the Yetholme gypsy clan. Altar
was born about 17l9 and achieved
fame as q piper as well as hunts
man Of great ability. 1t was sale
when one of his dogs got scent oi
an otter or badger the hide was a!
good as sold.
In 1925, when the Rothbury ter
rier was renamed. the dog that
first carried the new breed name
was called Young Piper. He wa.
wheleped In 1890 a hundred year,
after the mention of the first O
his breed, the son of Jock Ander'
sons Piper and Phoebe. Pipe
was a liver -colored dog. about Il
inches at the shoulder and /:
pounds In weight. Phoebe was (
blue black with brindle legs and {
white topknot. standing l3 inches
at the shoulder and weighing abou
| IA pounds.
Record Traced.
However, Young Piper is not thu
first dog of which there is sucf
clear record. Old Flint has a full.
authenticated record. He belonget
to Mr.. Trevelyan, the squire o1
Netherwitton. From Old Film
traces Scamp, a very popular doi
In 1872 owned by Mrs. William
Clark. Scamp's descendants wer'
traced in direct, male line from
1892 to 1875, q record for any breed
In the l860s and 70s the Bedlingtol
terrier was enjoying q streak o
great popularity all over England
One of the most successful breed
ers Of the time was T. J. Pickett
whose best dogs, Tyne, Tynesidt
and Tear En-, suggested the watel
prowess Of the animals as well q
their value on land.
Tyne was first prize winner in +,
class of So Bedlingtons the first tim,
this breed was given a separat,
classification at the English show
In 1870. It is doubtful If such al
entry of Bedlingtons has beel
seen since then. BY 1880 the popu
larity of the breed in this countr,
was almost as great as that of tn