BEDLINGTON TERRIER

BEDLINGTON TERRIER

FCI-Standard N°9 / 12. 03. 1998 / GB

ORIGIN : Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.06.1987.

UTILIZATION : Terrier.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 3 Terriers.
Section 1 Large and medium-sized Terriers.
Without working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : A graceful, lithe, muscular dog, with no signs of either weakness or coarseness. Whole head pear or wedge-shaped, and expression in repose mild and gentle.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Spirited and game, full of confidence. An intelligent companion with strong sporting instincts. Good-tempered, having an affectionate nature, dignified, not shy or nervous. Mild in repose but full of courage when roused.

HEAD : Covered with profuse silky top-knot which should be nearly white.

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Narrow, but deep and rounded.
Stop : There must be no stop : the line from occiput to nose-end straight and unbroken.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Nostrils large and well defined. Blues and blue and tans must have black noses, liver and sandies must have brown noses.
Muzzle : Well filled up beneath eyes.
Lips : Close fitting, without flew.
Jaw/Teeth : jaw long and tapering. Teeth large and strong. Scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes : Small, bright and deep set. Ideal eye has appearance of being triangular. Blues have a dark eye; blue and tans have lighter eye with amber lights, livers and sandies a light hazel eye.
Ears : Moderately sized, filbert-shaped, set on low, and hanging flat to cheek. Thin and velvety in texture; covered with short fine hair with fringe of whitish silky hair at tip.

NECK : Long and tapering, deep base with no tendency to throatiness. Springs well up from shoulders, and head carried rather high.

BODY : Muscular and markedly flexible. Body slightly greater in length than height.
Back : has natural arch over loin.
Loin : Arched loin with curved topline immediately above loins.
Chest : Deep and fairly broad. Flat ribbed, deep through brisket which reaches to elbow.
Underline : Arched loin creating a definite tuck-up of underline.

TAIL : Moderate length, thick at root, tapering to a point and gracefully curved. Set on low, never carried over back.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight, wider apart at chest than at feet.
Shoulders : Flat and sloping.
Pasterns : Long and slightly sloping without weakness.

HINDQUARTERS : Muscular and moderate length. Hindlegs have appearance of being longer than forelegs.
Hocks : Strong and well let down, turning neither in nor out.

FEET : Long hare feet with thick and well closed-up pads.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Capable of galloping at high speed and have appearance of being able to do so. Action very distinctive, rather mincing, light and springy in slower paces and slight roll when in full stride.

COAT

HAIR : Very distinctive. Thick and linty, standing well out from skin, but not wiry. A distinct tendency to twist, particularly on head and face.

COLOUR : Blue, liver, or sandy with or without tan. Darker pigment to be encouraged.

SIZE AND WEIGHT : Height about 41 cm ( 16 inches ) at withers. This allows for slight variation below in the case of a bitch and above in the case of a dog. Weight between 8,2-10,4 kg ( 18 and 23 lbs).

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.