Bedlington Terrier Dog Breed Information

The Bedlington Terrier is the small breed that NZ first-time buyers spot at a dog show, fall for instantly, and almost always underestimate the cost of. The lamb-like silhouette is unmistakable, the coat does not shed, and the breed is genuinely well-suited to apartment life in Wellington and inner-city Auckland. The catch is a hereditary liver disease that affects this breed and no other, and a DNA test that any reputable NZ breeder will already have in the puppy pack.

Adults stand 38 to 44 cm at the shoulder and weigh 8 to 10 kg. The coat is a curly mix of soft and crisp hairs, comes in blue, liver and sandy (often with tan points), and lightens with age. Lifespan is 12 to 14 years, longer for DNA-clear lines on appropriate diets.

The trade-off most buyers underrate is the grooming bill. The coat does not shed but never stops growing, and a Bedlington that has not been clipped in eight weeks looks nothing like the breed in the show ring. NZ pet owners typically budget NZ$70 to NZ$130 every six to eight weeks for clipping, plus twice-weekly home brushing.

Personality and behaviour

Bedlingtons are affectionate, alert and notably softer-tempered than the working terriers they share a group with. They bond closely to family, settle quickly indoors, and are quieter at home than a Westie or a Jack Russell. Outdoors, the Whippet ancestry shows: the breed runs faster than its size suggests and will give chase with real focus.

The trait that surprises new owners is how different the breed feels indoors versus outdoors. A sleeping Bedlington on the couch looks like a passive lap dog. The same dog at the park, having spotted a rabbit, accelerates from standstill to full sprint in three strides. Households with cats need careful introduction; households with rabbits, guinea pigs or outdoor aviary birds should think hard before adding a Bedlington.

Same-sex dog tolerance is the other watch-point. Adult Bedlingtons can be assertive with unfamiliar same-sex dogs, particularly other terriers. Early socialisation and neutral introductions help, and most adult Bedlingtons live happily alongside dogs of the opposite sex.

Care and exercise

Plan on 60 minutes of real exercise per day, with at least two off-lead runs per week at a fenced park, beach or rural block. Bedlingtons are happy with shorter weekday walks if weekend exercise is generous, but a chronically under-exercised Bedlington gets noisy and chewy.

Grooming is the part most buyers underestimate. The mixed coat traps shed hair, which keeps fur off the floor but means matting is the lifetime watch-point. Brush twice weekly with a slicker brush, paying attention to the topknot, behind the ears and the leg furnishings. Clipping every six to eight weeks (NZ$70 to NZ$130) maintains the lamb outline; many NZ owners learn to do basic tidy-up work between visits.

Diet matters more than for most small breeds. DNA-clear Bedlingtons can eat any quality complete food. Carrier or affected dogs benefit from low-copper diets that avoid lamb liver, beef heart, shellfish and copper-rich supplements. If your dog tests as affected, your vet can prescribe a hepatic diet and (where appropriate) chelating medication that managed correctly gives the dog a normal lifespan.

Dental disease is the other lifetime watch-point. Small jaws crowd teeth, plaque builds, and by age six many Bedlingtons need a full scale-and-polish under general anaesthetic (NZ$400 to NZ$900). Daily tooth brushing from puppyhood pushes that out by years.

The copper toxicosis test

This is the single most important thing for any NZ buyer to understand about the breed.

Bedlington Terriers carry a hereditary defect in the COMMD1 gene that prevents the liver from excreting dietary copper. Affected dogs accumulate copper in liver tissue from puppyhood; without intervention, liver failure can occur in middle age. The good news is that a simple DNA cheek-swab test (around NZ$120 through NZ vet labs) classifies any dog as clear, carrier or affected, and reputable NZKC breeders have been testing for two decades. Two clear parents produce only clear puppies; carrier-to-clear pairings produce no affected puppies.

Practical buyer steps:

• Ask the breeder for written COMMD1 DNA test results for both parents.
• A puppy from two clear parents needs no further testing.
• A puppy from any pairing involving a carrier should also be DNA-tested before purchase.
• Avoid sellers who cannot or will not provide DNA results. The test has been routine since 2002; absence of results is a red flag.

Where to find a Bedlington Terrier in New Zealand

Active NZ Bedlington breeders are very few, typically two or three at any one time. The Dogs NZ breed directory lists current breeders by region. Expect a 6 to 18 month waitlist, NZ$2,500 to NZ$4,500 per puppy with full health screening (DNA, eyes, patellas), and the realistic possibility that the next available litter is on the South Island when you are in Auckland.

The breed almost never appears in SPCA or general rescue. A handful of adolescent or adult Bedlingtons surface through enthusiast networks each year; Dogs NZ club secretaries are the best contact point. Avoid Trade Me listings without DNA test results; the breed’s small NZ population means most untested dogs trace back to a small number of unscreened lines.

Insurance and lifetime cost

Bedlington insurance claims in NZ skew toward dermatology, dentistry and (in unscreened dogs) liver disease. For a DNA-clear Bedlington on a mid-range lifetime policy, lifetime cost (purchase, setup, plus 12 to 14 years of food, vet, grooming, insurance and other) lands around NZ$25,000 to NZ$35,000. Grooming runs higher than for short-coated small breeds; vet cost is typical for a small dog in good lines.