When you see this little animal for the first time, will you automatically mobilize the knowledge reserves in your brain to judge what kind of animal it is?
The curly hair all over the body looks like a little sheep, right? This little sheep-like guy is called Bedlington. To be precise, it's called Bedlington Terrier. It's a dog, and people often call it a "sheep dog."
I used to think that "wolf in sheep's clothing" was a story, but now that I saw Bellington, I realized that "dog in sheep's clothing" can also be an adjective.
The biggest advantage of Bedlington as a pet dog is that it has no body odor and almost no hair loss, which is simply too friendly for people who don’t like dog hair. However, the owner must comb their hair frequently. Although their hair is short, it will get knotted if not combed. And combing can also help Bedlington clean up the dirt on his body, making Bedlington clean.
One of the amazing things about Bellingtons is that they change color! The color of the baby Bedlington's coat is black or brown, and gradually changes color as it grows up. When it is about one year old, it will become white with gray, or white with yellow. The color will not stabilize until one and a half years old.
The reason why Bedlingtons don’t shed their hair seasonally like other dogs is that they regulate their body temperature through coat color. Bedlington's coat becomes lighter in summer and darker in winter, and has the ability to change color throughout its life. Because of this, it is also known as the "chameleon of dogs."
We may rarely see dogs like Bedlington. In some areas of the country, Bedlington is a banned dog breed.
Don’t you understand why such a cute dog is a banned breed? Then let’s talk about the origin of Bellington.
The origin of Bedlington is relatively complicated. It was originally named "Rossbelin Terrier" based on its place of origin. It has shorter legs and heavier weight than the current Bedlington Terrier. It was used for hunting foxes, hares, etc.
It became more confusing later. Before Bedlington's current form was determined, it may have been crossed with terrier breeds such as otter hounds, whippets, bulldogs, and bull terriers. Some people even suggested that the curly hair on their bodies came from poodles.
In short, after continuous crossbreeding, selection, and breeding, the current Bedlington Terrier finally emerged, and is used to help the owner hunt and look after the home.
Bedlington Terriers have shown their talents in hunting. They are faster and more agile when running, have strong and energetic bodies, and can remain quiet at the same time, so they are loved by many hunters. Originally, Bellingtons were used as hunting dogs and fighting dogs.
Having said this, you can understand why this kind of dog is on the banned list. It just looks like a little sheep. In fact, it may be a wolf in sheep's clothing.
In 1877, Bellingtons were officially exhibited at the dog show as a separate breed. Because of their unique appearance, they immediately gained everyone's love, and later gradually became a pet dog in people's families.
Friends who have Bedlingtons may feel that their dogs are not ferocious, nor do they look like ferocious hounds!
We can compare the golden retriever. The golden retriever is also a hunting dog, but the golden retriever has always been the image of a "warm man" in people's minds. Golden retrievers are particularly friendly to people, and not just their owners, but they are not necessarily friendly to other animals.
Loyalty to the owner is the most basic character of a hound. To enter human family life as a pet dog, it is essential to be friendly to people. Therefore, the process of Bedlington's transformation from hunting dogs to pet dogs was through several generations of selective breeding by breeders, selecting those who were more friendly to people and eliminating the more ferocious ones.
It’s just that dogs are bound to have a certain degree of aggression, let alone hounds. The key lies in how the owner teaches them.
All terrier dogs are hunting dogs, and almost all terrier dogs are on the prohibited list. As a terrier dog, Bellington Terrier will naturally appear on the prohibited list in some cities. On the one hand, such regulations are for the safety of urban residents, but on the other hand, the space in the city is too small, and hounds need a lot of activity, and there is no suitable place for these dogs to run freely.
Although Bedlingtons now appear in human families as pet dogs, they require a very large amount of exercise.
Because they are faster than other dogs when running, they need to be allowed to run freely in a large field. Lack of exercise will cause physical and psychological harm to Bedlington, and may lead to housebreaking behavior.
Another aspect of Bedlington that may be unbearable for people is that they will drool a lot after a lot of exercise. This is not because they are hungry after exercise, but because they need to help themselves dissipate heat in this way; they will also drool a lot when they encounter food temptations, which means they really want to eat.
However, drooling all the time will make Bedlington’s mouth wet and prone to skin diseases, so the owner needs to wipe it frequently.
When you raise a Bedlington, probably every time you take it on the street, someone will ask: Are you holding a lamb?