Highlights:

· Coat

· Colour

· Head

· Neck

· Forequarters

· Hindquarters

· Gait

· Presentation

     This is the blueprint by which all breeders should be governed when breeding. It is terribly easy to simply read and perhaps memorize this standard, and then apply it to just about any specimen standing before you. That is not the way to go if one truly wishes to become a student and protector of this breed.

     Rather, one must go through the standard, point by point and ask the question along the way, like,"why does the standard ask for that?" and, "what does that mean?"

     To truly understand, one must require justification for all that is contained in our Breed Standard. On this page, I have tried to give such justification to specific parts of our Breed Standard. I have not dealt with the entire standard, merely certain points in which I believe needs specific attention considering the state of the majority of modern Bedlingtons in North America.

     To answer the question, "why does the standard ask for that?" one has to try to understand the original purpose of the breed, what the breed's forefathers were trying to develop and the area in which the breed came to be. To answer the question "what does that mean?" one has to have HANDS-ON experience in order to know what is required. Observation of Bedlingtons in one country or one region cannot give the required knowledge.

     In breeding decisions, I always am reminded of a favourite quote from a long-time Dandie Dinmont breeder ... "A virtue exaggerated, becomes a fault."

     We are constantly learning. Learning from the 'old-timers' both in and out of the breed. As time passes, we are in greater danger of losing touch with those people who have great knowledge and experience, some of whom could have witnessed the true early developmental days of a breed.

     I feel it is my duty to this fantastic breed to learn as much as I can from such sources and not to simply make my own decisions on what I think is correct based on my own comparatively limited experience; rather, the experience and teachings of those greater than I should be what I learn from. I implore you to do the same if only for the sake of our Bedlington Terriers.

     More often than not, we end up making compromises and putting priorities on certain points. The big picture is something we cannot lose sight of. Health, temperament, sound structure and overall balance are things which are paramount. A beautifully constructed dog with a suspect temperament or poor health is of no use in a breeding program.