FCI-Standard N°9 / 12. 03. 1998 / GB
BEDLINGTON TERRIER
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.
N.B. : Male animals
should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.