Originally called the Rothbury Terrier, the Bedlington hails from the Border Counties between England and Scotland. This is rocky, hilly country where there is an abundance of wildlife and vermin -ideal terrier country! Although the Bedlington's background is vague, there are some general assumptions that can be made as far as the Bedlington's roots are concerned. It is assumed that one of the foundation dogs is Old English Terrier, with crosses to the Otterhound and possibly to the Dandie Dinmont. On occassion, it had been mentioned that the Whippet is also in the Bedlington's background because of the similarity in conformation, including the dog's head shape and abdominal tuck-up, and the Bedlington's speed, but in general this is refuted by most experts.
