The original name of this breed of dog was the Rothbury Terrier after a town, like Bedlington, in Northumberland. The Rothbury Terriers were bred by gypsies in the Rothbury Forest near the border with Scotland. The Bedlington Terrier, which was first shown in Bedlington in 1870, is likely to have come from the Rothbury Terrier. It is also thought that the Bedlington has Whippet, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, and Otterhound blood.
The Bedlington Terrier is often described as looking like a lamb, probably because it has woolly fur, which can be almost white in colour. It can come in blue, sandy, or liver, all as solid colours or with tan markings. The head is wedge-shaped with sparkling eyes. Although it looks like a weak, almost toy-like dog, the Bedlington Terrier is actually an extremely strong, speedy dog with lots of attitude but a gentle nature.