ASHCROFT BEDLINGTONS

FAQs are Frequently Asked Questions. Here's the required disclaimer: I am not a Veterinarian, a vet-tech, a professional groomer... I am just someone who has dogs... If you have access to my site, you have access to the Internet, and if you Google your question topic, I'd bet you'll come up with a LOT of good information... Please consider these suggestions as anecdotal, use common sense, and if in doubt, consult a professional!

Pulling on walks... I was amazed at how hard some Bedlingtons pull when they walk - I didn't expect such strength from what I perceived as a "small" dog. Pulling is uncomfortable for the owner and unpleasant for the dog.

The first step is to enroll in a basic obedience class to learn how to teach your dog good manners. But I have also found that the Gentle Leader brand Easy Walk harness is a wonderful tool to stop a dog from pulling. The harness has nice clean lines and is easy to put on the dog, with several adjustable straps. The leash attaches to a ring in front of the chest - no choking, no pressure on the shoulders or back. If the dog pulls, he turns himself toward you. You can find these online and in many major brand pet stores near their training areas.

Noisy Collar Tags... hate that constant clinking of collar tags, is the chafing rubbing the writing off?

Try the Quiet Spot pet tag silencer, a neoprene pouch that encloses the dog tags, keeps the writing legible and quiets the noise.

Ear Infections: Always see your vet if your dog has a malodorous ear, shakes the head a lot, has a constant discharge or "gunk"

XXXXX seems to be the ear infection queen and I clean her ears weekly.  Our groomer suggested doing it 2-3 times each week but at this point I'm concerned that I'm only delaying the inevitable infection.  Are there reliable ways to prevent it from happening?  

Bedlingtons have a "dropped ear", so very little light or air get inside. And they grow hair in the ears, as many non shedding breeds do, which compounds the problem.  I DO pull ear hair, I know folks who don't. I have seen dogs with very nice, clean ears, with lots of hair - clean hair - inside the ears. I find it easier to keep my dogs' ears clean if the hair is pulled out.

I do not clean with an alcohol based cleaner immediately after pulling ear hair - that would sting! There are several non alcohol based products available. However, once the hair has been gone for a few days, I have found the "Blue Power" ear treatment to be very effective. The ingredients are easy to find and mix, or you can purchase a pre-made solution that also includes colloidal silver.  Blue Power or K-9 Liquid health Solutions. There's another variation on this using Betadine solution. Others have found a solution containing organic apple cider vinegar to help.

Eye Stains, Mouth Stains: Always see your vet if your Bedlington's eyes tear, water or stain beyond about 10 months old, when they should be done teething, or if your dog gets frequent eye infections - what an owner perceives as an infection can be mucus caused by "dry eye". A note - the "tear duct" is a DRAIN, it drains away the tears which wash irritants from the eye, it drains into the back of the throat. Very WET eyes can be a sign of blocked tear ducts; mucus, and red, irritated eyes are a sign of "dry eye" or "KCS".

Staining can be caused by a chemical reaction to your dog's tears or saliva, or from yeast infections. NATURAL or ORGANIC apple cider vinegar (from health food stores) added to your dog's water has been found to help with this and many other things. The recommended amount is 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to each gallon of their drinking water.  It will usually clear up the staining problem within a month's time.  Other uses can  be seen here: http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/ , whole dog news.

A less organic way to treat stains is with a narrow spectrum antibiotic that fights the yeast causing some staining. I would NOT use this with a puppy, or long term, but might try it with an adult to see if it clears up the problem. There are several products out there, they contain Tylan or Tylosin. I have tried Angels Glow and found it did help with staining around the mouth.

Scratching after grooming... Dogs skin can be pretty sensitive; some folks think a liver Bedlington's skin is more sensitive than a blue's. I have found that the more often my dogs are groomed, the less sensitivity they display. But that means the average pet Bedlington probably gets a rash or scratches frequently after being groomed. There are two ways to attack this - sooth the skin, and dull the nail edges.

To sooth the skin after shaving, many different recommendations have been made: A&D ointment is for diaper rash and can be found in the baby section of any drugstore or supermarket, neosporin cream, desitin, dermasol - found at PetSmart, Walmart, or from online catalogs, and I like Davis Vet Supply's after shave spray.

To dull the nail edges, which can be quite sharp if the nails have been clipped with a pincer or guillotine type nail clipper, dremel the edges. The dremel is a grinding tool, you can find them in pet supply stores, hardware stores and places like Target, Walmart, etc. I started with a cordless, but do so many nails so often, that I switched to a corded device. I like the variable speed dremel, so I can go slowly until the dog gets accustomed to the sound and smell. Take care not to apply to a nail for too long as it will get hot. Use the sandpaper drum attachment. I have read that you can use an old stocking, push the dogs nails through it gently, and that will keep the hair out of the way so the dremel doesn't catch it and pull it. If I need to take a lot of length off a nail, I clip the excess, then dremel the tip and edges. You CAN go too short with a dremel and hurt the dog, just as you can with nail clippers, so care and attention are the order of the day.

Bitches in season - how to handle the messy aspect...

I am a firm believer in spaying a pet bitch, but I also believe in waiting until she's physically mature, around a year old or so. Many Bedlington Terriers will come into season before 12 months old, although several of mine have waited longer. For a pet who will go through a single season and be spayed, I'd recommend getting a disposable baby product like "little swimmers" or "pull ups". For an adult female I'll use the 2T to 3T size... Try a pair on the bitch, feel where the base of her tail is, remove the "diaper" and cut a hole for her tail - then pre-cut a bunch more... Don't leave these on the bitch ALL THE TIME... like those ears that get infections when conditions are dark, moist and airless, these create the same conditions. I use them when my bitches are out and about in the house, I remove them when they go to sleep in a crate on a washable bed. Make sure you remove these when taking her out to relieve herself. For breeders who keep bitches intact longer, there are less expensive, washable, re-usable solutions called "britches for bitches". These are fabric panties with a tail hole and velcro waist tabs. Most folks put a panty liner inside and have several pair to rotate through the laundry. These may cause matting of the coat in the loin and on the topline, so make sure to brush and comb thoroughly during their use.

Boys will be boys... and if you have a boy who cannot resist marking something as his, the best solution is training, but you can also consider having him wear a "belly band". This wraps around his waist, covers his privates and often has a plastic layer sandwiched between two fabric layers. The one I like best has a little elastic to gently close any gaps beneath. Many folks who use these also place an absorbent liner inside like a small "poise" pad or panty liner. These may cause matting of the coat in the loin and on the topline, so make sure to brush and comb thoroughly during their use.

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