Breed: Bedlington Terrier x Whippet

Sex: Male

Date of Birth: 04/04/2021

Measurements: 

Neck circumference: 36cms
Length (base of neck to tail): 68cms
Height (floor to shoulder):44cms
Floor to top of head:62cms
Chest circumference: 66cms

Weight: 19kg

Banjo is a Bedlington terrier cross whippet, sometimes referred to as a ‘Beddywhip’ or plainly a ‘lurcher’ (as with any sighthound cross breed).  The two breeds fit together nicely and work in harmony; Banjo is a lovely, even tempered dog.

The Bedlington terrier is named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland (North East England).  This is a terrier that was originally bred to hunt, and has since been used in dog racing, dog sports and as a loyal companion.  They are typically good-natured, intelligent, spirited and most of all, affectionate.

Whippets are also a gentle, non-aggressive breed that enjoys human companionship. They typically hate the cold and would rather be on the couch than a hard surface!   The whippet is a sighthound breed originating in England and descended from the greyhound. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller Greyhound.   Like the Bedlington terrier, they are friendly, intelligent, lively and affectionate.

Banjo typifies the breed traits of both the Bedlington terrier and the whippet; he’s a kind soul, goofy and full of fun.  Most of all he’s amenable and loves to follow instruction from his handler.  His handler is a professional dog trainer and has filming and dog photography experience.  Both Banjo and his handler have excellent set etiquette and are true professionals when working.

Banjo is a beautiful scruff; his silver coat gives him an air of wisdom, though he’s still a young boy and very lively.  If you’re looking for a smaller, shaggy type of dog for your media project, Banjo is your man.  He’s simply adorable with his deep amber eyes and his face is truly expressive.  He’s a tongue out kind of dog with an emotive smile; sheer joy to witness.

Banjo is a dog that loves the water; he’s a swimmer and that’s quite unusual for lurchers.  We defy you to see a dog that looks cuter than Banjo with wet hair; it’s simply adorable and if you’re advertising grooming products or working on a comedy, a wet through Banjo will make a great image!

Beddywhip Banjo is great with other animals, including cats (highly unusual for sighthounds and terriers) which is a great asset.  He lives with another dog (Byron) and two cats (Whinnie and Wilfred), also on The Animal Talent roster, and he socialises on pack walks with dogs from other households.  This means he can confidently work with a variety of other animal cast members on set.

Banjo is also friendly with all humans and can take instruction from cast members on set.  He’s particularly good with children and can work alongside child actors if required.  He is a well-rounded dog with a professional trainer as an owner, so his obedience is on point.  He’s so calm and collected that he even walked his parents down the aisle on their wedding day, dressed for the occasion.

Being a dog trainer’s dog, he has experience of being an acting stooge, demonstrating good behaviour and skills to class members.  He can perform in front of a live audience and at events as required.  Equally, this ability for calmness and control means he isn’t distracted by big studio lighting, cast and crew members making noises or boom mics being dangled above him.  Banjo is a wonderful dog actor equipped for many roles in film and TV.

Banjo is the perfect scruffy boy with a gorgeous silver coat and soulful eyes.  He’s leggy and athletic but he’ll always look a bit like a shaggy old man, even though he’s a young dog.

Because of his grey coat colour, he doesn’t detract from any other colour in the photo; he can also wear any colour clothing and it will suit him.  His silver colouring is perfect to work with.  He absolutely loves playing dress up and is happy to model for doggy apparel and accessories such as leads, harnesses, dog coats and more.

He’s a dog that’s built for the countryside; he looks remarkable in a rural setting, but equally he can be happily pictured in home and lifestyle shoots, lounging in front of a warm fire or snuggling up on the couch; after all, that’s his second favourite place!  He really has that homely cute appeal going on.

Banjo is a people-friendly dog and is happy to work alongside human models as part of a photoshoot.  Out on location, because he’s so athletic, you can capture some great action shots with Banjo, jumping around. He has plenty of experience in front of the camera and is a very polite dog to work with.  He follows cues from his handler easily, always eager to please.

Banjo has modelling photography experience, filming experience and events experience.  He is a gentle and friendly dog that is a joy to work alongside.  He and his professional trainer-handler have excellent set etiquette and follow instruction quietly and politely, making a producer’s job easy.  With excellent obedience and trick training in his repertoire, Banjo can also prepare for bespoke actions for the script as required.  Contact us today to work with him on your next project.

Credits:

Guardian Labs – training skills filming

Of Trails and Wonders – event stills photography