Description

The Lakeland Terrier is a small sized terrier breed with a jaunty look and an intelligent expression. The face is long and rectangular in profile with smaller ears that fold over at the tips. The jaws and muzzle of the Lakeland Terrier are strong and square looking with a slight beard that adds to their unique appearance. The face is rather elongated giving a balanced appearance to the profile of the breed. The eyes are dark brown or hazel and are often partially obscured by the curly hair on the face.

The Lakeland Terrier has a long and graceful neck that blends into sturdy shoulders. Since the breed was used for moving through brush the body is somewhat narrow and streamlined but not delicate looking. The whithers or shoulders are high and the topline is relatively short and level or slightly sloping, giving a leggy appearance to the dog that indicates its ability to run.

The Lakeland Terrier has long, straight legs that are very sturdy and give the impression of walking forward on the pads of the feet. The legs are covered with slightly longer hair known as furnishings. The body is squarely built and very sturdy looking without appearing boxy. Usually the tail of the Lakeland Terrier is docked but in many countries this practice is now banned, so the terriers may be shown with a longer tail that is natural. The tail, whether docked or left natural is located high on the hips and arches slightly back over the body.

The wavy coat of the Lakeland Terrier is rather stiff and rough to the touch, but is also very resistant to the weather. The coat is actually a double coat but the inner coat is not as dense and thick as in some other breeds. It is likely that this coat developed to provide protection to the breed when going through dense vegetation while on the hunt. The breed can be many different colors including black, tan, black and tan, grizzle, red and liver or blue all with grizzle combinations. Some adult Lakeland Terriers may have a darker saddle but others may not. In many cases the Lakeland Terrier puppies are born with very dark coats that change in color as the dog matures.

Coat Description

The outer coat of the Lakeland Terrier is wiry and rough and provides weatherproofing for the dog's body as well a protection for going through dense foliage and bushes. The softer inner coat is relatively fine and provides warmth and another layer of protection for the skin. The hair on the body is usually wavy but not very tightly curled and is consistent in length over the body. The hair on the face and muzzle is shorter but still curly.

History

The Lakeland Terrier was originally bred in the Lake region of England as a ratter and fox hunting dog. The breed has been developed through the selective crossing of several breeds including the Old English Wirehaired Terrier, the Bedlington Terrier, the Border Collie and the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. Originally known by one of several names including the Fell Terrier, Eltewater Terrier and the Patterdale Terrier, the name Lakeland Terrier was officially recognized 1921. The Lakeland Terrier quickly became a popular breed in the United Kingdom and then became recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1934.

The breed was originally used in farming communities to keep the areas around buildings and farms free from vermin, as well as for hunting and as a watchdog. As fox hunting became a more common sport the breed really gained in popularity for its feisty and energetic personality as well as its ability to go through dense underbrush and chase foxes back out into the open for the hunters. Gradually the working and sporting dog evolved into the companion dog that it known as today. The Lakeland Terrier is still used in hunting trial and in agility and obedience competitions and events, making it a very versatile breed.

Grooming

The Lakeland Terrier is a wire coated breed that needs little in the way of intense grooming. Typically all that is required to keep the coat in great condition is brushing every two or three days with a stiff bristle brush or a pin brush. The hair around the mouth is prone to staining, so wiping the beard on light colored breeds after eating will prevent this from happening.

Two or three times per year the dead hair will need to be removed by plucking or stripping. This is an easy process that owners can easily complete on their own. Stripping or plucking involves grasping the longer, dead hair with the fingers and then pulling out in the direction of the growth of the hair. This is a non-painful process for the dog and will prevent infections and matting that can occur if dead hair is left in the coat. For shaping the hair around the face and the body for showing more specific types of stripping can be completed to give the profile required for the show arena. Clipping a Lakeland Terrier is not acceptable for show but many owners do clip the body and the legs to keep down grooming requirements throughout the year. The hair in the ear passages and between the pads of the feet should be removed whenever it gets long.

The Lakeland Terrier is a low shedding breed and does not have the seasonal shedding problems that many other breeds experience. Since the terrier coat has natural oils for protection from water and dirt it is important to only wet bathe when absolutely necessary.

Exercise

This little dog loves to be outside and have time and space to run and romp. They are avid chasers and will play fetch with a ball as long as the owner is willing to keep throwing. The breed is very active indoors and can adjust to regular outdoor walks even if they are housed in a smaller house or apartment without a yard. Since they are a terrier breed they should be kept in a fenced yard as well as walked on a lead to prevent them chasing other animals while outside of the yard. In a larger fenced area they will self-exercise but may also dig if they become bored.

The Lakeland Terrier is an ideal dog for family outings and travel. They don't need highly intensive exercise but can be excellent dogs as jogging companions. They make excellent agility and obedience dogs and are often used in trials and competitions. As with any breed of dog regular exercise is very important in both regulating weight and maintaining overall health.

Training

As with most dog breeds the Lakeland Terrier does best with consistent, positive training methods that include lots of socialization opportunities at an early age. The breed is very easy to train and highly intelligent and will quickly learn what you trying to teach. As with all terriers, the Lakeland can have a stubborn streak that needs to be firmly and consistently monitored. Usually Lakeland Terriers will become less compliant and stubborn if they have to repeat the same training routines and exercises in a repetitive fashion. Adding new twists to the routine and avoiding multiple repetitions of each particular command will minimize this problem.

Occasionally the Lakeland Terrier can be difficult to housetrain. Crate training, which uses timing and positive rewards to take the puppy outside at specific times after eating, drinking and exercise will make housetraining much easier. Remember that lots of praise and attention for going outside is much more effective than punishment for an accident in the house.

Leash or lead training is important for a Lakeland Terrier as they are natural chasers that can often dart out onto roads after other dogs, cats, birds or squirrels. Even though it is a smaller breed they don't require a harness, but this can be a good option for leash training.

Socialization at the earliest ages is critical, especially if you have other pets in the house. In addition socialization will help with introduction of new people and new environments for the dog. Since the breed may be rather possessive of food and toys this needs to be a key focus in both socialization and training.

Life ::

Litter Size :: 3-5 puppies

Group :: Terrier

Color :: reddish mahogany, tan, tan/wheat and black, black, grizzle or gray, blue, liver or any of the color variations listed above with grizzle.

Hair :: Medium

Size :: Toy/Small

Shedding :: Lite Shed

Male Height ::

Male Weight :: 17 pounds (7.7 kg)

Female Height :: Less than 141/2 inches (36.8 cm)

Female Weight :: Females 15 pounds (6.8 kg)

Living :: Indoor with outdoor exercise space