Blue Lacy - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The Blue Lacy breed was developed in the second half of the 19th century by Lacy family, four brothers who arrived from Kentucky to Marble Falls in Texas. They needed an all around working dog, that would be good at herding, protecting, but also at hunting and that would create a good companion. Exactly what dogs were used to develop the breed is still up for debate, but one of the most accepted theory claims, that the Lacy dog is a mixture of some type of a Greyhound, English Shepherd and some local scent hounds. Possibly even coyote may have played a role in development of this breed.
2) Utilization
Thanks to the breeds versatility, they quickly became popular with the ranchers and hunters in the southwestern US. It was said, that one Lacy could do the work of five cowboys and the Blue Lacy owners say, they have the perfect universal dog. With the decline of the family oriented ranching and farming, the popularity and demand of Lacy dogs declined a lot, but luckily, they did not became extinct and they are still, even today, sometimes used for hunting or farm work and they are currently taking on the role of search and rescue dogs as well.
3) Texas favourite
I mentioned in the beginning of the video, that this dog hails from Texas. The breed was first recognized as a breed in 2001 by the Texas Senate and they were honored as a true Texas breed and later, in 2005, they were honored as the official State Dog Breed of Texas. Even today, the largest population of Blue Lacys can be found in Texas, but the breed spread into other states as well.
4) Companions
Of course, today, the Lacy dogs are not only used as workers and many of them are living the life of spoiled companion pets as well. And they are quite good companions, especially for active people who will take them on regular outdoor adventures, hikes or jogs, as these dogs have rather higher energy level. According to the breed standard, Blue Lacy has stable and outgoing, yet dignified temperament. When they are working, Lacys are known to be quite intense and extremely focused, but when they are at home, they are typicaly pretty relaxed and affectionate. These dogs can live with kids, but of course, you should never leave a very young child with any dog breed unsupervised.
5) Color
Based on the breeds name, Blue Lacy, you might expect that these dogs will be in blue color and indeed, they might be blue, but it is not the only accepted color. The blue color is any shade of gray to light silver or dark charcoal. Then there are Red Lacys, which also come in yellow to crem color. And lastly, the Lacy dog can also be in tri color. Very commonly, these dogs have some white spots on their body as well.
6) Coat
Speaking of the color, it is important to mention the coat type as well. The Blue Lacy has a tight, sleek and smooth coat, which is relatively short. The coat should be naturally healthy and clean looking and the tail and hocks should be free of flagging or longer hair.
7) Maintenance
The coat of Blue Lacy does shed all year long and regular brushing is beneficial to minimize the shedding. Other than that, these dogs does not require any grooming and they will keep their coat in excellent condition. Bathing should be also done only when it is really necessary, so the distribution of natural oils in the coat is not damaged. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed.
8) Exercise
High energy might be the first thing that comes to mind when talking about Blue Lacys, and they require multiple longer walks or runs each day to burn off all that energy. As working dogs, they want to have some kind of a job in their life, even if they are not used for working. It can be regular fun training sessions, task oriented playtimes, dog sport, just anything that will not only occupy them physically, but also mentaly. Without enough exercise, they might develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction.
9) Size
As a working dog, the Blue Lacy must have lightly build athletic bodies, which are very fast, but also pretty strong. The average height is between 43-56 cm, which is 17-22 inch and weight is usually between 11-25 kg, which is 25-55 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
10) Health
Great fact is, that Blue Lacys are generally exceptionally healthy dogs with good lifespan around 14 years. Of course, just like any other breed in the world, even the Blue Lacy can suffer from some health issues, such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia, skin problems, allergies or color dilution alopecia, but none of them is very common within this breed. ​