Lakeland Terrier - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin

This is an old terrier, probably developed in 1700s. It is hard to trace Lakelands history precisely, or say exactly what are its ancestros, but it is believed, that the Lakeland was developed from Old English Black and Tan Terriers and Fell Terriers. It is also believed that they are related to Dandie Dinmont, Bedlington and Border Terriers

2) Purpose
Originally, the Lakeland Terrier was used on hunt vermin on farms, but because of its high prey drive, spirit, size and energy, they became skilled fox hunters. Thanks to the small and narrow body, the Lakeland Terrier is able to squeeze into rocky dens. This breed is known to never stop with the hunt, until the job is done.

3) Name
The Lakeland Terrier has a descriptive name. It is a terrier from a Lake District of England, also known as Lakeland. But they were not always known as Lakeland Terriers, in the past, this dog was recognized under other names, for example Patterdale Terrier, Fell Terrier or Cumberland Terrier.

4) Living with
You will never be bored with the lively, courageous and confident Lakeland Terrier. They make good active family companions and they are always ready for any adventure or activity. They do okay with kids and they are good playful companions for older kids, but you should never leave any dog unsupervised with a young child. On the other hand, they have strong prey drive so other small household pets will most likely not be safe around them.

5) True Terrier
Terriers have a lot of amazing characteristic traits, but they are definitely not for everyone and you should be prepared for it before buying or adopting one. Lakeland is a typical terrier, who is pretty active, likes to dig and bark, they have higher prey drive, need quite a lot of exercise and they are known for independent and lets say stubborn nature. It is also a reason, why even thoug they are very intelligent, they are not pushovers to train and they need firm and patient trainer.

6) Dog sports
It is important to daily exercise your Lakeland Terrier and they need to stimulate both – their mind and their body. It can be long walks, task oriented playtime or hikes, but you can also try some dog sport with them. They are great adepts for earthdog trials, but they can compete in almost any dog sport.

7) Size
This is a small, long legged and compact dog breed with average height between 13-15 inches which is 33-38 cm and weight is typically between 7-8 kg, which is 15-17 pounds.

8) Coat
The Lakeland Terrier has narrow body, broad muzzle and v-shaped ears, but the most distinctive feature is definitely its thick bushy wiry coat. The undercoat is pretty soft. You can find this breed in many colors, acceptable are these variations: Black, Black and Tan, Blue and Tan, Dark Grizzle, Grizzle, Grizzle and Tan, Liver and Tan, Red, Red Grizzle, Wheaten

9) Champion
There are two biggest dog shows in the world, the Crufts and the Westminster Dog Show and there are only two dogs, that have been succesfull at both. And one of those dogs is a Lakeland terrier, who won both titles in 1967. His name was Stingray of Derryabah.

10) Health
This is a healthy and hardy dog breed that does not suffer much from any hereditary health problem. Sometimes they can suffer from patellar luxation, allergies, eye problems or Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease. The average lifespan is good, between 12-15 years.