Sporting Lucas Terrier - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Lucas Terrier
The Sporting Lucas Terriers main ancestor is the Lucas Terrier, a breed developed by Sealyham Terrier breeder Mr. Jocelyn Lucas in the 20th century. He felt, that the Lucas Terrier was too cumbersome, heavy and big to work and hunt efficiently, which is why he crossed few smaller Sealyhams with Norfolk Terrier dogs, which was the start of a new breed, Lucas Terrier, an excellent small game hunter which would go under the ground without any problems and that is hardy, determined and resilient hunter.
2) Origin
Over the years, Lucas Terrier lost some of its main characteristics, which was a reason, why mr. Brian Plummer, a famous terrier expert, started to crossing Lucas Terriers with one of his own Plummer Terriers. The new cross was named as a Sporting Lucas Terrier and it is both, amazing working terrier, but also loving family companion pet.
3) Hunting
As you already know, the main utilization of the Sporting Lucas Terrier is hunting vermin, and they have amazing qualities for a hunting dog and they are a real asset for any hunter. They have higher prey drive and chasing instinct and most of them are always ready and eager to hunt. They are not only vermin hunters and ratters, as they can also hunt other small game if needed. Their main speciality is going under the ground into the dens, but they can also be teached to for example retrieve and they can make very good versatile hunters. The Sporting Lucas Terrier is also confident, determined, alert and sharp eyed, spirited and fearless, independent and lively, all very important characteristics for a hunter.
4) Companion
Of course, this is not only a hunter, but also loyal and loving companion dog. The Sporting Lucas Terrier is absolutely friendly towards its own family and they create a very strong bond with its owners, but also with kids. They can make good patient and playful companions for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. On the other hand, they might be alert and reserved towards strangers, towards people they do not know and it can take a while before they accept a complete stranger as a friend. They can also live with other dogs in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood, but other smaller household pets might be little bit problematic, due to their higher prey drive and chasing instinct.
5) Appearance
The Sporting Lucas Terrier has a typical anatomy of a small working terrier with sturdy legs, strong and athletic body, flexible spine and strong jaws. In comparsion with their ancestor, the Lucas Terrier, the Sporting Lucas Terrier has slightly longer legs and narrower head. These dogs were developed to be small and flexible, so they can easily go under the ground.
6) Size
So what is the actual height and weight of the Sporting Lucas Terrier. The height is most often around 12 inch, which is 30 cm and weight around 15 lbs, which is 7 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males, but the difference is not extremely big.
7) Coat
The Sporting Lucas Terrier has a very practical coat, which helps the dog withstand even harsh weather for longer time. The coat is harsh and stiff, with a thick and dense undercoat. The coat is lying close to the body and it can be found in several colors and color combinations. Most common is white with dark patches, or various combinations of brown, black and tan or grizzle and tan.
8) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the grooming and maintenance as well. In order to keep the coat in good condition, it is recommended to regularly, lets say weekly, brush the coat. A pin brush or slicker brush is great choice for brushing these dogs. This is rather low shedding breed, but they do shed some deal of fur all year long, more heavily seasonally and the brushing will also minimize the shedding. Just like with any other breed, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
9) Recognition
This is rather rare dog breed that is not recognized by many big kennel clubs. It is recognized by number of smaller specialty dog clubs and minor registries, but from the major kennel clubs only the United Kennel Club recognizes the Sporting Lucas Terrier.
10) Health
This is usually very healthy dog breed with amazing average lifespan around 15 years. They are not extremely prone to any genetic health issues, but of course, just like any other breed in the world, they may suffer from some problems from time to time, for example from patellar luxation, some eye problems, allergies or ear infections, but overall, this is definitely very healthy dog.