Terrier group · England
Lakeland Terrier
Also called Lakie.
What makes them remarkable
Lake District farmers bred this terrier to follow sheep-raiding foxes into rocky dens.
- Bold
- Friendly
- Confident
- Clever
- Feisty
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 7 to 8 kg15 to 17 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 15 years
- Energy
- High
- Trains
- Moderate
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training a Lakeland Terrier
Terrier breeds. Impulse control and a rock-solid leave it. Short, high-value sessions; they bore fast.
Consistent but Fun
Start here
Lakelands are confident and can be stubborn. Keep the rules consistent and the training positive and engaging.
Manage Prey Drive
Strong hunting instinct means they cannot be trusted off-lead in unsecured areas.
Socialisation Essential
Can be aggressive with other dogs without proper socialisation. Start early and continue throughout life.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Lakeland Terrier and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to go to ground after vermin. Fearless, quick, and not built to back down.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsLow
- StrangersModerate
- CatsLow
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1+ hour daily. Active exercise with opportunities for exploration and play.
- Grooming
- Hand-stripping 2-3 times yearly. Professional grooming needed for show coat.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Wiry, Dense undercoat, Double coatBlue, Black, Liver, Red, Wheaten, Grizzle, Black and Tan, Blue and Tan
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Moderate
Hip joint deterioration in young dogs
Lens Luxation
Severe
Inherited eye condition. DNA test available
Distichiasis
Mild
Extra eyelashes that can irritate the eye
Where they come from
History
Developed in the Lake District of northern England to hunt foxes that preyed on sheep. Had to be small enough to follow foxes into rocky dens but tough enough to hold their own. One of the few terriers bred to hunt and kill rather than just bolt prey.
- Stingray · Ch. Revelry's Awesome Blossom, the Lakeland that won Best in Show at Westminster in 2023
Similar breeds
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Its longer legs helped it keep up with mounted hunts: this is the taller, squarer Russell terrier.
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Wire Fox Terrier
That wiry little dog was developed to go into fox dens and drive the fox back out.
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Scottish Terrier
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s dog Fala helped make the Scottish Terrier famous around the world.
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Smooth Fox Terrier
Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers were once interbred, before developing into separate breeds.
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