10 things you need to know about the Lakeland terrier before you buy one

The Lakeland terrier is a native British terrier dog breed with a black and tan coat and a very workmanlike appearance. Originally prized for their skills as working dogs on both farms and in mines in their native area of the Lake District, this is dog breed that has been around for a long time and that has a well-documented history as a result.

However, they’re not a breed that is hugely common or populous in numbers in the UK today, which can make learning more about the breed something of a challenge.

If you are considering buying a Lakeland terrier, it is important to get the facts about the breed first, and learn all of the important things you need to know in order to be able to make an informed decision about a purchase. With this in mind, this article will tell you ten things you need to know about the Lakeland terrier dog breed, before you go ahead and buy a Lakeland of your own. Read on to learn more.

Lakeland terriers are small to medium in size

The Lakeland terrier is classed as a small dog breed, but they’re not tiny. Lakeland terriers can stand up to around 37cm tall at the withers and they weigh up to around 8kg, with dogs tending to be a little taller and heavier than bitches.

The Lakeland terrier is reasonably smart

The Lakeland terrier is ranked in joint 62nd position out of a total number of 138 different dog breeds in the Coren ranking of canine intelligence, which places them in the top half of the pack when it comes to the smartest dogs.

Lakeland terriers tend to be quick learners that will pick up new commands relatively quickly, although they also tend to be easily bored and may require a couple of repetitions of a command before they comply if something else has caught their attention.

Lakeland terriers are very energetic dogs that need lots of exercise

Like most terrier breeds, Lakeland terriers are very high energy dogs that are lively, feisty, and very active. They require a significant amount of daily exercise in order to thrive, incorporating both on the lead walks and off-lead play and the chance to socialise with other dogs.

Lakeland terriers have a strong prey drive

Once more in common with most terrier dog types, Lakeland terriers have a strong prey drive and this can result in them pursing and catching wildlife and even posing a threat to other people’s pets like cats and rabbits when off the lead.

Always keep your dog on a lead when out in public, other than when in safely enclosed areas where dogs are permitted to run freely.

The Lakeland terrier is a vulnerable native British dog breed

The Lakeland terrier is classed by the Kennel Club in the UK as a vulnerable native dog breed, which means a dog breed that originated in the UK or Ireland and across which so few puppies of the breed are bred each year as to pose a potential threat to the breed’s future survival.

You might struggle to find a Lakeland terrier offered for sale in your local area

Choosing to buy a Lakeland terrier puppy rather than a dog of another breed helps to ensure that further litters will be produced in the future to meet demand and in turn, help to make the future of the Lakeland breed itself more secure.

However, as the breed is so low in numbers, you might have to wait some time and travel some distance in order to find a litter of Lakeland terrier puppies for sale, so factor this into your search parameters.

Lakeland terriers are low shedding and may be a good pick for allergy sufferers

The Lakeland terrier coat is curled and wiry, and they are not heavy shedding dogs. With appropriate coat care including regular brushing, the Lakeland sheds virtually no hair around the home, and this means that they might be a viable choice of dog breed for people who commonly suffer from allergies to dogs.

However, there are no guarantees in this regard, and every dog should be considered individually.

Lakeland terriers are confident, friendly and personable

The Lakeland terrier is a breed with a confident and outgoing personality, but they are not at all renowned for aggression, don’t tend to be as dominant as many alternative terrier breeds can be, and are reputed for being friendly and open, even with strangers.

They are also considered to be one of the terrier breeds that are better than most with children.

Lakeland terriers cane be prone to selective deafness!

The Lakeland terrier can learn and execute quite a wide number of commands and they are smart and generally responsive, but the breed can be prone to being easily distracted if bored, and also has a tendency to selective deafness when something more interesting catches their attention!

Lakeland terriers are a good fit for lots of different types of owners

For people keen to own a terrier type dog and that understand that the breed has very high energy levels and requires a lot of exercise to keep them happy, the Lakeland terrier can be a great choice of dog for a wide variety of different types of owners.

However, if you have set your heart on owning a dog of the breed, plan your purchase well in advance as they can be hard to come by due to their vulnerable native status.