Spotlight Breed: Lakeland Terrier 

Welcome to our Spotlight Breed article of the week. This is where we feature a fun and unique dog breed from around the globe! We are excited to spotlight the Lakeland Terrier today. This dog was originally bred to hunt foxes that preyed on sheep during the lambing season in Northern England. Also known as “Lakies”, this breed is very affectionate, friendly, and confident. However, there is so much more to learn about this very special breed!

The Lakeland Terrier happens to be the smallest of the long legged, black, and tan terriers. The appearance is like the slightly larger Welsh Terrier. The breed is sturdy, compact, and free moving. They can cover ground with little effort and a lot of quickness. The Lakeland breed has a thick bushy wiry outer coat with a soft undercoat.

Let’s talk about the temperament of the Lakeland Terrier. The dogs are friendly, confident, and bold. They are very intelligent and independent minded which means they are quick to learn and easy to train. What is interesting about the breed is that they may often exhibit “selective deafness” when they do not have an interest in what is being presented to them. As with most terriers, the Lakeland is energetic. This means that you must cater to their physical and mental needs. If the Lakeland lacks any sort of mental or physical stimulation, they be become destructive – that’s never a good thing!

Some famous Lakeland Terriers include:

• Stingray of Derryabah – the first dog to win Best in Show at both the top US and UK dog shows.
• Zelda Van Gutters – Nickelodeon Magazine’s Mascot
• Kevin – owned by Neil Tennant, singer of the Pet Shop Boys

If you are looking for a cute, intelligent, and active dog breed, the Lakeland Terrier may be for you! We will leave you with our favorite quote about the breed: “What is a house without a dog? It’s like a fire without a log. No warmth. No spark. No welcoming bark. It’s just not a home without a Lakeland Terrier.”