This small working terrier originated in Britain and was developed in the border county of Cumberland in the early 19th century. Unlike terriers in the south of England that were used to rout foxes from their dens, the Lakeland Terrier was bred to go in for the kill. This necessitated strong jaws and a slender, agile body to follow the fox through narrow crevices. The background breeding used to create the tough Lakeland is only a guess and several breeds have been suggested such as the Border, Bedlington and Fox Terriers. To add to the confusion, the breed has been known by a variety of names including Patterdale, Fell, Cumberland and Westmoreland. In 1921, a breed association was organized and its first president was Lord Lonsdale whose family had been breeding Lakelands for over 50 years.

Look for the typical Lakeland Terrier to be bold, friendly, happy and self-confident.

With a true terrier nature, the Lakeland revels in activity and likes to be busy. This hardy canine makes a good watchdog and a pleasant companion. The Lakeland Terrier needs daily walks on lead.

Over the soft undercoat is a short, hard and wiry outer coat. There are plentiful furnishings on the muzzle and legs.

The Lakeland Terrier’s coat comes in variety of colours: blue, black, liver, black-and-tan, blue-and-tan, red, red grizzle, grizzle-and-tan or wheaten.

For show purposes, a fair amount of grooming skill is needed to maintain the desired coat texture and correct styling.

The ideal height is 14.5 in (37 cm) at the withers with an average weight of 17 lb (7.5 kg).