Lakeland Terrier

Breed overview

The Lakeland Terrier is a dog breed, which takes its name from its place of origin, the Lake District in England. The dog is a small to mid-size member of the Terrier family. While independent in personality, it interacts well with owners and all family members. In the United Kingdom, the Lakeland Terrier is considered a vulnerable dog breed at risk of going extinct through low levels of breeding, according to The Kennel Club. In the United States, the Lakeland Terrier ranked 156 out of 202 breeds by number of American Kennel Club puppy registrations in 2024.

• Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
• Country of origin: United KingdomBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

• As one of the earliest Terriers (Latin derivation of earth), dating from the 1700s, this "earth" dog is a descendant of the old English Black and Tan and Fell Terriers.
• The Lakeland's original service was "going to ground" on the farm in hunt for vermin.
• The working dog version of the Lakeland is often known as the Fell Terrier or Patterdale Terrier.
• Whereas most terrier breeds have only to bolt their quarry, or to mark it by baying, the Lakeland must be able to kill the foxes in their lair.
• In the Lake District of England, the mountainous, rocky terrain is unsuitable for fox hunting on horseback, and foxes were hunted on foot.

Size and appearance

The eyes are small and dark colored and of oval shape. The nose and pads of the feet are black except in liver colored dogs where the nose and pad coloring will be liver colored. Liver colored dogs will have a slightly lighter colored eye. The dog will not shed if properly groomed.

• Body mass reference: 6.8 kgBreed reference body mass. female.
• Body mass reference: 7.7 kgBreed reference body mass. male.
• Height reference: Up to 37 cmBreed reference height. maximum.

• Coat layers: double
• Coat texture: wiry
• Weight category: small

Personality and behavior

The dogs are friendly, bold, and confident. It is rarely shy and not usually aggressive. Very intelligent and independent minded, they are quick to learn and easy to train, though terriers often exhibit "selective deafness" when their interest level is aroused. The Lakeland is receptive to crate training. As with most terriers, the Lakeland is energetic, and daily exercise is a must.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

• Coat layers: double
• Coat texture: wiry

Health and lifespan

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 14.2 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

Breed history

As one of the earliest Terriers (Latin derivation of earth), dating from the 1700s, this "earth" dog is a descendant of the old English Black and Tan and Fell Terriers. The Lakeland's original service was "going to ground" on the farm in hunt for vermin. Its size and energy make it popular as a hunter in hard to reach places; the breed is among those eligible for competition in sanctioned Earthdog trials. The working dog version of the Lakeland is often known as the Fell Terrier or Patterdale Terrier. Whereas most terrier breeds have only to bolt their quarry, or to mark it by baying, the Lakeland must be able to kill the foxes in their lair.

Clubs and further reading

• United States Lakeland Terrier Club
• Lakeland Terrier - article and references

Sources

1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
3. File:Lakeland Terrier.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Lakeland Terrier.jpg - sannse. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lakeland_Terrier.jpg. License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.
4. Lakeland Terrier - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Lakeland Terrier, revision 1377817628. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lakeland_Terrier&action=history
5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.