Lancashire Heeler

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Lancashire Heeler is a small herding and drover dog that originated in Lancashire, England. The term Heeler describes the purpose of this dog. It is a herding and drover dog that drives the cattle towards wherever its master wants by nipping at their heels without hurting the animal. Precise details of the origin of this breed is unknown though similar dogs are known to have present in 1600s. It is believed that this breed resulted from breeding of Welsh Corgi with Manchester Terrier. Some people also believe that this dog was developed by crossing Yorkshire, Drover's Cur, Norfolk Heeler and London Smithfield Collie. This dog has more than moderate level of hunting skills and is known to work as a ratter on farms. It is a rare dog breed with only 500 specimen available but the dog is gaining popularity around the world including USA.

It is a short legged dog with a relatively long body. The dog has a proportionate head, wide and flat skull and muzzle that tapers towards black or brown nose. Dark coloured, medium size, almond shaped eyes are set well apart. Ears are either erect or partially erect. Moderately long neck is well laid into the dog's shoulders. Back is firm and level with a short loin and well sprung ribs. Set on high tail is carried in slight curve when the dog is alert. The dog has dense double coat that comes in black and tan or liver and tan colouring.

This breed is NOT recognized by AKC however it is recognized by UKC, KC (UK) and AKC (FSS).

Color

This breed comes in black and tan or liver and tan colours with tan markings on muzzle, cheeks, chest, from the knees downward, inside the hind legs and under the tail. Dots of tan are seen above the eyes.

Coat

This dog comes in a dense and double coat. Topcoat is hard, dense, short and flat. It forms a a slight mane on the neck. The undercoat is short and fine and should not be visible through topcoat.

Personality

The Lancashire Heeler is a happy and fun loving dog. It has a unique skill that it can show its happiness through famous "Heeler Smile". The dog is friendly and affectionate to its family. It is exceptionally playful, gentle and considerate towards children. Its friendly nature surfaces with its family and passer-bys but vanishes when an unknown person approaches its territory. The dog is aggressive towards strangers or intruders. It generally gets along well with other dogs and pets in the family. Due to its outstanding adaptability, it can live in any surrounding. The Lancashire Heeler is first and foremost a herding and driving dog and no matter how well trained a Lancashire Heeler is, its nipping tendency can resurface any time. The dog may not be trustworthy around very small children as squeals of children may excite the dog into nipping. It is a happy and cuddly dog that loves to be around its family. It is an energetic breed that is generally very active but some dogs may show lazy nature and can even become couch potatoes. This strong and high spirit dog can take part in different activities. It can carry a ball or object of its own size. A well socialized and trained Lancashire Heeler makes an excellent family pet.

Care

Short coat of this breed makes it less demanding in grooming aspect. Brushing the coat once or twice a week should be enough to keep it shiny and free of dead hair. This dog sheds twice a year and regular brushing will be needed in those times.

Training

It is an intelligent and bright breed that learns very fast. Early age training is bound to pay more results quickly as puppies are easily trained. Mature dogs can be stubborn and willful and may not be as easy to train. The calm and stable trainer should provide positive training sessions as they tend to yield more out of this breed.

Activity

Though some Lancashire Heelers can be lazy, generally this breed is very active and energetic. It would need some tasks to perform. Due to its adaptability, the dog is relatively inactive indoors and can live in an apartment but it does need lots of physical and mental stimulation through exercise. Daily walks and ample playing time is a must for this breed.