Plate 158 · British Isles
Lakeland Terrier
湖畔㹴
“A terrier from the fells of the Lake District.”
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Lake District, Cumbria
- Region of origin
- Named after the Lake District; the marker is Cumbria's reference point.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Reported from the 1700s; Kennel Club recognition in the 1920s
- Today
- Companion · Earthdog
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Lake District, Cumbria
A small, square working terrier from the fells of the Lake District.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Running with foot packs of hounds over rocky fells and going to ground after foxes that raided sheep.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Descended from the old black-and-tan and fell terriers; Fox Terrier and Airedale crosses are reported by 1925. Known under local names such as Patterdale and Fell Terrier, it was recognized by the Kennel Club in the 1920s.
04 · Today
Companion · Earthdog
A companion and show dog; in the 2010s the UK Kennel Club listed it as a Vulnerable Native Breed.
Personality
- Friendly
- Confident
- Bold
- Smart
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- A good long walk or jog daily, with chances to run in a fenced area.
- Grooming
- Hand-stripping keeps the harsh texture; clipping softens it.
- Training
- Very smart and quick to learn, with a terrier mind.
Living with one
- Size
- Small
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Coat
- Harsh, wiry double coat; blue, black, liver, red, wheaten or grizzle, some with a saddle
Field note
A Lakeland is one of the few dogs to have won Best in Show at both Westminster and Crufts.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Terrier Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 3, standard 70), The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Terrier Group, recognized 1934.
In the 2010s the UK Kennel Club listed it as a Vulnerable Native Breed. AKC registrations: ranked 157 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Lakeland Terrier — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/lakeland-terrier/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Lakeland Terrier — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeland_Terrier
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Lake District origin, black-and-tan and fell-terrier ancestry, foot hunting on the fells, recognition in the 1920s, wins at Crufts and Westminster, vulnerable status.
- Lakeland Terrier — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/LAKELAND-TERRIER-70.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Great Britain; Group 3, section "Large and medium sized Terriers"; accepted 1954.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Named after the Lake District; the marker is Cumbria's reference point.
