Lancashire Heeler

 

Briefly about the breed

• The Lancashire heeler is a small, robust and energetic working dog.
• The breed is independent, brave and faithful, and thrives on positive reinforcement and consistent routines.
• Lancashire heelers have a strong herd affinity and are suitable for various activities such as agility and obedience.
• In terms of appearance, it is small with thin undercoat and short, thick, hard and straight cover coat.
• Historically, the breed has been a “farmer’s dog” in Lancashire, England, and was bred until the 1970s.

Characteristics/Mentality

The Lancashire heeler is a good working dog with a teachable nature. It shows great eagerness and interest in intellectual challenges and is well suited to activities such as agility, obedience, tracks and more. At the same time, it also works excellently as a company dog, although it has an innate tendency to be pack-focused and does not necessarily seek contact with strangers.

Size/Appearance

The Lancashire heeler is a small but robustly built dog with an ideal height of 25 cm for bitches and 30 cm for males. The fur is composed of thin underwool which is covered by a short, thick, hard and straight top coat. The neck may have a slightly longer covering fur.Desired color is black and tan or liver and tan, with deep tans around the muzzle, cheeks, knees and under the tail. There may also be black markings on the paws, and a small white chest spot is allowed. The ears can be upright or pointed, but must have a lift at the base.

Fur grooming

Lancashire Heelers require minimal grooming. Simple cleaning when dirty and brushing during shedding is sufficient. The breed usually sheds once or twice a year.

History

Originally from England, the Lancashire heeler has a long history as one of the vulnerable English breeds. In Lancashire it was known as the “farmer’s dog” and had tasks such as herding cows and keeping farms free of rats and mice.The breed was bred in the 1970s and received official approval by the English Kennel Club in 1981. In Norway, the breed was introduced in 1998, and it received temporary international recognition by the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 2016.

The breed club

In general, it is recommended to contact the breed club for more information about the breed.Good luck!