- Black and tan, blue and tan, red, wheaten, red grizzle, liver, blue or black.
- Small tips of white on feet and chest but permissible
- Mahogany or deep tan not typical
About the Lakeland Terrier
Origin: Great Britain
- Typical life span
- 12-15 years
- Size
- Small — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 7-8 kg
- Female
- 6-7 kg
- Height
- Male
- 34-38 cm
- Female
- 33-37 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Terriers
- Origin
- Great Britain
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a Lakeland Terrier?
A small, sturdy terrier from the Lake District of England with a dense, weather-resistant wiry coat and lively expression. Known for its confident 'big dog' demeanor in a compact body and bold, courageous temperament.
Lakeland Terrier history and origins
Developed in the rugged Lake District by farmers to hunt foxes that preyed on lambs and sheep. Ancestry includes the old English Black and Tan Terrier and Bedlington Terrier. Recognized by The Kennel Club in 1921 and AKC in 1934.
Lakeland Terrier appearance and size
Males typically weigh 7-8 kg and stand 34-38 cm at the shoulder; females 6-7 kg and 33-37 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Terrier
- Behaviour and temperament
“Gay, fearless demeanour, keen of expression, quick of movement, on the tip-toe of expectation. Bold, friendly and self-confident”
Quoted from FCI standard n°70. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Small
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Terrier” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 4 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 3 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- Not researched yet
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Lakeland Terrier
What you get with the Lakeland Terrier
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Terrier”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Gay, fearless demeanour, keen of expression, quick of movement, on the tip-toe of expectation”
- Longer-lived than a crossbred dog — median 14.2 years across 1067 animals, against 12
What you are taking on
Nobody has written this side yet. It is a judgement rather than data, so it waits for a person — not for a missing source.
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard; McMillan et al. 2024, median age at death. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Lakeland Terrier
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
Dense, harsh and weather resisting with good undercoat
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°70 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the breed standard says
- Size
- “Height: Not exceeding 37 cm (14 ½ ins) at shoulder. Weight: Dogs 17 lbs (7,7 kg) ; bitches 15 lbs (6,8 kg)”
- FCI gives a bound on one side only, so there is no range to state.
Quoted from FCI standard n°70. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Lakeland Terrier in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a Lakeland Terrier
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Lakeland Terrier on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Lakeland Terrier owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No Lakeland Terrier breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.