Lakeland Terrier

Terrier’s, in general, were bred to hunt and kill animals that were seen as vermin such as rats, badgers, otters, foxes, and weasels. Terriers became specialized by size, color, and temperament to hunt specific categories of vermin. Lakeland Terriers are one of the oldest of the working Terrier breeds, though they have gone by several different names throughout their long history. They originated as hunters of larger vermin in the Lake District of England and were originally known as Patterdale Terriers. They were bred initially to assist the farmers in the area by going to ground after badgers, otters, and foxes; not just to alert a human partner or to corner the animal, but to find and destroy their prey in order to keep them from raiding livestock. They were bred for gameness, which is defined as the trait of eagerness even in the face of substantial threat or injury, and this gameness has led some of these Terriers to follow badgers, otters, and foxes into their holes and pursue them for days. In 1912, a Terrier breed club was formed with the aim to recognize distinct breeds of terrier, including the Lakeland Terrier, which was known as the Cumberland County Terrier at that time. World War I slowed development of the breed, however, and an official breed standard was delayed until the 1920’s. It was at this time that the breed was given their current name. The Lakeland Terrier first appeared in the show ring in 1928 at Crufts in the United Kingdom, and was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1934.