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Lancashire Heeler

General
Other Names		Ormskirk Heeler
Dog Group Kennel Club		Pastoral
Breed Classification		The Lancashire Heeler is a member of the pastoral group. They were originally used for driving cattle; today they are companions.
Cost of Ownership
Average Food Cost		£4-7.50 per week
Feeding Requirements		They are relatively easy and cheap to feed. As a rule they are not fussy dogs and will eat anything that is put down to them.
		Try Royal Canin Breed Specific Dog Food
Other Expenses		The average purchase price of a puppy ranges from £250-£600.
Average Puppy Price		£300-500
Lifespan		9 - 15 years On average the Lancashire Heeler lives to around 12-13 years.
Average Litter Size		2-5 The average number of puppies in a litter is 2 - 5.
General Physical Description		The Lancashire Heeler is a small, sturdily built dog. They are slightly longer than they are tall and the front feet turn slightly outwards. The ears are relatively large and stand erect.
Height Min Max Bitch 25cm (10") 30cm (12") Dog 25cm (10") 30cm (12") Weight Min Max Bitch 3kg (7lbs) 6kg (13lbs) Dog 3kg (7lbs) 6kg (13lbs)
Size Category		Small
Weight Height Range		Ideally dogs should measure 30cms at the withers, and bitches should measure 25cms. They range in weight from 3 to 6kg.
Ailments		The Lancashire Heeler is a relatively healthy dog that seems to have few problems. They do seem to have some hereditary eye diseases.
Common Ailments		Collie eye anomaly Lens luxation Patella luxation
Susceptibility To Illness		Low
Other
History		The history of the Lancashire Heeler is a bit of a mystery. They have been known to exist since the 1600’s when they were used as farm dogs and to drive cattle, they also used their hunting instincts to catch rabbits and rats. They are thought to have come about through crosses of the Welsh Corgi and the Manchester Terrier. They have been recognised as a breed since 1981.
Intelligence		The Lancashire Heeler is an intelligent dog with a stubborn streak. Training should be consistent and firm, as they will quite readily do their own thing.
Show Characteristics		The skull of the Lancashire Heeler should be flat and wide between the ears and taper towards the eyes. The tapering should continue to the nose. The jaws should be strong and have a regular scissor bite. The eyes should be medium in size, almond shaped and dark in colour. The ears can be either pricked or tipped. The neck should be of moderate length and well laid into the shoulders. Closse-coupled with a level topline, this dog should be slightly longer than it is tall. The pasterns can allow the feet to turn slightly outwards, the back legs should be muscular and should appear parallel when viewed from the rear. The feet should be small and firm. The tail should be high set and carried over the back in a slight curve. Their movement should be smart and brisk. The topcoat should be short, thick, hard, flat and weather proof and be slightly longer on the neck, the undercoat should be fine. A long or wavy coat is not desirable. The colour desired is black with tan on the muzzle, face, lower part of the legs, inside the back legs and the underside of the tail, a very small spot of white is allowed on the chest. In 1999 the Kennel Club approved the brown (Liver and Tan) Heeler to be included in the Breed
Country Of Origin		Great Britain
Famous Examples
Records Held
Characteristics
Energy		High
Overall Exercise		100 - 120 minutes per day. The Lancashire Heeler does enjoy exercise and is ideal for active people. They can adapt to living in a town or country setting but must have free space in safe areas to exercise in. If they have access to a garden it must be made escape proof, as they will get out the smallest hole or over the smallest fence.
Distress Caused if Left Alone		Medium
Personal Protection		Medium
Suitability As Guard Dog		Low
Risk of Sheep Worrying		Low
Tendency to Bark		Medium
Ease of Transportation		High
Level of Aggression		Medium
Compatibility With Other Animals		Low
Suitable For Children		Medium
General Character And Temperament		The Lancashire Heeler is a friendly little dog that gets on well with people and older children. Some can be a little nervous and somewhat intolerant of other dogs. Early socialisation with people and other pets is a must. They are ideal dogs for active families with older children but are not really recommended as a first dog for homes with babies and toddlers.
Grooming
Coat Length		Short/Medium
Grooming Requirement		Once a week
Trimming
Requires Professional Groomer
Grooming		They are relatively easy to groom as their hair is rather short and smooth. A rubber grooming mitt and the occasional comb is all that is necessary to keep this dog tidy.
Colour		They are usually black and tan in colour but can be seen in liver and tan. They may have limited white.
Shedding		Little
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies

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