Lancashire Heeler
Encyclopedia
The Lancashire Heeler is a small breed
of dog
developed for use as a drover
and herder
of cattle. The Lancashire Heeler is listed by the Kennel Club (UK) as a vulnerable breed.
. They are slightly longer than height at withers
, usually measures between 10–12 in (25.4–30.5 cm) at the shoulder and weighs 6–13 lb (2.7–5.9 kg). Ears can be tipped or erect.
, Primary lens luxation and Persistent pupillary membranes. As well as these eye conditions, dogs of this breed may suffer from Patella luxation.
was used to drive livestock to the north west of England from Wales
. In the Ormskirk
area, a type of black and tan terrier called the Manchester Terrier
was introduced which resulted in what is now known as the Lancashire Heeler. The breed has been known in its home county for over a hundred and fifty years as a general purpose farm dog, capable of both ratting and herding cattle.
Gwen Mackintosh began to breed Heelers in the early 1960s. Together with other enthusiasts, the Lancashire Heeler Club was formed in 1978, with the club setting a breed standard
and register. Recognition by The Kennel Club
followed in 1981. Mackintosh would continue to serve as the club's president until her death in 1992.
The breed was recognised as a vulnerable native breed
by The Kennel Club in 2006, which means that annual registration figures are 300 or less for the breed. In 2006, 173 Heelers were registered in the UK, in 2007 this had decreased further to 146.
trials, obedience
, Rally obedience
, showmanship
, flyball
, and herding
events. Herding
instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Lancashire Heelers exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
developed for use as a drover
Droving
Droving is the practice of moving livestock over large distances by walking them "on the hoof".Droving stock to market, usually on foot and often with the aid of dogs, has a very long history in the old world...
and herder
Herding dog
A herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding...
of cattle. The Lancashire Heeler is listed by the Kennel Club (UK) as a vulnerable breed.
Appearance
The coat is harsh and smooth with an undercoat which keeps the dog dry in all weathers. It may have a slight mane round the neck in winter. The dog is usually black and tan, but liver and tan is now recognised by the Kennel ClubThe Kennel Club
The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy...
. They are slightly longer than height at withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, usually measures between 10–12 in (25.4–30.5 cm) at the shoulder and weighs 6–13 lb (2.7–5.9 kg). Ears can be tipped or erect.
Personality
It is alert, friendly, energetic, intelligent, playful and a pleasant companion. Personality can range from lazy and playful to energenic and talkative. It is actually a very strong dog that likes to participate in all kinds of activities, and can carry a ball or object the size of themselves. The Lancashire Heeler is friendly towards its owners and passers-by on the street but may be aggressive towards an unknown character on their territory, such as the mailman.Health
The Lancashire Heeler has a life expectancy of 12–15 years or more. The three most common serious conditions that can affect Heelers are Collie eye anomalyCollie eye anomaly
Collie eye anomaly is a congenital, inherited, bilateral eye disease of dogs involving the retina, choroid, and sclera. It can be a mild disease or cause blindness. CEA is caused by a simple autosomal recessive gene defect...
, Primary lens luxation and Persistent pupillary membranes. As well as these eye conditions, dogs of this breed may suffer from Patella luxation.
History
Precise details of the origin of breed is unknown. However, it is accepted that a type of Welsh CorgiWelsh Corgi
The Welsh corgi is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. Two distinct breeds are recognized: the Pembroke Welsh corgi and the Cardigan Welsh corgi, with the Pembroke being the more common..-Description:...
was used to drive livestock to the north west of England from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. In the Ormskirk
Ormskirk
Ormskirk is a market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool city centre, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston.-Geography and administration:...
area, a type of black and tan terrier called the Manchester Terrier
Manchester Terrier
The Manchester Terrier is a breed of dog of the smooth-haired terrier type.-Appearance:Manchester Terriers are considered by most to be the oldest of all identifiable terrier breeds, finding mention in works dating from as early as the 16th century. In 1570 Dr...
was introduced which resulted in what is now known as the Lancashire Heeler. The breed has been known in its home county for over a hundred and fifty years as a general purpose farm dog, capable of both ratting and herding cattle.
Gwen Mackintosh began to breed Heelers in the early 1960s. Together with other enthusiasts, the Lancashire Heeler Club was formed in 1978, with the club setting a breed standard
Breed standard (dogs)
A breed standard in the dog fancy is a set of guidelines covering specific externally observable qualities such as appearance, movement, and temperament for that dog breed...
and register. Recognition by The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy...
followed in 1981. Mackintosh would continue to serve as the club's president until her death in 1992.
The breed was recognised as a vulnerable native breed
Vulnerable Native Breeds
thumb|right|There were only 37 Skye Terrier puppies registered with the Kennel Club in 2010Vulnerable Native Breeds are a group of dog breeds originating in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and identified by The Kennel Club as having annual registration numbers of 300 puppies or fewer...
by The Kennel Club in 2006, which means that annual registration figures are 300 or less for the breed. In 2006, 173 Heelers were registered in the UK, in 2007 this had decreased further to 146.
Activities
Lancashire Heelers can compete in dog agilityDog agility
Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles...
trials, obedience
Obedience training
Obedience training usually refers to the training of a dog and the term is most commonly used in that context. Obedience training ranges from very basic training, such as teaching the dog to reliably respond to basic commands such as "sit", "down", "come", and "stay", to high level competition...
, Rally obedience
Rally obedience
Rally obedience is a dog sport based on obedience. It was originally devised by Charles L. "Bud" Kramer from the obedience practice of "doodling" - doing a variety of interesting warmup and freestyle exercises....
, showmanship
Dog showmanship
Dog showmanship is a set of skills and etiquette used by handlers of dogs in a dog competition. Dog showmanship is not a competition in itself but a qualification of the handler to present a dog to its best advantage. Skills are technical as well as artistic...
, flyball
Flyball
Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball.Flyball is run in teams of four...
, and herding
Herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group , maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. While the layperson uses the term "herding", most individuals involved in the process term it mustering, "working stock" or...
events. Herding
Herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group , maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. While the layperson uses the term "herding", most individuals involved in the process term it mustering, "working stock" or...
instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Lancashire Heelers exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.