Breed Group
The Lancashire Heeler is one of the UK's vulnerable native breeds, yet at one time these intelligent, "people-friendly" dogs were a popular choice both as working dogs and companions. Renowned for their hunting abilities and their love of people, the Lancashire Heeler is an energetic little dog that likes to be kept as busy as possible while at the same time they enjoy being part of a family and involved in everything that goes on in a household. They are known to have an affinity with older children and like playing interactive games with them which in short, means they are great choice as family pets in households where the kids are older.
Although the true origins of the Lancashire Heeler are a bit of a mystery, many believe the breed came about when Corgis were crossed with Manchester Terriers. The Corgis were used to drive cattle to market from Wales to Ormskirk and the result of them being crossed with Manchester Terriers was the Lancashire Heeler. What is known is that these little dogs have existed in that region of the UK since the 1600's and apart from being used to herd and drive cattle, they are also very adept hunters used to control vermin and to catch rabbits.
The breed was only recognised by The Kennel Club in 1981, but sadly these charming, little dogs although very popular through the ages, fell out of favour over recent times and as such, they have been placed on The Kennel Club's vulnerable native breeds.
