GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: not to exceed 37cm (14½”).
Colour: Black/tan, blue/tan, red wheaten, red grizzle, liver, blue or black.
Coat: Dense, harsh, weather resisting outercoat with a thick undercoat.
Gait: All legs move straight with good propulsion.
The Lakeland is a sturdy workmanlike terrier with a chest that should never be so broad in the chest as to restrict its entry into burrows or through rocky crevasses. The flat refined skull is the same length as the powerful muzzle.
The small V shaped ears are carried erect with the tips falling forward. The moderately long neck runs into a strong, rather narrow body to the customarily docked and gaily carried tail. The legs are strong, with well bent stifles and small compact feet.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
These energetic little fun loving clowns have a great affinity with children. As with most terriers, training must be both firm and kind, and with plenty of praise for being good. If not showing, the pet owner might be content with periodic clipping even though some of the colour might fade. However, if exhibiting, hand stripping will be necessary to retain a rich colour.
HISTORY
Being one of the oldest terrier working breeds and indigenous to the north of England Lake district, these dogs were previously known as the Fell or Patterdale Terrier. It is believed infusions of both Border and Bedlington Terriers are involved in the make up of the Lakeland. As the purpose of this breed lay in destroying foxes who attacked flocks of sheep, these game little terriers were expected to follow narrow bodied foxes into their lairs - this is the reason for the breed standard calling for the chest to be no wider than the head. Hunting otters was another duty and it has been recorded that they sometimes locked themselves onto their quarry in their burrows and remained there for days at a time. While most were safely extricated by their owners  unfortunately at other times some were not so lucky.