Meet AKC’s Newest Recognized Dog Breed, The Lancashire Heeler

Meet the Lancashire Heeler! The 201st dog breed officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) on January 04, Thursday.

The Lancashire Heeler became eligible to start competing on January 01, 2024 and is the newest member of AKC’s Herding Group.

This breed may be small, but they surely have big dog energy! According to AKC, the Lancashire Heelers are energetic and are “just as adept in Performance sports” as they are in dog shows.

Sheryl Bradbury, President of the United States Lancashire Heeler Club (USLHC), describes the breed as “a breed that will work hard all day and is happy to curl up at your side and watch the TV news at night.”

Jeff Kestner, Club Chair of Judges’ Education Committee, has this to say about this small breed, “It’s not a run-of-the-mill dog. Its eyes and expression are like magnets. Being a herding breed, it is extremely intelligent — it definitely needs a job to do.”

Kestner also reveals that the Heeler can display favoritism and have a favorite hooman in a family. “They love the entire family, but will pick out a favorite,” AKC writes.

When AKC asked Lancashire Heeler breeders for adjectives that best describe the breed, they listed the following: smart, fast, sweet, loving, clever, mischievous, intelligent, energetic, loyal, attached, versatile, tenacious, robust, affectionate, and alert.

Another thing you should know about this dog breed is that while it shares the nickname “Heeler” with other dog breed such as the Australian Cattle Dog, the Lancashire Heeler is the only AKC breed with the word “heeler” in its official breed name.

There is little to no known information about this breed’s origin. But AKC reveals that the breed is believed to be the outgrowth of “17th-century crossbreeding of livestock-herding Welsh Corgis in a Northern Wales meat market, with the later infusion of the Manchester Terrier.”

When it comes to their physical attributes, the Heeler has a dense and waterproof coat that is either black and tan or liver and tan.

Furthermore, they tend to be 9 to 17 pounds, with a lifespan of 12 and 15 years. And their average litter size is five.

While the breed is not as popular as other AKC dog breeds, AKC says “the Lancashire Heeler is its own distinct breed, and the more that it is seen in the public, the easier the dog will be for people to recognize.”