lancashireheelersunited.org

Lancashire Heelers United
Welcomes You!

This website is a work in progress. Some key parts may be missing or links not yet functional. Please read on and enjoy what we have put together to date. We will add more goodies for you regularly.

A commitment to
Lancashire Heelers

As an international association of people who believe Lancashire Heelers are the best companions who deserve thoughtful conservation, we are highly invested in promoting the breed’s health, welfare, and integrity through education, information, and shared accomplishments and activities.

About us

“Sweet, smart, and eager to please. Perfection!”

floral image standing in for a photo of Juanita

Juanita Mikulas Swing

Lancashire Heeler fan girl

A passion for Lancashire Heelers

The Lancashire Heeler, the smallest herding breed anywhere, originated in rural England. A lively breed with strong instincts for its original purposes of herding livestock and managing vermin, these tough little dogs are adaptable and excel at a wide variety of jobs and dog sports.

A Lancashire Heeler puppy with a rope and ball toy posing in a play bow.
A young Lancashire Heeler who is ready to play (Gibbs, Jill, untitled, 2024)

Characteristics

Smart, challenging, fun, and healthy

Intelligent, courageous, happy, and affectionate

Bred to work in partnership with his people

Loves to play and solve puzzles

Vulnerable breed due to small numbers worldwide

Lancashire Heeler wearing a life jacket and holding a toy in his mouth swim back to the dock
A Lancashire Heeler practicing Dock Diving, one of his many performance skills (Herrera, Kelly, untitled, 2024)

Versatile

Happiest with a job or sport requiring skill and training in close work with her handler

  • Agility
  • Barn Hunt/Happy Ratters
  • Canine Freestyle (Heelwork to Music)
  • Conformation (Dog Show)
  • Disk Dog (Up Dog, K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch)
  • Dock Diving
  • Fast CAT
  • Herding (Sheepdog trial)
  • Nosework (Scentwork)
  • Obedience
  • Rally
  • Therapy
  • Treibball
  • Trick dog
A single Lancashire Heeler and a small herd of cattle facing one another.
A single Lancashire Heeler holding a small herd of cattle in place. (Ellis, Kirsty, untitled, 2024)

Origins

A landrace breed of small black and tan dogs (also liver and tan) that were were used for droving livestock, controlling vermin, and general farm help

Originated around the village of Ormskirk in Lancashire County, located in North West England

Many stories but little reliable evidence concerning what breeds may have given rise to the Lancashire Heeler and when

May be traceable back at least to the 18th century

An older Lancashire Heeler poses beside her newly-acquired AKC title
This older Lancashire Heeler loves working and learning to earn an AKC Trick Dog title (Taylor, Mark, untitled, 2021)

Training

Works to please

Needs positive, respectful, kind training

Use praise, treats, and play to motivate

Punitive training is ineffective

Picture of a Golden Retriever sitting on the floor next to a Lancashire Heeler sitting on a grooming table. Both dogs look bright-eyed and expectant.
Lancashire Heelers have very simple grooming needs (Herrera, Kelly, untitled, 2023)

Grooming

Easy-care, wash & wear

Weather-resistant, glossy top coat over a soft undercoat

Coat colors: black or liver, with tan markings

Tall man walking down a rough path in the wilderness with a Lancashire Heeler
Rugged Lancashire Heeler accompanies his human in the wilderness (Buehl, Rosanna, untitled, 2023)

Size

Low set, strong, active

Males: 12 inches at the withers

Females: 10 inches at the withers

An array of resources

Our comprehensive suite of resources caters to a diverse audience, ranging from those who want a pet to keep them company to breeders who want to shepherd the breed into the future.

Lancashire Heeler Education

  • Health
  • Temperament
  • Conformation
  • Is this the dog for me?
  • Read more…
A liver and tan Lancashire Heeler adult stands beside a fallen tree
A richly-colored liver and tan Lancashire Heeler adult stands beside a fallen tree (Feunekes, Jessica, untitled, 2024)
Three young black and tan Lancashire Heeler puppies
Three young Lancashire Heeler puppies (Giannelli, Elaine, untitled, 2021)

Finding a Lancashire Heeler

  • Buyer’s Responsibilities
  • Choosing a breeder
  • Questions a breeder might ask
  • Read more…

About Lancashire Heelers

Four Lancashire Heelers sitting together in the foreground under Snowden, the mountain in North Wales.
Four Lancashire Heelers pose together in the shadow of Wales (Syrett, Elaine, untitled, 2022)

Watch, Read, Listen