UK Breed Latest To Join American Kennel Club Registry

It’s small in stature, big on activity, and known for a “smile,” and it’s ready to compete with 200 other dog breeds. Say hello to the Lancashire heeler, the latest breed recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), Jennifer Peltz reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Lancashire heelers go back centuries in the UK, where they’re now deemed a “vulnerable native breed” at risk of dying out. I Photo: Drew Flickr

AKC announced Wednesday that the rare herding breed is now eligible for thousands of US dog shows, including the Westminster Kennel Club (WKC) show.

With long bodies and short coats that are often black and tan, the solidly built dogs are shaped a bit like a downsized corgi, standing around 1 foot (30 centimeters) at the shoulder and weighing up to about 17 pounds (7.7 kilograms).

They were farm helpers that could both drive cattle and rout rats.

“They’re gritty little dogs, and they’re very intelligent little dogs,” says Patricia Blankenship of Flora, Mississippi, who has bred them for over a decade. “It’s an enjoyable little breed to be around.”

Lancashire heelers go back centuries in the UK, where they’re now deemed a “vulnerable native breed” at risk of dying out. Britain’s Kennel Club has added an average of just 121 Lancashire heelers annually to its registry in recent years, and the AKC says only about 5,000 exist worldwide.

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