The American Kennel Club has officially recognized a 201st breed: the Lancashire heeler. Thought to have derived from Welsh Corgis crossbred with Manchester Terriers in the 1600s, they were later bred over generations in West Lancashire. The wee fellas are known for their drive to work, signature brown and black coats, and frequent appearance of a smile. This new recognition by the AKC means that Lancashire heelers can now partake in coveted dog shows like Westminster Kennel Club. Given their feisty, determined natures, methinks Lancashire heelers will be fierce competitors. NPR spoke with heeler breeders and provided some background on AKC’s method for adding breeds:
Say hello to the Lancashire heeler, the latest breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. The organization announced Wednesday that the rare herding breed is now eligible for thousands of U.S. dog shows, including the prominent Westminster Kennel Club 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). Historically, they were farm helpers that could both drive cattle and rout rats, and today they participate in an array of canine sports and pursuits.
“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.”
Their official description — or breed standard, in dog-world parlance — calls for them to be “courageous, happy, affectionate to owner,” and owners say contented heelers sometimes pull back their lips in a “smile.”
They’re “extremely versatile,” participating in everything from scent work to dock diving contests, says United States Lancashire Heeler Club President Sheryl Bradbury. But she advises that a Lancashire heeler “has to have a job,” whether it’s an organized dog sport or simply walks and fetch with its owners.
The dogs benefit from meeting various different people and canines, added Bradbury, who breeds them in Plattsmouth, Nebraska.
Lancashire heelers go back centuries in the United Kingdom, where they’re now deemed a “vulnerable native breed” at risk of dying out in their homeland. Britain’s Kennel Club has added an average of just 121 Lancashire heelers annually to its registry in recent years, and the American Kennel Club says only about 5,000 exist worldwide.
Founded in 1884, the AKC is the United States’ oldest purebred dog registry and functions like a league for many canine competitions, including sports open to mixed-breeds and purebreds. But only the 201 recognized breeds vie for the traditional “best in show” trophies at Westminster and elsewhere.
To get recognized, a breed must count at least 300 pedigreed dogs, distributed through at least 20 states, and fanciers must agree on a breed standard. Recognition is voluntary, and some breeds’ aficionados approach other kennel clubs or none at all.
Adding breeds, or even perpetuating them, bothers animal rights activists. They argue that dog breeding powers puppy mills, reduces pet adoptions and accentuates canine health problems by compressing genetic diversity.
A downsized corgi is pretty darn small! I’m not usually a fan of brown and black together, sartorially speaking, but golly they are cute little munchkins. And yeah, you can totally see they’re proud, boss dogs. When AKC starts getting particular on the recognition process, though, I admit I lose focus. I know we’re talking about dogs, but all the language sounds so icky to me. “Purebreds” and “mixed-breeds” and “pedigree” and “fanciers.” Again, I realize these are technical terms and that I’m coming at this as a layman, as well as an unshakable supporter of adopt don’t shop. Whether or not Fido is a true this breed or that breed is not the draw for me. I’m here for any and all dogs, whatever their makeup. I don’t give a woof over how strictly they model their selected group. Give me your quirky, your mutt, your unique multi-ethnic pups yearning to trot free!
Photos credit: David Dalton/ImageBROKER/Avalon, Karolina Grabowska on Pexels
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