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Patterdale Breed Summary
Loyal, Friendly, Highly-Active and Caring
These dogs were originally bred in the Lake District in the north of the UK, where they were extremely prized for their fantastic hunting abilities and keen senses! They have since become a very popular breed.
There is no breed standard as of yet and they are yet to be recognised by the Kennel Club, however, their loyal and friendly natures mean they still easily find a place both in human hearts and homes across the world!
Fun Fact: They were named after the village of Patterdale in the Lake District!
Kennel Club Group | Terrier |
Lifespan | 12 - 15 Years |
Height (at the withers) | Males and Females 25cm - 40cm |
Weight | Males and Females 7kg - 14kg |
Coat | Smooth, Rough or Broken coat with a Dense Undercoat. |
Colour | Grizzle, Chocolate, Red/tan, Liver, Black and tan |
Eye colour | Dark Brown |
Common health issues | Eye issues, Primary lens Luxation (PLL) |
Other Names | Black Fell Terrier |
This breed make excellent family pets due to the fact that they are extremely loyal and have very friendly natures. However, it must be noted that these guys are very high-energy, and will need lots of walkies and other forms of physical activity, so a highly active family is probably a better home for this breed. They also have an extremely high prey drive, due to their original reasons for being bred. Alongside the ability to compress their lungs, which allows them to go into holes and burrows, it's best you don't let these guys off their leads unless in a very secure area! It may also not be the best dog if you have other small pets. However, they are really human orientated and make good pets for owners who have experience handling terriers.
These sweet dogs were developed in the Lake District in the 1960's, by Brian Nuttall. It's thought he used Buck and Breay dogs to create the Patterdale that we know today. Even now, puppies from the 'Nuttall Bloodline' are considered to be one of the most prestigious lines in the world, demanding an extremely high price! They were originally developed to protect flocks against predators and to be able to work in harsh and hilly terrain. As compared to other breeds, this particular group of dogs were trained to catch prey without killing them and were taught to withstand their ground and react quickly and efficiently to every situation thrown at them. The name of this breed comes from the village where they were originally bred in, called Patterdale.