Grooming the Lakeland Terrier

By Cindra Grooming Products — USA-Made Professional Grooming Essentials

The Lakeland Terrier is a bold, compact working terrier from England’s Lake District, bred to hunt foxes through rocky fell terrain alongside farmers protecting their sheep. The AKC describes the Lakeland’s attitude as “cock-of-the-walk” — confident, plucky, and always ready. The hard wiry coat is built for work and kept honest with hand stripping.

Coat

The Lakeland Terrier carries a hard, wiry double coat — a dense, close-lying outer jacket over a soft undercoat. Colors include black and tan, blue and tan, red, wheaten, red grizzle, liver, blue, and black. Saddle markings give many Lakelands their distinctive two-tone look. The coat is low-shedding; dead hair is retained in the jacket. The body coat is kept about an inch long, with slightly longer furnishings on the face and legs. Hand stripping every three to four months (or three times a year) maintains proper texture and color; clipping softens the coat over time.

Character

The Lakeland Terrier is self-confident, spirited, and mischievous — a big personality in a compact body standing about a foot tall. Originally bred to kill foxes that threatened lambing flocks, they are courageous and tenacious. They are amusing, smart dogs that learn quickly but bore easily, responding best to varied, engaging training. They do well with active families but need firm, consistent handling to manage the independent terrier streak.

Recommended Cindra Products

  • Texturizing Shampoo — maintains the hard wiry jacket; builds coat coarseness for show preparation
  • Cleansing Shampoo — deep clean for heavily soiled coats pre-strip or pre-show
  • Super Coat — diluted 90/10; light finishing mist that reduces static without softening the wire jacket

Problems & Solutions

Problem Cause Solution
Soft, woolly coat texture Repeated clipping; over-conditioning Return to hand stripping; use Texturizing Shampoo; avoid conditioners on the jacket
Color fading Clipping instead of stripping Hand strip to allow new pigmented coat to grow through
Shedding starting Coat not combed or stripped on schedule; dead coat building up Comb with a shedding comb and strip or trim every 3–4 months
Face furnishing tangles Beard and eyebrows collect debris and food Comb facial furnishings daily with a steel comb; wipe beard after meals; use Cleansing Shampoo on face during bath

Hands-On Grooming Guide

Hand Stripping

Strip the jacket approximately three times a year (every 3–4 months) for pet dogs; show dogs use a rolling strip schedule. Pull dead outer coat in the direction of growth using a stripping knife or finger cots with cornstarch. The coat is ready when it pulls easily and the jacket feels open or blown. Keep the body coat about an inch long throughout; leave leg and face furnishings slightly longer.

Between Strips

Brush with a slicker brush for 15–30 minutes weekly. Comb leg furnishings and facial hair with a steel comb. Bathe every 4–6 weeks using Texturizing Shampoo. Trim ears and foot pads to keep the dog comfortable. Tidy eyebrows and beard to maintain the clean Lakeland expression.

Shedding

The Lakeland Terrier is a non-shedding breed when properly maintained. Dead coat is retained in the jacket. If the coat is not combed and stripped on schedule, shedding will begin as dead coat breaks free. Consistent maintenance keeps the home and the jacket clean.

Puppy vs. Adult Coat

Feature Puppy Adult
Coat texture Softer puppy coat; first strip at 4–6 months Hard, wiry, close-lying jacket
Stripping First strip at 4–6 months to encourage adult coat Every 3–4 months
Grooming frequency Weekly brushing; build tolerance early Weekly maintenance; strip every 3–4 months

Quick Grooming Schedule

Task Frequency
Brushing Weekly (15–30 min)
Bath Every 4–6 weeks
Hand stripping Every 3–4 months
Feet, ears, and tidy trim Every 4–6 weeks
Nail trim Every 3–4 weeks
Ear check Weekly

Resources