The Lancashire heeler: A clever, compact and very rare terrier that was once described as having 'the same value as an ox'

A little nip and tuck

Originating in Ormskirk, Lancashire, and known as both the Lancashire heeler and Ormskirk heeler, this small pastoral breed combines the finest qualities of its ancestors. A charming cross between the Welsh corgi and the Manchester terrier, the low-slung heeler was traditionally used to herd cattle — nipping gently at their heels like a corgi — and to dispatch vermin with terrier tenacity.

Agile, compact and clever, the Lancashire heeler was the ideal farmhand. But the arrival of motorised transport meant its droving duties declined, and its numbers dwindled. At one time, it was said the dog should be ‘small enough to fit in a poacher’s pocket’ — a nod to its rabbit-catching skills and cunning ways.

Despite this, the breed endured. It is now the only surviving Engl