American Pit Bull Terrier is originated from United States but Lakeland Terrier is originated from United Kingdom. American Pit Bull Terrier may grow 18 cm / 8 inches higher than Lakeland Terrier. American Pit Bull Terrier may weigh 22 kg / 49 pounds more than Lakeland Terrier. Both American Pit Bull Terrier and Lakeland Terrier has almost same life span. American Pit Bull Terrier may have more litter size than Lakeland Terrier. American Pit Bull Terrier requires Low Maintenance. But Lakeland Terrier requires Moderate Maintenance
The history of the American Pit Bull Terrier might be a confusing one to some dog lovers and certainly to the general public that tends to lump all the “bully” breeds into a category called “pit bull”. This is because of the negative reputation this group of breeds has acquired over the past 30-50 years due to misuse and mis-breeding by the dog fighting industry. This categorization includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, The American Staffordshire Terrier, the Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
There is major confusion and disagreement on the difference between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. The AKC does not recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier as a separate breed, but its founder and the UKC, ADBA do so. In the 1930’s the American Pit Bull Terrier was a recognized breed and in response to the negativity of pit-fighting, they renamed it as the American Staffordshire Terrier.
The American Pit Bull Terrier was developed to be a little larger in size than the Staffordshire in both height and weight. This breed comes from crossing various Bull and Terrier breed to get a working dog. The Amstaff for the most part is bred to be a show dog and is not usually a “street dog” used in dog fighting rings. The direct ancestors of the APBT are the Old English Bulldogs and the Old English Terriers. These dogs are great family dogs, gentle beyond comparison unless raised to fight. They make great therapy dogs as well as police dogs. They are not by nature cruel, aggressive or attack dogs.
Both professional confirmation breeders and street fight breeds have developed new strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier. A few are worth mentioning here.
One of the oldest strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier they are red in color and that red is a very unique tone. They have a copper colored coat and nose with red nails, red lips and amber or red eyes. These dogs were originally from Ireland and when they came to America they had the red nose. Originally bred for gameness, it is the red color that is sought after now.
These are another old breed, but they have black noses and were initially bred by John P. Colby in the late 1800s. These dogs were known to be indominable fighting dogs and were bred into almost every line of American Pit Bull Terriers that exist today. The line is still maintained by the Colby family.
The Lakeland Terrier hails from the lake district of England. They were bred to hunt foxes that were coming after the lambs during lambing season.
These dogs are connected to a number of terrier breeds such as the Bedlington-, Border-, Old English Black and Tan- as well as the Dandie Dinmont Terriers.
In 1921 the Lakeland Terrier Association was formed and the American Kennel Club registered a Lakeland in 1934.
True to their reputation as fighters, the American Pit Bull Terrier looks like one – powerful, strong and well built. This belies their gentle disposition but too often they are judged by their looks. With a broad, brick shaped head, thick neck and deep chest, they are stocky, muscular and agile. They usually have cropped ears, but the tails are not docked. Their legs are strong and hindquarters especially muscular. These dogs are much stronger than they look. Round soulful eyes are one of the traits that people who keep these dogs as companion animals love about them. They have a scissor bite and one of the strongest jaws of all domesticated canines.
The Lakeland Terrier is a small to medium-sized dog which stands at between 33 – 38cm at the withers and weighs between 7 – 8kg.
The head is rectangular and he has semi-erect, semi-floppy ears and a docked tail which is held up. These days you’ll find the Lakeland being left with a long tail, taking away that attractive, square, compact look. The crisp double coat can come in a number of colors such as tan, grizzle, black and tan together, a wheatish color with some red and white. The coat is regarded as being hypoallergenic.
Possessing a number of positive attributes, Lakies, a nickname of these jaunty little dogs, is a friendly, loving, bold, self-confident dog. You’ll find that he is also determined and strong-willed but training and socialization turns him into a more obedient dog. He then gets on well with everyone in the household as well as with other pets.
They are intelligent dogs, so it won’t be difficult training him when proper training methods are used.
He is adaptable too and will adapt to life in the city or in the countryside, so long as he is exercised regularly as they are excitable, energetic dogs.
For those who live with the American Pit Bull Terrier there is no better dog. The APBT loves people and loves children. They think they are lap dogs, and they certainly are watch dogs. They love their people but their barks at strangers at home are not because they are protecting their people but rather they are greeting the strangers into their home. Unfortunately, they will not greet another dog in the same way. However, when their people are seriously threatened they will give their lives to defend them.
These are strong, confident dogs who want to please their people. They love children and make great family dogs but require a strong owner and a strong pack leader. The need to be under control around other dogs and because of their strength, need a strong owner. It is their aggression towards other animals that must be controlled.
It doesn’t matter that the Lakeland Terrier was bred to hunt and kill foxes in the Lake District of England because he is more than willing to settle down and become a loving and devoted pet too.
He is a robust dog, known for his determination and courage. He is an energetic dog too so when you bring him into your home, be prepared to up your activity levels to cater for your energetic friend.
You can add good health to his list of positive attributes. He is a healthy dog breed with few health complaints to write about. Treat him well as every dog deserves and you can have him around for about 15, 16 or 17 years.
Though the American Pit Bull Terrier is healthier than most large dogs, they do have an issue with hip dysplasia. Breeders have been working to breed this out of the APBT and their work in this area has helped with the other issues with the patella, heart and thyroid. The APBT can have skin allergies and Demodex Mange. This condition can be either deadly or just a localized skin issue. Immunizations and testing is essential for this breed. When not immunized, American Pit Bull Terrier puppies have a greater incidence of parvovirus than other breeds. They also might have cataracts and congenital heart disease.
The truth about any dog is that good nutrition, exercise and lots of love can contribute to ensuring a long, healthy life for your pet.
Some health problems are inherited while others can be prevented simply by the kind of home you provide your pet with. Once you decide to bring a dog into your home, you need to do everything you can to ensure his wellbeing.
This is a joint problem which can see your pet limping or moving along in a skipping manner. You will need to see the vet because sometimes friction can lead to osteoarthritis, pain and lameness.
Eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma can lead to blindness.
Terrier dogs are prone to allergies and dry, itchy skin can lead to other problems such as bacterial infections and be frustrating and stressful for your pet.
How you feed your American Pit Bull Terrier puppy is important to her health as an adult and long life. The adult dog should be fed one and a half to two and a half cups of high quality food twice a day. Puppies should be fed more often as they grow. DO not feed your APBT soft or canned dog food. Their food should be dry. Be careful not to feed too much as you do not want an obese American Pit Bull Terrier.
As previously mentioned this is a healthy breed with problems with:
These are usually inherited, and the pup may show signs early, or they could be developed later in life. They can be removed.
Hip dysplasia as in many larger, stronger breeds this can be a major problem. Breeds should test for it and APBT breeders are attempting to breed it out of the APBT.
This is a congenital issue that breeders are also breeding against and if they have it your American Bit Bull Terrier was likely born with it.
Many APBT are allergic to grasses or out outside allergens. Shots or medication can deal with these.
This is an athletic, joyful breed that loves to play, love sports and loves any activity that bonds it with its family. Some of the many sports the American Pit Bull Terrier likes to participate in include: agility, obedience competition, weight pulling, lure coursing and fly ball. He also needs backyard exercise and daily walks.
When walking your American Pit Bull Terrier, make sure she is on a leash as the breed has a tendency to be aggressive with other dogs coming into their space. The APBT loves to work. They are good therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, even service dogs.
Grooming doesn’t only keep your 4-legged friend in tip top shape in terms of looking well cared for, it makes him feel good too and it contributes to his wellbeing.
Regular grooming also decreases the chance of health problems because you can simultaneously check him for lumps, scratches, parasites and allergies.
Stripping is a technique where you pull the dead hair out of the coat by either using your fingers or a stripping knife. This stripping makes makes room for a new coat to grow.
It is a good and effective grooming method for Terrier type dogs, and the best part about it is that if it is done correctly, the process is painless.
Other Terrier owners have a professional groomer clip the coat. In between these grooming procedures, brush your Lakie twice a week to keep the coat soft, springy and shiny.
Other grooming needs for your Lakeland include trimming his nails as needed, checking the inside of his ears for dirt and too much wax and brushing his teeth twice a week to keep tartar and bacteria at bay.
If you’re a responsible dog owner and you are unsure how to do these grooming procedures, there is no need to fret as there are always professional groomers and dental cleaning procedures that your vet will recommend. These experts can do the job professionally and painlessly for your pet.
Nothing is set in stone about what your Lakeland Terrier should eat, but it is a known fact that high quality, nutritious food wards off illness and increases longevity.
How much your adult dog eats will depend on his age and his activity levels. You want to ensure he gets the right proportions to avoid obesity too. The female Lakeland will give you 3 – 4 puppies and during this time you want to ensure she’s getting the very best, nutritious food there is – after all it’s for the sake of her puppies.
The truth about any dog is that good nutrition, exercise and lots of love can contribute to ensuring a long, healthy life for your pet. Some health problems are inherited while others can be prevented simply by the kind of home you provide your pet with.
Once you decide to bring a dog into your home, you need to do everything you can to ensure his well-being.