At a glance

Key facts

The essentials to compare before deciding whether this breed fits your home and routine.

Size
Small
Lifespan
11 to 14 years
Energy
High
Temperament
Hardy, determined and strongly driven to hunt
Good with children
Can be good with older children who leave it in peace
Exercise
At least an hour a day, plus safe outlets for hunting behaviour
Trainability
Experienced handler
Grooming
Weekly brushing, hand stripping for rough coats and year-round shedding
Estimated monthly cost, GBP
£60 to £120 per month

The Patterdale Terrier is one of the few dogs in Britain still bred mainly for a job rather than for a show ring. It holds no Kennel Club recognition and has no written standard, and it takes its name from a village in the Lake District, where fell packs needed a terrier that could follow a fox into rocky ground and keep working underground on its own. Breeders selected for a narrow chest, a weatherproof coat, physical toughness and, above everything else, persistence.

Persistence is exactly why the type has become a difficult pet in the wrong household. Patterdales are now bought well beyond the working community, often by people who wanted a small dog that was cheap to feed and simple to look after. The size and the easy coat deliver on that. The temperament frequently does not.

Living with the breed

At home a Patterdale is usually affectionate, funny and physically undemanding of space. It will sleep on a lap, ignore bad weather and live perfectly happily in a small house provided the day contains enough to do. Difficulty arises outside the front door and around other animals. Many are forthright with unfamiliar dogs, particularly of the same sex, and a busy park full of loose dogs rarely suits them. Cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens present a real problem. A terrier raised with one cat may accept that individual and still hunt the neighbour’s, and small caged pets are safest kept in a separate room behind a closed door. Children who understand that a dog needs undisturbed rest get on well with the breed. Toddlers who follow it about do not. A first-time owner can succeed, but only one who wants an active dog and treats management as normal rather than as failure.

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Daily exercise

An hour is the minimum for a healthy adult, and many will happily do far more. Quality matters more than distance, so sniffing and rough ground beat a brisk road circuit. Off-lead freedom is the genuine complication, because recall is competing directly with a bred-in hunting drive rather than with mild curiosity. A long line in open country is sensible until recall has been proven against real distractions. Keep well away from active setts and rabbit warrens, since a terrier that goes to ground can become stuck and need specialist help. Sheep chasing is a criminal offence in the UK and can end with a farmer taking action, so a lead near livestock is not negotiable. Fencing needs checking at ground level, because these dogs dig, squeeze and climb.

Training and mental work

Reward-based training works well, and most Patterdales are strongly motivated by food and by games. Recall deserves the largest share of the effort, taught with high value rewards and ideally a whistle. Add a solid stop, a reliable leave and a cheerful swap for anything found. The realistic goal is management supported by training rather than obedience that overrides instinct, and owners who accept that early avoid a lot of frustration. Give the drive legal outlets. Scent games, a permitted digging area and hunting-style toy work satisfy the same appetite at no cost to wildlife. Muzzle training is worth teaching in advance, since a comfortable muzzle is useful at the vet and where scavenging is likely. Teach a settle too, because an under-occupied Patterdale invents its own employment.

Grooming and shedding

Coats come smooth, broken or rough, and none is high maintenance. A weekly brush and a check over the whole dog is enough for most. Smooth coats shed short stiff hairs that weave themselves into upholstery. Broken and rough coats keep their texture better if hand stripped once or twice a year by someone who knows the job. The routine matters most as a health check on an animal that pushes through brambles, gorse and drainage pipes without hesitation. Check the ribs and legs for scratches and thorns, the eyes for damage after cover work, and the head and ears for ticks. Small mouths crowd easily, so start tooth brushing in puppyhood.

Health and costs

Working terriers are generally hardy, and the type has escaped the exaggeration affecting some show breeds. Kneecap luxation and inherited eye conditions occur, as they do across small terriers, and DNA tests exist for some conditions found in fell terrier lines. Because most litters are unregistered there is often no paperwork trail, so ask what the breeder tests for and whether relatives have had health problems. A vet should assess any limping, skipping step or cloudy eye rather than waiting for it to settle. Most adults weigh around six kilograms, and a sound one often lives into its early teens. Feeding a small dog is inexpensive, but insurance is worth arranging from the first day, since an active hunting terrier can arrive home with an injury that needs surgery. Any figures quoted are indicative, as food, insurance and veterinary costs vary a good deal.

Verdict

A Patterdale suits an outdoor household that wants a small, tough, characterful dog and is willing to build life around a serious prey drive. Walkers, rural owners and people who enjoy training make the best homes.

The breed is a poor match for anyone with free-roaming small pets, for a home wanting a dog that can be trusted loose anywhere, or for an owner hoping a small dog means a small commitment. Meet working adults, watch how they respond to a rabbit and to another dog, and be honest about your own walks.