Lucas Terrier Club

Finding a Lucas puppy is not easy. So, if you want a Lucas puppy you must be patient and expect to have to wait for one. They aren't knitted to order, created in a test tube or kept in a filing cabinet, so don't even think about asking about getting one to fit in with a birthday, anniversary or Christmas - Mother Nature produces them in her own time, no one else's.

Things to think about before you get a puppy.....

Before deciding to have a puppy you should consider that owning a dog is a lifetime commitment with the average dog living for 13 years. You should be aware that over that period you should expect to pay out around £10,000 caring for the dog. Puppies are hard work, particularly if there are young children in the house also demanding time and attention. Puppies don't train themselves and they can cause damage to precious possessions through chewing, accidents and general high spirits. They don't stay small forever and within a matter of months the cute little baby you left the breeder's with is a boisterous teenager in need of socialising, training, exercise and attention. Lucas terriers, whilst not particularly dominant and generally willing to please, will be hooligans, just as will any other breed, if they are not correctly reared. So, are you prepared to put in the time and dedication required to bring up a well adjusted, healthy, socialised dog? You must be honest about your circumstances and if this is not the right time to have a puppy then don't get one!

Why should I get my puppy through the Lucas Terrier Club

There are unscrupulous people out there who advertise both pedigree unknown and Sporting Lucas terrier puppies as being Lucas terriers. These puppies are not Lucas terriers, therefore, are not eligible for registration with the Lucas Terrier Club, cannot be exhibited at our show, their progeny will not be eligible for registration, they cannot be bred with a Lucas terrier and owners will not benefit from the support of the Lucas Terrier Club. As a pedigree unknown you will have no idea what the temperament of the adult dog is going to be like, probably nothing like that of a Lucas terrier. Breeders of bona fide Lucas terriers do not need to advertise as the Club maintains a puppy seekers list, and, thus, extreme caution should be the order of the day if you see an advert for puppies. If you are offered a Lucas terrier puppy without a 5 generation pedigree and a watermarked registration certificate signed by the Puppy Co-ordinator then you should check that all is above board before parting with a penny.

Should I have a male or female?

It is not uncommon for people to think that females are sweeter than males, are less domineering and, basically, make all round better pets. This is nothing more than a myth - there is no better gender.

There are differences of course, males will more often than not be bigger and heavier than females, but we aren't talking feet or stones here, a couple of inches and a few pounds may be all that separates a fully grown litter brother and sister.

If you don't have an entire (unspayed) female in the house then males rarely develop those marking and dominating habits that give them a bad reputation as pets, things like urinating on furniture and humping legs, children or other dogs (of either sex). In actual fact I have had females who were much worse 'humpers' than any male!

Males are every bit as loving and eager to please as females and they don't suffer from hormonal mood swings! Males may be a bit more confident and extrovert than females and often like to spread their affection around more. Females can be a little more discriminating in their loving, sometimes choosing one member of the family to receive their undivided attention, whilst males are more likely to be downright affection slobs. However, the female Lucas can be quicker to learn as they are less easily distracted than the male who is too busy trying to be everybody's friend to pay attention!

The Lucas terrier is a very accommodating and accepting breed so a male Lucas will generally live quite happily with another male without caring too much about who is alpha dog, unless you already have a dominant male that actively dislikes other males, then a female may, of course, fit in more easily. Females, actually, can be worse than males if they take a dislike to another dog in the household - as someone once said to me 'They don't call them bitches for nothing!'.

Boys DO happily live together ~ here are brothers Coco (back) and Chester (front) on the chair and cousin Harry on the rug.




Don’t close the door on a puppy because of preconceived notions. Every dog, irrespective of its sex, has it’s own personality & is unique in every way. It is very important to talk to and listen to advice that the breeder gives you about the puppies in a litter. A breeder will have had ample opportunity to observe their puppies and will have identified the quiet, laid back one, the on-the-go busy one and those that fall somewhere in-between in a litter. The personality of a puppy can then be matched with you, the prospective owner, taking your specific requirements and lifestyle into consideration, Often this best-fit puppy will not be of the gender that you had first thought you would want to have but please don't discount it merely because of its 'plumbing'!

Current status with puppies

There are some litters due up and down the country but given that there is a long waiting list new enquirers should expect a wait of a year and then be delighted if offered a puppy in a shorter period of time. It is very difficult to gauge how long any individual will wait - some breeders want their puppies to go to homes with children, others most definitely do not, particularly if the children are very small, some breeders will consider homes overseas, the majority will not and so on, so just because you're 125th on the list does not mean that you will not be offered a puppy before those in front of you if you fit that particular breeder's tick list. There are some questions on the questionnaire that will automatically mean that you will wait considerably longer but I am not going to tell you what they are as then people tell fibs.

Please note that your address will be checked out on Google Maps by most breeders, so if you stay in the middle of a town don't say that you live somewhere rural or isolated, it does not look good and will get you crossed off breeder's lists of potential homes.

How much should I expect to pay?

The Lucas Terrier Club currently recommends that breeders sell puppies for £500. Your puppy should have been registered with the Lucas Terrier Club by the breeder and when you collect your puppy you should receive a registration certificate and pedigree. Unregistered puppies cannot be exhibited at the annual show, nor are their progeny eligible for registration with the Lucas Terrier Club.

Are adults more readily available?

The short answer is no! We are very fortunate that adult Lucas terriers rarely come up for re-homing. When this has happened it has been because the previous owner has died or had an unforeseen change of circumstance. In the 17 years I have been involved with the Lucas terrier I can think of only 7 adults who have needed new homes. If you would like to be considered for an adult please do ask, but don't hold your breath!

If you are still interested in being considered for a puppy please click on the photo below to go to enquiry form:

The questionnaire will go to the Puppy Co-ordinator, Cathy Thomas, who will then make contact with you.

If you are outside the UK

The vast majority of pups bred here stay here. The demand is such that pups rarely become available for overseas enquirers.

In 2008 a litter was born in France and there may be more in Europe in the future. For more information on puppies on the Continent please e-mail or phone Cathy Thomas.

For those in North America there is now a Lucas Terrier Club of America and they have their own website at www.lucasterrier.com with contact details for the Club Secretary, Laurie Crouch.

Pamela Harrow

Last updated 2nd February 2010