Meet the newest breed to join the American Kennel Club, a little dog with a big smile

By JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A small, rare herding dog called the Lancashire heeler is the latest breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. The organization announced Wednesday that the breed is now eligible for thousands of U.S. dog shows. Lancashire heelers historically were farm helpers that could both drive cattle and rout rats. The dogs are short-legged, long-bodied and active, and owners say contented heelers sometimes pull back their lips in a move that resembles a human smile. The Lancashire heeler is the 201st breed recognized by the AKC. Heelers’ history goes back centuries in the United Kingdom, where they’re now deemed a “vulnerable native breed” at risk of dying out in their homeland.