The Lakeland should live in the home with his people, not outdoors. Because of his small size, the Lakeland Terrier is good for apartment life so long as you train him not to bark at every noise he hears. He's active indoors and will do all right without a yard so long as you provide him with one or two daily walks of 20 to 30 minutes. If he has a yard, it should be securely fenced as he's a capable digger and escape artist. Don't count on an underground electronic fence to keep him confined; the threat of a shock is nothing to a tough terrier who wants to go after something. Ideally, he should be able run and play off leash regularly in a safe area.

Keep the Lakie on leash when you walk him. You never know when his terrier instinct to hunt will kick in.

With his independent nature, the Lakie can be a challenge to train. Keep your sense of humor at the ready, as well as a large supply of patience. Be firm and consistent, but use positive reinforcement techniques such as food rewards, praise, and play to get the most out of him. Keep lessons short, sweet, and entertaining, and you'll find that your Lakeland is quite intelligent and capable of learning whatever you can teach.

Housetraining can sometimes be a problem with this breed. Patience and consistency are musts. Take him out to potty first thing in the morning, after every meal, after naps and playtime, and just before bedtime. Reward him every time he potties outdoors. Crate training helps as well.

Beyond housetraining, crate training is a kind way to ensure that your Lakeland doesn't get into things he shouldn't. Like every dog, Lakies can be destructive as puppies. Crate training at a young age will also help your Lakeland accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized. Never stick your Lakeland in a crate all day long, however. It's not a jail, and he shouldn't spend more than a few hours at a time in it except when he's sleeping at night. Lakies are people dogs, and they aren't meant to spend their lives locked up in a crate or kennel.

The Lakeland excels as a watchdog, but he can be noisy. Keep this in mind if he'll be living in an apartment or condo community.

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