Blue Lacy puppies

About the Blue Lacy

The Blue Lacy was developed in Texas in the mid 1800s by the four Lacy brothers as a working dog for herding cattle and hogs, reportedly from Greyhounds, scent hounds and coyotes. Numbers fell almost to extinction as ranch work declined, a preservation effort began in 1975, and in 2005 the breed became the official state dog of Texas. This is a medium sized dog, 46 to 64 cm and 13.6 to 22.7 kg, with a short, glossy coat in blue from gunmetal grey to almost black, in red, or in tricolour.

This is a working dog first and needs a lot of physical and mental exercise every day, ideally with room to run outside, which is why PetMD suggests they may not suit an apartment. Grooming is an occasional brush. The breed is rare and little health data exists for them, but they can live up to 16 years and skin trouble is the pattern to watch, especially in blue dogs. Choose one for more than the colour, and give them more than a pet's routine: a bored Lacy barks and chews.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Blue Lacy puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Atopic dermatitis, an allergic skin disease that shows as itching, often seasonal at first, managed with topical treatment, immunotherapy or medication
• Food allergies, which cause itchy, red skin and sometimes diarrhoea or vomiting, managed by changing the diet
• Colour dilution alopecia, seen in some blue dogs as thinning hair, bald patches and flaky, itchy skin, a lifelong condition that can be managed with shampoos and medication

Your Blue Lacy puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Blue Lacy.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 13.6 to 22.7 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 22.7 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Blue Lacy

Previous: Bloodhound · Next: Blue Picardy Spaniel

Sources

• petmd.com for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
• Health notes from Blue Lacy breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/blue-lacy. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

No published figure for the good with children rating and the good with other dogs rating, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.

Photo: CJP125, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.