Meet the Lakeland Terrier from Cheltenham that has become an internet sensation

Mr Stader described Bertie as a 'feisty' little dog. Credit: Philip Stader

A "feisty" little dog has become an online celebrity, with thousands of social media followers all around the world.

Bertie the Lakeland Terrier, from Cheltenham, has accumulated more than 67,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, from places as far away as Canada and New Zealand.

His owner, Philip Stader, said it is "heartwarming" that so many people want to follow him.

"He's just a little dog, but he's worldwide," he said. "There aren't many places around the world where people don't follow him."

  • Bertie enjoys playing in the garden

Mr Stader said he originally set up the account to find Bertie a dog-walker, but things didn't quite go as planned.

"A dog-walker took him out, but then said they didn't want to walk again," Mr Stader explained.

"So, we didn't get a dog walker, but what we did find, is a lot of people who are interested in Lakeland Terriers."

He said he shares snippets of everyday life with Bertie to "bring a smile to people" and "raise awareness of the breed."

Mr Stader said it is "heartwarming" that so many people want to follow his little dog. Credit: Philip Stader

"Lakeland Terriers are a dying breed," Mr Stader explained. "They're not the easiest dogs. They're pretty hard to train and you've got to be pretty brave to take them on as they can be pretty naughty."

Mr Stader said he is hoping the numbers will start to go up, and added that 12 people have contacted him to say they bought a Lakeland Terrier "because of Bertie."

Many people have also contacted him to say that Bertie helps them cope with mental and physical illness, Mr Stader added.

"They use him as an eye to the world," he said. "They say it lets them see things that they wouldn't see normally."

Philip originally set up the account to find Bertie a dog-walker Credit: Philip Stader

Mr Stader said he has no plans to stop sharing the adventures of eight-year-old Bertie online.

"I don't know why there are so many followers. I've tried to understand it but I can't get my head around why.

"However, if people are enjoying it, then that's all it needs to do. It doesn't need to do anything more than that. It can do the breed good," he said.