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Breed Characteristics
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Sealyham Terrier
| Other Names | Welsh Border Terrier, Cowley Terrier |
| Country of Origin | Wales |
| Weight | Maximum 20 pounds (9 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Not more than 12 inches (30 cm) |
| Coat | The Sealyham terrier has a harsh, coarse, and straight double coat that is water resistant. The outer coat is hard and wiry, while the under coat is soft and dense. The Sealyham is a very minimal shedder. |
| Colour | The coat is all white, or may have lemon, tan, or badger markings on the head and ears. Coat may be more a yellowish-white than a pure white colour. |
| Litter Size | 1 - 3 puppies |
| Life Span | 12 - 14 years |
| Origin & History | The breed was developed between 1850 and 1891 by Captain John Edwardes, at Sealyham House, near Wolfscastle in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire. Originally the breed was used for pest control, to hunt small game and to eliminate vermin particularly badgers which he usually relocated. The Welsh Corgi, Fox Terrier (Wire), and the now extinct English White Terrier all played a part in the make up of the Sealyham, although Edwardes did not keep records. He wanted a small white dog with a strong jaw, and a wiry coat. The white coat was particularly prized, as it meant that the hunter in the field could distinguish the dogs from the quarry. Edwardes culled weak dogs, and bred the stronger ones. After Edwardes' death in 1891, other breeders began to work with Sealyhams, including Fred Lewis who promoted the breed. The breed was shown for the first time in 1903, and the Sealyham Terrier club was created in 1908; the breed was officially recognised by the Kennel Club in 1911. The Sealyham Terrier now is recognised by all of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world. During the early stages of its recognition, the breed was alternatively known as the Welsh Border Terrier, or the Cowley Terrier. The American Sealyham Terrier Club was founded in 1913. During the 1920s and 1930s, Sir Jocelyn Lucas used the dogs to hunt badgers which he usually relocated. At this time he also used Sealyham Terriers for hunting otters, stoats and squirrels. Deciding that he wanted a better hunting dog than the Sealyhams, bred for conformation showing, he cross-bred the dogs with the Norfolk Terrier. This resulted in an unrecognised breed of dog he called the Lucas Terrier, which he described as "death to rats and rabbits". The Sealyham surged in popularity after the First World War in the UK and the United States. Within the Hollywood film industry, the Sealyham became a fashionable dog to own by the Hollywood elite. The terrier was owned by actors Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davies, Elizabeth Taylor, and by writer Agatha Christie. Cary Grant owned one which he named Archie Leach – Grant's real name. Alfred Hitchcock had one of his Sealyham terriers seen in his 1941 film Suspicion. Alfred Hitchcock can also be seen at the start of his 1963 film, The Birds, walking two of his Sealyham Terriers in a cameo appearance, although he also owned a third Sealyham not featured in the movie. The British Royal Family also favoured these dogs; King George V owned a dog named Jack. In 1959 one Sunday newspaper reported in the UK: "A notice has been posted in Clarence House and Windsor Castle giving explicit instructions that when Princess Margaret has breakfast in bed, her two Sealyhams must be brought to the room along with her breakfast tray." These two dogs were called Pippin and Johnny, and were looked after by the Queen Mother when Princess Margaret fell ill. In the 1960s, children's author Maurice Sendak owned a Sealyham named Jennie, which he featured in his 1967 work Higglety Pigglety Pop!. The Sealyham was once one of the more popular terriers, with over 2,000 puppies registered in the UK during the 1920s, and one of the best known Welsh breeds. Today, however, the Kennel Club (UK) lists the Sealyham as amongst the most endangered native breeds. In 2008, registrations of new puppies with the Kennel Club dropped to an all time low of 43, placing it among the bottom three on the list of Vulnerable Native Breeds. In October 2011, British magazine Country Life highlighted the breed on its front cover, with the heading "SOS: Save our Sealyhams", and launched a campaign to save the breed. End of year figures for 2011 showed that 49 puppies were registered with the Kennel Club in the UK, keeping them within the bottom three on the list of most endangered breeds. Another notable Sealyham Terrier, Ch. Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice, also known as Charmin, won Best In Show at Crufts in 2009, but his victory was not televised as the BBC had dropped the coverage of the competition earlier that year, following the controversy after the channel showed the documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed. He had previous won the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in the United States in 2007, and the World Dog Show in 2008. Harry Parsons, founder of the Working Sealyham Terrier Club, has stated that, "To sustain a breed...you need between 300 to 500 puppies a year". The Kennel Club has blamed the decline of the breed on the availability of designer dogs and newer breeds such as the Shih Tzu, and the banning of tail docking which has reduced their ability as working dogs. Paul Keevil, formerly of the Kennel Club's vulnerable breeds committee explains: "Traditionally, soon after Sealyhams were born, their tails were docked by half their length, because they were small working dogs and they quite often got stuck down holes, meaning that they required short, strong tails for the owner to be able to pull them out." As of 2010, the breed is ranked 152nd out of 168 breeds according to registrations by the American Kennel Club. |
| Personality | The Sealyham is affectionate, loving, loyal, independent and spirited. It is a brave little dog. It has been descried as "the most beautiful union between cheerfulness and courage." Sealyhams are not as rowdy as some of the other terrier breeds. They are somewhat reserved with strangers, fairly independent and generally good with other pets. Be sure you socialize this dog well and be his pack leader. Do not allow this sweet dog to develop Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors, where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This can lead to many behavior problems, including, but not limited to separation anxiety, dog-aggression and obsessive barking. If this dog sees himself a stronger minded then the humans around him he will become stubborn, as he will believe he needs to make up his own rules. This breed needs an owner who has good human to canine communication skills and can be calm but consistently firm with the dog. The negative traits brought by allowing your dog to be pack leader are not breed traits, but behaviors which are the result of how the human treats the dog. This breed is a little difficult to train, but they can hunt, track and are good watchdogs. Sealyhams are good at catching mice and rats. They are best with older children who are considerate of dogs, simply because most small dogs are treated in such a way that they develop varying degrees of small dog syndrome. Sealyhams who have 100% pack leaders, receiving rules to follow, limits to what they are allowed to do and daily pack walks can be good with all children. Sealyhams are "pack" dogs. They appreciate being a key part of a family and welcome companionship with other dogs. |
Care Requirements
| Health | This is a hardy breed with few breed specific health problems. The main hereditary problem highlighted by the American Sealyham Terrier Club is an eye condition called lens luxation, for which there are DNA tests. Lens luxation is a condition in which the lens slips out of position in the eyeball due to the weakening of the fibers that holds it in place. This in turn blocks the flow of fluids in the eye, leading to a painful increase in intra-ocular pressure glaucoma and often irreparable optic nerve damage, leading to visual field loss and eventual blindness. As of November 2011, the Kennel Club has not highlighted any specific concerns regarding the breed's health to conformation show judges. Due to the low numbers of the breed, two of the most prevalent problems facing the breed today is the popular sire effect and the general problem of genetic diversity within the breed. |
| Grooming | Professional trimming or stripping is needed. They have a medium-long coat and their tails are customarily docked. They shed little to no hair. |
| Exercise | This breed needs a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs that do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe, open area off lead, such as a large, fenced-in yard. The breed is a low-energy dog that makes a good walking companion. The overriding characteristic about Sealyhams is that they are low energy, couch potatoes. They are not "busy," not "active" and therefore make a low-key companion. |
| Other Considerations | Good for apartment living. They are relatively inactive indoors and will do okay without a yard. Prefer cool weather. |
