Kennels for Sealyham Terrier dogs

In this article we will introduce you to a small dog with an original, pretty appearance. True, the Sealyham Terrier himself categorically disagrees with this description: he considers himself a big and strong animal.

The breed is part of the terrier group, but at the same time it is distinguished by its love of quiet time and long sleep. Despite the melancholy characteristic of representatives of this breed, they remain full-fledged working dogs. However, hunting has long been no longer a way of survival for them, and more and more often these dogs are kept as companions.

The Sealyham Terrier breed has its pros and cons, and we have to understand them. But first, we’ll tell you where and when this breed appeared.

The need to develop a new breed

The homeland of the Sealyham Terrier is Great Britain, more precisely Wales. The territory washed by the sea, indented by a large number of reservoirs, has long been inhabited by both the nobility and the poor, whose main trade was hunting. Maritime trade took second place in importance.

For many years, only the nobility were allowed to have large dogs in the kingdom. However, the poor could not afford the maintenance of large animals. An alternative to them was small “terrier-type” dogs, which were reliable guards against rats. Traders took them with them on their travels as assistants in hunting burrowing animals.

As a rule, several large sniffer dogs and only one terrier took part in burrow hunting. The bloodhounds who discovered the animal surrounded the hole, and then it was the terrier’s turn. A serious problem arose with this method of hunting - the terrier crawling out of the hole not only had the smell of prey, but also looked little like a dog. Clumps of dirt stuck to his fur. As a result, the valuable hunter died from the teeth of his larger “comrades.”

Sealyham Terrier: history of the breed

In the 19th century, a passionate fan and connoisseur of mink dogs, John Tucker Edwards, decided to breed a full-fledged working terrier with white coat. He reasoned simply: it is easier for bloodhounds to distinguish a dog that stands out sharply in the field from prey. The second requirement for the animal’s exterior was hard wool, which should not be covered with dirt during burrow hunting.

It must be admitted that the first attempt to breed such a dog was unsuccessful. Edwards took as a basis a small white dog - a Cheshire terrier (this breed has not survived to this day) - and began breeding work. To strengthen the bones and obtain the necessary (elongated) body shape, as well as shortening the paws, a second manufacturer was chosen - the Welsh Corgi. To enhance hunting instincts and anger, terriers, which were common in the south of Wales, were included in this work.

Unfortunately, numerous matings did not produce the desired stable conformation, and the breeder admitted defeat. Admittedly, he admitted it, but he didn’t give up his idea. He returned to the roots, analyzed the mistakes and got back to work. Now he culled dogs under stricter rules. Puppies that had even the slightest defect were destroyed mercilessly.

But don’t think that Edwards was a flayer or a tyrant: if someone showed interest in a culled dog, the breeder left the puppy in the care of a “temporary guardian.” It was a year of hard work, but the results were obviously positive. Sealyham terrier puppies, not yet reaching the age of one, fearlessly went into the hole, showed anger towards the animal and instantly entered into battle even with badgers.

Character and training

One of the most controversial issues in the description of the breed is the character of Sealyham Terriers. As practice shows, successful owners are either very satisfied with the pet’s disposition, because they are dissatisfied in many respects. As you may have guessed, it’s not about the dog, but about the quality of socialization and methods of education.

To be fair, we note that Sealyham Terriers are highly trainable, but are prone to sudden disobedience. The causes of such attacks are extremely difficult to establish; as the owners describe, “the reins fell under the tail and it started.” You need to understand that even for morally strong owners, such dog behavior causes irritation. In the eyes of the dog, an irritated, screaming and stamping owner sharply loses authority, and the consequences of such an action are unpredictable... right up to escape.

An excellent alternative to walking and preventing disobedience is agility or hunting. Since the second option is far from most residents of megacities, dog sports are the best option. On an area equipped for training, the Sealyham Terrier turns into a versatile and tireless soldier who is ready to go into battle again and again. In training, only the incentive method is encouraged, but it is better to use emotional levers as a reward, rather than treats.

Note! According to unofficial statistics, Sealyham Terriers gravitate towards rubber toys, especially balls. Dogs are happy to carry a thrown ball or play on their own. Consider playing with your dog as a method of reward and exercise.

When it comes to family and small children, Sealyham Terriers are loving, loyal and tolerant. It is worth being careful when spending time together between a dog and very young children, since the little one may unintentionally hurt the pet and get hit back. Sealyham Terriers respond patiently and even positively to increased attention from younger family members. The breed gets along quite successfully with cats, but not with rodents and mustelids (ferrets, ferrets).

Continuation of the dynasty

When D. T. Edwards died, his daughter Victoria continued his work. Continuing the work started by her father, she did not deprive her of the qualities that were inherent in other breeds. Thus, West Highland white terriers, Welsh corgis, bull terriers and fox terriers were brought into the kennel. Each of these breeds gave the Sealyham Terrier some of the qualities inherent in this breed today - white-pearl color, hunting passion, anger towards the animal and endurance, loyalty and fearlessness.

The Sealyham Terrier was introduced to the general public at an exhibition in Wales in 1891. The first rings for representatives of the breed appeared in 1903. Five years later (1908) the first Sealyham Terrier Club was founded. The breed received true recognition in the post-war years. Despite the devastation and global crisis, the first Sealyham Terrier standard was adopted in 1950.

The breed was recognized only in England, however, it quickly spread throughout Europe and was even brought to America. The working qualities of these animals were appreciated, and their reward was world recognition. Today, the Sealyham Terrier is not only widespread and popular in Europe and the USA, but is also widely represented in Africa.

This breed is becoming increasingly popular in Russia. Its population is growing, not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively. Dogs of Russian breeding win the highest titles at international exhibitions, European and world championships.

Comfortable and not boring Sealyham Terrier

– Scotch was your first purebred acquisition, and who came before him?
– This is quite an interesting story. My parents flatly refused to buy a dog for the house, so when I was just a child, I found a pet for myself on the street and placed it in a barn. She secretly fed and tended to him for two weeks, until someone came into the barn to do his own business. The dog was released, and I again remained with my dreams. – Irina, but why terriers? – I was also a passionate bookworm. The little “Scotsman” described by James Herriot in one of his stories has firmly settled in my imagination. Many years later, as a married woman in my own right, I bought my first Scotch Terrier from an ad on a lamppost. He was a beautiful, strong dog who lived for 17 years. He taught me everything, including grooming, which soon became my second, and much later, my main profession. 2.5 years after its appearance, we already had 2 adhesive tapes. The second one was ELVIS DRAVE HIGHLAND STYLE. This was a completely different show dog, having not lost a single show until she was 7.5 years old. Elvis, at home simply Lolik, in combination with the name of the founder of Königsberg, Přemysl Otakar II, gave the name to my nursery - “Otakar Elli”. – Why did you smoothly switch from your beloved Scottie to Sealy? Was it a conscious or spontaneous choice? Is it due to the difficulty of processing wool with tape? – I wanted someone white and fluffy, since Scotch, I must admit, is a rather stingy dog ​​with emotions. I was thinking about a Maltese or a Bichon, but one day my husband said: “Let’s have a Sealyham!” And the die was cast. By the way, when it comes to wool processing, Americans, for example, consider the Sealyham Terrier to be the most difficult breed to groom. – Where does your strength come from, tell us about the process of selecting and purchasing it? – The task was set, but I knew nothing about the breed or nurseries. I had never even owned a Sealyham Terrier until I bought my own! Therefore, I took the simple route, guided by a simple principle: aspen trees will not produce oranges. I monitored the results of the exhibitions and got acquainted with the websites. And just a few days later I found in Sweden a litter from the World Champion FORLEGD TE-ANAU and the Champion BUSHAWAY BACK TO BACK imported to Hungary from America. Grandmother Moto Moto – unsurpassed WW'09, VWW'10, JWW'03, Int.Ch., S.Ch., N.Ch., Fin.Ch., Dk.Ch., SW'02'03'04' 05 Majomas HIGH COLOR – Doris, the most beautiful dog I have ever seen. All that was left to do was to sell me a puppy from this litter... Two males were born, and one of them, with markings, was simply magnificent in his first photos. I bombarded the breeder with letters, including letters of recommendation, and finally the answer came: “Yes, you will get him.” I must say that for many years in dog breeding, this was the first time I received such truthful, friendly and full of love and care for the breed and a particular dog from the breeder. This continues to this day. I feel incredible support from both my breeders Olga K. Forlicz & Fredrik Ahs, and from the breeder of Moto Moto's father from America - Sally Sweat. – What did you not expect from the Sealyham Terrier? How did he surprise you? – The combination of a doll’s appearance with his character! I read, of course, about the history of the creation of the breed. Obviously, with such genetic baggage behind him, a dog cannot be ordinary. And so it happened. In fact, he is smart, wise, cunning, fair, very sociable, incredibly affectionate, lively, very energetic, a desperately brave weasel and an eternal clown. Cheerful, but tactful and unobtrusive. My other self, the better half of my soul. What’s interesting is that all the “non-dog lovers” I know fall in love with him. – When he appeared at your home, what were your first emotions and thoughts? How often do you compare forces with tape? “Sili has a reputation for toughness of character, which is not surprising given such a military background. I was wondering how the males would get along, and I must say that the Scotch guys got along quite well with each other. We never had fights or any kind of showdown, despite the fact that there were times when 4 dogs lived in the house at the same time. Seely came to us at 3.5 months and immediately took first place. I confidently walked in, looked around the property, marked the closet, received a clear “no” and haven’t done it even once since then. He took the best place in the chair and put the crown on his head. The comparison was not in favor of scotch tape. Since then they have been called Hedgehogs in our house. We love them very much, but Sealyham wins on all counts. – You have a male, and you are not a Sealyham breeder. Are you planning on purchasing a female dog or are you currently enjoying the company of the one and only Moto Moto? “Frankly speaking, I would love to get a couple of bitches, since two Sealyham males are most likely a problematic undertaking. Last September we spent a couple of weeks at our breeders home in Sweden. The spectacle of Moto Moto playing and communicating with his relatives was fascinating. He finally realized that these strange white dogs were the same breed as him. My motto is never say never. At the same time, I had no goal of getting a new breed into the nursery for breeding. Moto Moto is, first of all, a dog for himself, to realize his capabilities as an owner, groomer, handler and trainer. – In your opinion, which countries occupy leading positions in this breed today? How often do Sealyhams take prizes at major dog shows? – Judging by the results of the largest championships, these are dogs from the Swedish kennel “Forlegd”. FORLEGD YUPPIE MOTO MOTO for the second year in a row World Champion and Best of Breed. He is also the BOB at Cruft 2015, European Champion and BOB. FORLEGD ZAZZY-SEVERUS and his daughter FORLEGD TOP SECRET XENIA ONATOPP – BOB and Best Bitch “Montgomery-2015”. The Sealyham Terrier is a very impressive dog, and representatives of this breed even managed to win best-in-shows at Kraft and Westminster, for example. – Why do you think the Sealyham Terrier is not as popular as, say, the West Highland, Cairn or Scotch? What is the reason? - I'm at a loss. The sily kids are the cutest puppies in the world, and the sily owners never betray this breed. More than a hundred years have passed since the breed made its debut at an exhibition in Wales in 1891. The Sili survived both peaks of popularity and periods of oblivion, when it was no longer a matter of preserving, but of reviving the breed. And only thanks to true lovers of Sealyham terriers, breeders and enthusiasts with a capital letter, living in different parts of the world, today we have the opportunity to enjoy the company of this wonderful and truly “family” dog. On the other hand, less is more, as it seems to me. We all know what popularity can do to any breed.

– You exhibit a lot of Moto Moto. What nuances of the examination did you have to deal with? How well do the judges know this breed, and is strength testing different from that of Scotch Terriers? - ABOUT! You can write novels on this topic and nominate nominees for the Know-Nothing competition! For example, at a local exhibition, one of the experts commented on the color of Moto Moto, who had just returned from the European Championships in Switzerland with the title Young European Champion and Best Junior, as undesirable. Although according to the Standard there is no preference whether a dog has markings on its head or is completely white. As for the Scotch Terrier, this is a dog with a completely different movement pattern. If Scotch moves like a cruiser, swaying smoothly on the waves, then Sealyham has the grace of a panther and the same speed of reaction. The Sealyham is not as monumental as the Scotch, being slightly higher on the legs, although his chest should be as suspended between the legs as that of the Scotch Terrier. – What is your most striking and memorable victory? – I always knew that I had an extraordinary dog, a phenomenon in the breed, both its exterior and character, as well as the reviews of numerous experts and breeders, told me about this. In the first year since the beginning of his career in the junior class, we performed at 21 shows in various countries. I have already made sure that I am not mistaken in my personal assessments. But I wanted to conquer the peak, and this is the World Championship and, undoubtedly, “Craft”. I will never forget the World Championships in Helsinki in 2014, just like Kraft in 2015. Best of Breed in the strongest competition, amazing emotions! Moto Moto's handler at these shows was Geoff Dawson, a professional from America, as well as at the World Championships in Milan, where Moto Moto repeated his success. In 2015, at the European Championships in Oslo, he and I already received the BOB, and this is another new unforgettable experience. – Tell us a little about Moto Moto - what is he like at home, when traveling, on walks, in communication with other dogs? – It is comfortable and not boring. He loves to drive a car, loves exhibitions, rejoices when he is admired, and knows exactly when he is the first. The story is about how we returned to the villa near Bergamo with the title of World Champion, and our international team greeted Moto Moto with the famous Queen song “We Are The Champions”, and he accepted it as an anthem in his honor and bowed to those who met him, It still amuses the participants in the process. He is friendly towards other dogs, and if his partner does not show aggression, he remains playful. Otherwise... it's a working terrier and that's it. As for walks, half an hour around the house is not enough for such a dog. He needs a good walk and exercise - both physical and mental. – How to choose a good person, so that later you have a minimum of problems with a maximum of positive emotions? – First of all, we choose a companion, so it is important to pay attention to the character of the parents. And on their exterior, of course. Then you need to understand what you want from this particular dog and act in the right direction. Set clear goals for yourself – and take action!

The article was published in the January 2021 issue of Friend magazine for dog lovers.

Until recently, dogs of this breed were not known outside Foggy Albion. However, the attractive appearance and gentle, accommodating nature of the Sealyham Terrier have contributed to the fact that it now has fans all over the world.

Sealyham Terrier: description of the breed

This is a small but strong working dog with an active temperament. When assessing growth, the standard does not separate animals by sex. The overall figure is 31 cm. The weight of males should not exceed 9 kg, females - no more than 8.2 kg.

The Sealyham muzzle is rectangular, the jaws are strong and almost rectangular. The teeth, compared to the size of the dog, are quite large, with a scissor bite. Cheekbones are strong, but not prominent. The nose is small, very mobile, the earlobe is painted black. The eyes are small, set at a medium distance, and significantly recessed into the skull (this is a kind of defense mechanism during a fight with a predator). The eyelids are dense, colored black. The ears are semi-erect, refracted in the lower third of the cartilage, triangular, but rounded at the apex.

Character

This is perhaps one of the most controversial issues in describing the breed. Some owners are completely satisfied with the disposition of their pet and believe that these are dogs for children. Others believe that there are many character flaws that are unacceptable in a companion dog. We are sure that most of our readers who have experience communicating with animals have already guessed that the problem is not in the dog at all, but in the methods of education and socialization.

The Sealyham Terrier is a dog that can read the owner’s emotions: if necessary, it will lie quietly on the sofa, and when the owner is in a good mood, he will throw his favorite toy at his feet. These animals remain playful and socially active into old age, which is why it is generally accepted that these are dogs for children and adolescents.

Among terriers, Sealyham is considered the main couch potato. He prefers to lie down comfortably on the master's sofa and take a nap. And yet this is a real terrier: energetic, inquisitive, determined. When you consider that these dogs were bred to hunt in packs, you can understand why they get along well with other animals. Fearless and agile, they are endowed with endurance and courage. When strangers appear, these kids always raise their voices.

They love all family members very much and are endlessly devoted to them. The Sealyham Terrier can be skittish, but is always eager to please its owner. If he is well trained, then he is a wonderful, obedient and kind dog.

Pros and cons of Sealyham Terriers

The advantages of the breed are:

• Does not shed, does not cause allergies
• Good in the role of watchman and security guard.
• Loves children very much, you can leave her as a nanny.
• Well trained.
• Quite unpretentious in terms of care.
• Very compact in size.
• It has a pleasant and beautiful appearance.
• It is small in number, which means you rarely see similar ones in the neighboring yard.
• Brave and courageous.
• Focused primarily on people.
• Active and friendly.

The disadvantages include:

• Tends to take dominant positions over other animals and may exhibit an aggressive attitude.
• Requires constant play activities and physical exercise, as he quickly loses interest.
• It is possible to keep it in an apartment, but it is difficult because of the constant barking.
• Willful, obstinate and stubborn, it requires firmness and will from the owner during training and education.

If we look at it as a whole, this is a small but very loyal dog, a real pet, capable of pleasing and making its owner happy for many years.

Maintenance and care

Thanks to its modest dimensions, owners of both houses with a plot and apartments can have a Sealyham Terrier. Keeping and caring for this animal is not burdensome: the dog does not need long walks or serious physical activity, so it is quite suitable for working dog lovers. But when kept in an apartment, outdoor games and walks are required.

The coat must be brushed twice a week, and during seasonal shedding, combing and grooming at least once every six months. The haircut requirements for exhibition representatives of the breed are more stringent than for companions, who have virtually no restrictions. Usually the dog is given a hygienic haircut, the hair between the toes and the beard are shortened. In the summer these dogs get a clipper haircut. But at the same time, you cannot completely remove or shorten your bangs too much.

Daily care for such a pet should include examination of the teeth, claws, eyes and ears. Sealyhams are prone to certain ophthalmic diseases. If your dog eats natural foods, keep his teeth healthy and his beard clean. Often, soft foods cause plaque to form. Carry out timely brushing of your teeth. If tartar has formed, you must contact a veterinary clinic.

Health and life expectancy

Sealyham Terriers are in excellent health. They have an excellent immune system, good tolerance to low temperatures and difficult physical training. But, unfortunately, there are diseases that pose a risk area for these dogs.

Such diseases will include:

• Ophthalmological diseases. More often observed in elderly pets. They are often diagnosed with cataracts, retinal atrophy, glaucoma and lens displacement.
• Allergic reactions and intolerances. This also includes a fairly pronounced reaction to flea bites. It is important to pay special attention to the issue of treating fur from various insects, as well as build a diet on balanced and hypoallergenic food.
• Congenital deafness. Sealyham Terriers are genetically predisposed to this disease due to their white coat.
• As previously mentioned, dogs are prone to obesity. If it is already manifested in your pet, do not try to starve it. You need to consult a veterinarian and choose the right low-calorie diet.

With proper and good care, these dogs can live 12-15 years, and long-livers who live up to 17 years are becoming common.

Where to buy a puppy?

If you want to buy a Sealyham Terrier puppy with a good pedigree so that he can take part in exhibitions, then you should contact a specialized and well-established kennel. Now there are quite a lot of them both in our country and in neighboring countries. If you want to save a little, then try to buy a puppy on the market, but no one will give you any guarantees that the dog is healthy and really is a Sealyham Terrier. The average price of such an animal is 20 thousand rubles, the maximum cost is 30 thousand rubles.

Owner reviews

The vast majority of successful owners of these charming pets believe that they made the right choice by owning a Sealyham Terrier. Reviews confirm the advantages of this breed, which were discussed a lot in the article: compactness, friendliness and accommodating behavior, surprisingly gentle attitude towards children.

Representatives of this breed have practically no disadvantages if the owner has been raising him since puppyhood, although some consider the need for trimming to be a disadvantage.