The winner of Crufts 2009 – The Sealyham Terrier
The Sealyham Terrier is a beautiful and unique breed of dog. It has been used as a working dog, but also makes a wonderful family pet. It normally has very good temperament, especially when given the right kind of training and exercise. They are a small breed of dog and will usually not exceed 20 pounds. When they are taken care of properly, they can live for more than 15 years.
History of the Sealyham Terrier
The Sealyham Terrier has a very interesting history. This kind of dog began to be bred in the mid-1800s. It received its name from because of where it was bred. Captain John Edwards lived in a place called Sealyham House, which is located in Wales. He wanted a dog that could hunt small animals and also get rid of rodents. At least three different breeds were involved in making what we today know as the Sealyham Terrier. A few of them are the Bull Terrier, the Fox Terrier, and the Welsh Corgi. One of the main reasons why the Sealyham Terrier was so prized is because of its white hair. This made it easy for hunters to see the difference between the dog and the small animals that were hunted.
It was during the early 1900s, that the Kennel Club recognized this breed and then American Sealyham Terrier Club was started not long after that. Over the years, this breed of dog became very famous because a lot of actors owned it.
Taking Care of the Sealyham Terrier
The Sealyham has been described as hardy and sturdy. For the most part, they are very healthy dogs and have few health problems. There are only two main health problems that affect this breed, which are lens luxation and canine degenerative myelopathy. They can develop behavior problems, such as separation anxiety and aggressiveness. These kinds of behaviors can be prevented or dealt with when they have the right training and enough socialization. They need to regularly visit a veterinarian for preventative care, to receive immunizations, and be treated for parasites and worms, among other things.
They should be groomed on a regular basis. Since the Sealyham Terriers are wired-haired, they need to have the dead hair removed by hand. This will allow the new coat to grow in properly. A professional groomer can take care of this. Clipping or cutting the hair will ruin the texture and make it too soft. When a Sealyham is groomed properly, it will be able to maintain the right look of its breed.
Living with a Sealyham Terrier
Sealyham Terriers are extremely loyal and affectionate dogs. Living with them can be a lot of fun. It has been noted that they are very courageous, and despite their small size, will protect the families who own them and serve as a good watchdog.
They do not need to a large yard, but are suitable for living in a small home or an apartment. However, they do need to be taken on a daily walk. When they receive the proper amount of attention from their owners and have all of their exercise needs taken care of, they can be a joy to live with. However, when they do not receive this exercise and training, they can develop bad behaviors. At times, they can be quite stubborn and so the owner will need to be firm and consistent in training this dog. They are suitable for a person who lives a relatively inactive lifestyle. Since they were bred to hunt, caution needs to be taken if they were to live with small pets.
