Origin
The Sealyham Terrier is a charming little dog, but unfortunately their numbers have fallen so low they have been placed on The Kennel Club's vulnerable native breeds list. They are short-legged and long in the body being native to Wales where they were developed by crossing Bull Terriers with West Highlands, Welsh Corgies, Dandie Dinmonts and Wire Fox Terriers. Sealies were bred to hunt, but they are also known to be wonderful companions and family pets thanks to their loyal and devoted natures. However, anyone wishing to share their homes with a Sealyham Terrier would need to register their interest with breeders for the pleasure of doing so.
The Sealyham Terrier was first bred by Captain John Edwards during the 19th century and he spent over 40 years developing the "perfect" hunting dog. They were bred to hunt badgers, otters and foxes which they proved to be extremely good at. Dogs needed to be small enough to "go to ground" after their quarry and they had white coats so the hounds would not mistake them for their prey and the result of the Captain’s efforts proved to be just that.
It is thought he used Corgis, Bull Terriers, Dandie Dinmonts, Fox Terriers, West Highland White Terriers and other terrier-types to create his breed and the result of his efforts are the small white dogs we see today which are named after the Captain's estate, Sealyham. Sadly, he did not keep any records of his breeding programme. However, a club dedicated to the breed was founded in 1908 and Sealyhams were recognised by The Kennel Club two years later in 1910.
Sealyham Terriers remained a popular breed during the early part of the 1900's more especially in the show ring. However, they have not been as popular as companions and family pets as other terrier breeds although celebrities in the USA often chose Sealyhams over other breeds. One of the biggest fans of the breed was Princess Margaret, but sadly over the years breed numbers were seen to fall with very few puppies being registered with The Kennel Club every year and as such they have been placed on the list of vulnerable native breeds. Today, anyone wishing to share their home with a Sealyham Terrier would need to register their interest with breeders and agree to being put on a waiting list for the pleasure of doing so.
