The gregarious Sealyham is game for just about anything you can dream up to satisfy their natural curiosity and eagerness. They were developed in Wales by crossing the West Highland White, the Wirehaired Fox Terrier, the Bull Terrier, and the Dandie Dinmont to produce a vivacious terrier to hunt fox, badgers, and otters. Their distinctive white coat served to easily distinguish them from the similarly sized game they went to ground to pursue. Today they are cherished family pets that are happy to display the qualities of their hunting terrier lineage in Earthdog competitions. Though happy in their role as cheerful, confident companions, they need activities to exercise their nimble minds and bodies. Their wiry, weather-resistant coat will need care and combing twice a week to keep mats away and monthly trimming will keep them looking and feeling their best.
Each AKC approved purebred breed has its own national club. The mission of these “parent breed clubs” is to improve and preserve a particular breed by advancing knowledge about its history, its health and care requirements and by assuring that the breed’s form and function remain true to its historical physical type and character: A Dalmatian, for instance, should be athletic and have a natural affinity for working with horses. A Fox Terrier should have the right body size and shape, and a drive to go after vermin.
Pet owners, breeders, trainers, veterinarians, and others with a special love for a breed, join the parent breed club to meet like-minded enthusiasts and to support the club’s mission.
The national parent breed club is the first place for the public to go to learn about a breed or find a knowledgeable, experienced breeder.
Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
