Sealyham Terrier Breed Profile

Head: Somewhat mesaticephalic skull type is long, broad, denotes power, and is always in proportion to the rest of the body. It is approximately equal to the length of the neck or just slightly longer. The topskull is slightly domed and broad, being equal in width (measured across the top in front of the ears) and length (stop to occiput), or just slightly greater in length. It is arched, or slightly domed in profile, and slightly arched from the front. The median furrow is fairly well marked. The skull lacks any exaggeration and is free from prominent angles or ridges. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkle.

Eyes: Medium in size, set well apart, oval to almond in shape (never round), and set well under the eyebrow furnishings. The color is as dark as possible, preferably dark brown to almost black. The eye rims are tightly fitted and darkly pigmented. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.

Ears: The ears are medium in size, folded, and drop, with the inner edge hanging close to the head and the outer edge being somewhat lifted. They are triangular in shape and taper to well-rounded tips. They are set with the fold being level with the plane of the topskull, but never breaking above nor dropping below. The tips should extend to the outer corner of the eye when held forward. The ears are never large, overly long, excessively wide at the base, or fly-away.

Muzzle: The muzzle is of a moderate length, somewhat broad, full, and square. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight with very little to almost no taper. Upper and lower jaws are well developed, approximately equal in length, and have good bone substance, never appearing snipy or weak. The end of the muzzle may be angled from a slightly projected nose, or it may be level or blunt. This trait is often concealed by heavy moustache furnishings.

Nose: The nose is broad, well pigmented, and black. The nostrils are well opened. The nose may project slightly forward beyond the lower jaw.

Neck: Moderate length allows for good head carriage; it is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck is approximately equal in length to the head. The neck tapers slightly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.

Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to just below the point of the elbows and is well developed and well let down between the forelimbs. The forechest is well developed without being overly pronounced. There should be sufficient clearance between the ground and the brisket, sufficient enough to accommodate an average man’s fist with little to no clearance.

Body: Compact, solid, and of great substance. The body is never racy nor refined. Width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.

Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.

Tail: Set high on the croup, it is straight, thick at the base, and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level. It is carried upright, with the tip being approximately level with the topskull. It is never seen tucked. The tail may be left natural or docked short to approximately 1/3 to ½ the original length. The tail is of a medium length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down.

Movement: Movement is sound, strong, free, quick, effortless, efficient, and energetic. The characteristics of healthy structure are evident: when moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in a line with the nose. The width between the forefeet when extended should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.

Temperament: While the Sealyham is no longer kept for his original purpose of going to ground after fearsome quarry such as badgers and foxes, he does retain much of his terrier heart. Originally developed to work independently of humans, the Sealyham, like most terriers, is an independent thinker capable of developing his own ideas about the world around him. For this reason, early obedience and socialization is a must. This training will help him to adapt to life as a goodwill ambassador for the breed. These dogs are energetic, but they are considered less highly driven than many other terriers. They are lively, courageous, and sensitive. Although they often find that asking for forgiveness is better than asking for permission, they are sensitive to scolding and harsh punishment, which can break their trust toward their people. Instead, they can easily be motivated into compliance with activities that capture their interest and attention and appeal to their high predatory nature, such as playing ball or being allowed to dissect their toys. Sealyham Terriers are known to be loyal, gentle, and devoted toward their families and people, but they may exude an air of indifference toward others. Aggression toward other dogs and predation toward smaller animals is not uncommon in this breed. Therefore, keeping the Sealyham as a housemate to small animals and rodents should only be done with great caution and oversight. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.