1. When did you first take an interest in the Sealyham Terrier and who was your first Sealyham?

 

I found my first Sealyham in 1982. He was actually for my mother as she had always wanted a

Sealy but had never found one available. His name was Rhodri Mawr and we both fell in love with

him. I had always loved the look of a Sealyham from the R.W.Tauskey photograph in the AKC book

and collected old Scottie & Sealy playing cards.

 

2. Who was the greatest influence and help in getting you established in Sealyhams?

 

Thelma 'Pat' Miller of 'Rinklestone' was a great help and taught me a lot about dogs.

She bred some very good Sealys and Scotties over more than fifty years. Pat liked a

short coupled, low legged, deep-chested dog, with a big butt and hindquarters, and

a spot on high tail set and good shoulders. Patsy Wood-'Penllyn' has always been a

great source of knowledge and advice as is Peggy Browne- 'Pegfield', Hap Sutliff-

'Sutliff Farms', Sally Sweatt- 'Bushaway', Diane Orange- 'Counselor', and Anna

Ottosson Gersner- 'Llawhaden'. In recent years, Karen Haugland- 'Dunnville' has

been a great friend and partner and, with Wes Jones- 'Bedlam's', has kept my line

productive and flourishing.

 

3. Which of your Sealyhams do you feel made the biggest impact in taking your kennels in the direction of such success that it has enjoyed?

 

My foundation dog, Ch. Sealine Mail Order Jackson and foundation bitch, Ch. Bushaway Backfence Gossip

have given me a sound Sealyham of good type with happy dispositions and good health. They were quite

different types, but bred together produced two dogs important to me: Ch. Tintern Talisman and

Ch. Tintern Tivoli. I was luckily able to get a puppy bitch sired by Jackson from Diane Orange out of

Ch. Counselor Happy Talk; she was 'Zara' Ch. Counselor Tintern Superb. Zara's grandmother was the 

litter sister of Backfence Gossip's sire, so I was able to bring those two lines together again through more

than one dog. This combination produced Ch. Tintern Tupelo and Ch. Tintern Tzarina, the grandmother

of my stud dog 'Tubby' Tintern Tristram and great grandmother of my bitches Bedlam's Tintern Tiara

and Ch. Dunnville Tintern Truffle.

4. Which is your favorite part of the Sealyham personality?

 

For me the Sealyhams character is their greatest gift. They are always full of joy and fun, very positive dogs.

They are brave but careful and always calculate what their next move will be. I honestly think they are the

smartest dogs I have ever known and their sunny disposition makes my life a happier one.

 

5. I know you have judge before. Could you tell us where?

 

I have been lucky and honored to have twice judged the Sealyham Sweepstakes for our national

American Sealyham Terrier Club at the Montgomery County All Terrier Show.

6. What do you think is the biggest problem we are facing in the breed today?

 

Most problematic is the small number of breeding dogs and bitches which severely limits our gene pool.

But even with that we are lucky to have such open borders and communication between breeders.

I think there is some problem with the Sealys losing their type. Many all rounder judges see a good

Sealy and if it doesn't fit in the style of the current winners being shown they mistakenly think the

dog is incorrect. We also don't want to get too common a head and eye and lose the Sealy's expression.

With our breed we have to always remember what they were meant to do and with their body type

of short legs and a big chest, fronts and shoulders always have to be watched. I think we are often

losing strong hind quarters with a butt behind the tail and a correct tail set. This will be more difficult

with undocked tails until the tail length and set becomes more uniform.

 

7. How many Sealyhams do you have now? 

 

I have four Sealys now, three bitches and a dog.

8. Why do you think Sealyhams should be more popular than it is?

 

That is a difficult question because Sealys have never had great populations in any country

since possibly the 1920's or 1930's. People do not know what the breed is and rarely get

an opportunity to see or know one. Terriers are all having a rough time because they take

more work than most other breeds.  All terriers are a bit more stubborn and opinionated than

the popular dogs of today. But as the old saying goes: All dogs are good, a terrier is better

and a Scottie (can insert a Sealy) is best.

 

9. Why did you accept this judging assignment? (hehehehehe)

 

First, it is a great honor to be asked to judge our breed that I love.

Second, to be able to see and go over Sealyhams from many countries

and meet old friends and new friends with dogs I have not seen before.

Third, for my own breeding program to look at dogs that might help me

in litters to come.

Fourth, it is a wonderful excuse to visit Sweden again!

 

INTERVIEW WITH OUR

SPECIALITY JUDGE

CHERYL JENNINGS