Best in Show at the seventh annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship was Charmin, a Sealyham terrier from Cochranville, Pennsylvania. The representative of the terrier group won the largest dog show prize in the world — fifty thousand dollars.
The breed comes from Haverfordwest, Wales. Sealyham estate was the home of one Captain John Edwards — a breeder who set out to create a dog who could hunt badgers, otter, and fox. He was hoping to combine endurance, speed, and strength, so the new breed of dog could chase down and battle prey underground.
Historians believe that Edwards created the Sealyham terrier by crossing several dogs, including the corgi, Dandie Dinmont terrier, West Highland white terrier, wire haired fox terrier, bull terrier, and some sort of hound. By 1910, the breed was officially recognized by the English Kennel Club; the American Kennel Club followed suit in 1911.
A Sealyham terrier has won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club show four times!
While these dogs have a personality that’s larger than life, in actual size they are on the small side. At the shoulders, a Sealyham terrier is around ten and a half inches. The average Sealyham terrier weighs less than twenty-five pounds! But there is strength in that tiny body!
Sealyham terriers are often all white or mostly white with markings on the head and ears. The top coat is wiry and weather-resistant; the undercoat is soft and dense.
Before the Best in Show was announced, Animal Planet played an earlier interview with the ring judge. She said that all the dogs in the final ring are prime examples of their breed and group, but only one dog has the character and personality that says “I want to win.” This time around, it was the Sealyham terrier who had the character to take home the top prize.