Meet a working pack of Sealyham terriers, a venerable Welsh breed that is teetering on the edge of extinction.
Recorded at the Game Fair 2023 at Ragley Hall for this episode of Dogs with Jobs with Harry Parsons, who is well known for his work in keeping the Sealyham Terrier breed viable. He has a pack of 30 Sealyhams at home, and has dedicated the last several decades to breeding and working this engaging, intelligent terrier.
With fewer than 140 puppies born last year, the Sealyham terrier is well under the 300 puppies a year threshold for being designated a “vulnerable breed”.
Harry talks to Dogs with Jobs presenter Kate Fairweather about what he prizes most highly in a terrier. He also talks about the logistics of organising a rat hunt, which remains fully legal under the UK’s Hunting Act. He explains why using terriers remains the only real alternative to poison for vermin control, particularly in agricultural settings.
Clearly devoted to his Sealyhams, he explains how he keeps them from overheating or getting overexcited while working, and how he sees the breed’s future.
Other episodes:
Browse more dogs with interesting jobs.
Dogs with Jobs features the full range of working dogs, therapy dogs, military and service dogs, assistance dogs, bio detection dogs and other more unusual occupations such as truffle hunting, modelling and conservation detection work.
If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like some of the episodes that feature sporting dogs and hunting hounds:
- Who’s winning at the South of England Hound Show? (August 2023)
- Meet the South Down Bloodhounds (November 2022)
- Meet the Beagles! (October 2022)
- Debit and Dervish, the hunting hound pups (November 2021)
- An insight into the breeding of hounds (November 2021)
Do you work your dog or dog?
Get in touch with Kate Fairweather if you’re interested in coming on the show on team@shineradio.uk. Kate will be at the Countryside Alliance country sports show and the Alresford Agricultural Show, both in September in Hampshire.
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