Sealyham Terrier vs English Shepherd - Breed Comparison

The English Shepherd is another dog with an English name that was developed in the United States. They developed from British farm dogs that were brought to the United States in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries by the Scottish and English as they settled in the New World. Tracing their line through working dogs and collies in Scotland and northern England, the settlers bred them with local dogs and each other. These working farm dogs were called English Shepherds, Scotch Collies, barnyard collie, farm shepherd, the cow dog, and the old fashioned shepherd.

The English Shepherd was appreciated by the settlers and farmers because he was a versatile dog that could herd their flocks and protect their homes as well. They appreciated his intelligence and ability to hunt vermin and be a companion for their children. English Shepherds were bred to work with a variety of livestock such as pigs, cattle, goats, sheep and fowl. They were used to hunt as well and were known to track racoons and squirrels and tree them. There wasn’t a more popular dog in the American Midwest and East in the 1800’s and 1900’s.

The breed is trustworthy, alert and independent. As the small family farms were replaced by large agricultural enterprises the English Shepherd’s numbers dwindled as well until he fell into the category of a rare breed. There were no clubs to support it and not AKC recognition. The UKC had a different dog registered as a farm shepherd.

Today’s English Shepherd is still a farm dog, but he also hunts, is a therapy dog, competes in AKC trials, and performs search and rescue duties. As a farm dog, they are still the most desirable due to their versatility in working with different livestock, guarding the home and caring for the children. They do these things in a gentle way if possible but can be tough if needed. They have great empathy for the livestock and for their human family. This makes him a great dog for the family. The English Shepherd has remained a farm dog, working dog more than a show dog, over all these years.

The Sealyham Terrier is a rare dog breed originating in Wales. The dog was developed in the 19th century by Captain John Edwardes at Sealyham House. The Sealy has been associated with members of the British Royal Family, but its numbers declined to such an extent that it was listed as a vulnerable native breed by the Kennel Club.

The Sealyham Terrier club was created in 1908 and the dog breed was officially recognised by the Kennel Club in 1911. This dog is now recognized by all the major kennel clubs. The American Sealyham Terrier Club was founded in 1913.

The American bred English Shepherd is a medium sized dog that looks somewhat like an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie. They have tails, never come in merle coloring and their head is not as rounded as the Australian Shepherd. A working dog, its proportionally very well balanced. Because the English Shepherd is so popular across the country, doing a wide variety of jobs, there is some regional differences in the dogs.

The coat can be curly or straight with feathering around the tail, ears and legs. Their heads are slightly rounded but broad and the muzzle is also broad with a solid black nose except for the clear sable dogs whose nose is brown. The eyes show you how intelligent and strong this breed is, and they should be round, brown and oblique. The ears are close to the head and wide apart.

With a strong, muscular back and shoulders the English Shepherd can do almost anything you ask him to. His legs are strong and straight, and his hind legs are muscular. His feet are compact, oval and well padded.

The Sealyham is a dog that stands low to the ground and its height shouldn’t exceed 27 - 30cm and weight should be about 8 - 9kg.

The double coat is considered non-shedding and is wiry and weather resistant. It is nearly always white but can be fawn. They’ve got big heads with dark, deep set eyes. The ears are semi-erect, semi-floppy and the tail is usually docked.

Temperament:

Affectionately referred to as Sealy, there aren't too many of these little dogs left. At one time, they were a very popular terrier breed, but today they are uncommon – almost endangered.

He’s a social dog with his human family but tends to be reserved around strangers. He also tends to be just a little bit more mellow than some of the more rowdier terrier breeds.

He gets on well with other dogs in the home as well as with children. He is an intelligent little dog but is inclined to be stubborn so you have to show him both firmness and kindness and also think about obedience training for him.

He’s amicable and adjusts well to life in the city or the countryside.

It may seem strange to talk about kindness in a working dog, but it is one of the defining traits of the English Shepherd, along with intelligence. The breed is extremely kind to everyone he lives with animals and people. Once he is secure in his job and takes in his children or his herd, he is one of the best caretakers around. He is an independent thinker, is easily trained, and highly affectionate. However, he does see himself as the boss and unless you establish yourself in that alpha role you could have problems.

The Sealyham Terrier is such a robust little dog with a distinctive look.

He can be stubborn but he loves his human family and is sociable and amicable with them, slotting in to their way of life. He can be a couch potato or an active outdoor dog – whatever is required of him and he makes and excellent, loving family pet and companion.

Like many other herding breeds, it has been found that about 15% of English Shepherds had a gene mutation called MDR1. This means they have adverse reaction and high sensitivity to many common drugs for dogs. This condition could be life-threatening so test your dog for it and know what you are up against.

This is a hardy dog breed and you don’t hear of many health problems associated with him. It seems as though you might have to watch out for an eye condition known as lens luxation. It's an eye condition with dogs where the lens slips out of position because of weakening of the fibers that hold it in place.

There is a lack of fluid in the eye causing optic nerve damage and this can lead to blindness.

Retinal Dysplasia is another eye problem . This is a developmental malformation of the retina that the dog is born with. Symptoms in dogs are a reluctance to jump off things such as the bed or he may even bump into things.

Atopic Dermatitis is something the Sealyham is more prone to. Its an allergic skin disease which drives a dog mad with its itchiness. Your pet will certainly need treatment from the vet to relieve it.

Feeding

Remember the English Shepherd is a hard working dog. But if you don’t work him don’t overfeed him. Twice a day, he needs about one half cup of a good quality dry food made with an active, medium sized dog in mind.

Health issues

In addition to the health concern listed above, the English Shepherd is also prone to:

Dysplasia

Both elbow and hip dysplasia can plaque the English Shepherd as it does almost any active breed. Have your puppy tested as it can cause lameness and arthritis.

Exercise and games

This is a herding breed and they need exercise. They need a job. They are intelligent and work oriented so make sure they have something to do. Take them to herding trails and have their herding instinct tested. Put them to work in flyball, agility, frisbee, tracking, obedience, rally, herding and showmanship events. Just make sure your English Shepherd has enough to keep his mind and body stimulated at a high rate every day.

Provide your Sealy with his own warm, dry bed.

Brush the long, weather-resistant coat at least twice a week. Hand-stripping of the coat will maintain the wiry, hard texture, but because this method can be quite a laborious process, many Sealy owners rather have their dog professionally clipped.

Check inside his mouth for bad teeth as well as inside the ears for signs of infection. His eyes should also be clear and free of discharge.

His nails will also need to be trimmed.

The Sealyham doesn’t require a lot of exercise but he must at least be given a walk every day.

Ensure the vaccines are up to date. They start when your pet is just a puppy. Remember to get your dog to the vet when you suspect that he is ill.

Feed your Sealyham with good food. Make sure you’re feeding your pet a high quality food as this promotes health and longevity. Provide your Santal Hound with top quality food to ensure his health.

Always choose the quality commercially manufactured foods on the market – those that have natural, good ingredients in them. Try to include some home-made food for him which can be simply mixed into the dry kibble twice a week.

There is no need to offer your dog a host of different foods. Dogs want simplicity and consistency. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. If you can, also try and include a little bit of raw meat to his diet occasionally as this can go towards ensuring he doesn’t get skin diseases.

Make sure that a constant supply of fresh, cool water is available to your dog.