Sealyham terrier Charmin wins Britain’s Crufts dog show
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A rare Sealyham terrier -- a breed once wildly popular but now in danger of extinction -- won Britain’s prestigious Crufts dog show yesterday.
Efbe’s Hidalgo at Goodspice, called Charmin for short, beat a standard poodle, a pharoah hound, a papillon, a vizsla, an Old English sheepdog and a boxer to win the coveted Crufts trophy. The Times of London reports:
It may have been the endearing paw that he lifted as the judge examined him one last time, or the dazzling white coat and irresistible bearded face, but Charmin, from Pennsylvania, charmed Peter Green, the judge, to win the title. The standard poodle, called Donny, from Preston, took the reserve prize in the show, which was held at the NEC in Birmingham.... Charmin’s owner, Marjorie Good, said: ‘I’m just going to kiss this dog till the end of time. He is such a special dog. He is my best buddy. He proved himself tonight and made every step just right.’
Only 43 Sealyhams were born in Britain last year (compared to more than 45,000 Labrador retrievers).
Crufts has been the subject of marked controversy this year after an explosive BBC documentary called ‘Pedigree Dogs Exposed,’ which showed purebred dogs with genetic defects, allegedly as a result of suspect breeding practices intended to produce show-winning dogs. The BBC canceled its planned broadcast of Crufts, citing concern over the health of show dogs.
Despite the controversy, more than 22,000 dogs competed in the show, which was streamed live online to make up for a lack of coverage by the BBC.
--Lindsay Barnett