GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: Not exceeding 39cm (15½”).
Colour: Preferably black/tan, or black grizzle/tan.
Coat: Double - the outercoat being wiry, hard and close.
Gait: Straight, powerful and ground covering.
These workmanlike terriers are well balanced, strong and generally more compact than their English cousins. The small dark eyes are well set in the head and placed mid way between a moderately broad skull and strong jaws. The muzzle is trimmed to give a square appearance. The V shaped ears are high set with the tips dropping forward. The slightly arched neck is thicker than many other terriers, and runs into a short body with well sprung ribs. Fore and hindquarters are strong and well boned legs must be tan on the lower parts. The small feet are catlike The customary docked tail should not be carried too gaily.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
About 9kg (20lb), Welsh Terriers are small enough to accompany their owners anywhere. As they are affectionate and obedient, they are easily trained but need firm but kind treatment. Although they display the usual terrier gameness, they are not as fiery as some of their cousins, and are rarely aggressive. Professional hand stripping is better if the dog is to be shown.
The pet owner can keep the dog looking neat if clipped about four times a year. They do not shed and rarely need a bath.
HISTORY
As far back as 1737, the Welsh people have been proud of the fact their terriers were the purest variety of the old English broken haired Black and Terrier. This is because the Welsh Terrier has seen little or no infusion of lines from the other coloured terriers. In their native domicile, gameness was of fundamental importance, for these terriers were used to hunt otters, foxes and badgers. Their smaller size also made them useful keeping the farms and stables free of rats and other vermin. Although genetically purer they never became as popular as some varieties, with white, due to the fact that many hunters preferred terriers they could easily identify in the field.