Our Welsh Terrier Story
We had to put Jessie, our 18 year old mix Lab, to sleep. This was one of those terribly painful decisions that you are forced to make in one’s lifetime…

A few years later after having sufficiently healed, we agreed we had to get a new puppy, one that would never remind or compete with our memories of Jessie.

After much research, Patty wanted a Welsh Terrier. Fred thought he wanted a Westie. Patty contacted a Westie breeder and was invited to see the dogs at a show that weekend. We arrived early as the Welsh walked into the ring. It was a defining moment; we both wanted a Welsh Terrier.

At the show we met Carole Beattie and Caryn Stevens. Carole is an AKC judge and a Welsh and Wire Fox Terrier breeder (Sunspryte) and Caryn is a Welsh breeder (Seaplume). Caryn had a boy puppy but first we had to convince her that a Welsh would be safe in our hands and that it wouldn’t shred our cat, Sophie. Mind you, this was our first attempt at owning a Terrier.

That day we came home with our Welsh boy, Beni. He was (is) an absolute joy and as any new parents we believed there was no other more handsome or cuter Welsh boy than Beni. Months later, we asked Carole if he was worthy of showing. She determined he was and she and Caryn made arrangements with Marsha Buchanan (also a Welsh and Wire Fox Terrier breeder/Timbucktwo) to show him. Six months later Beni was an AKC champion ranked high enough to be invited to Eukanuba National Championship (click to view). Fred always thinking he can do anything and having no experience was determined to show Beni at Eukanuba. Beni (Ch. Seaplume’s Supay Beni, CGC, RN) won Best of Opposite sex and an automatic invitation to Crufts (The World’s Greatest Dog Show) (click to view) in Birmingham, England.

We couldn’t pass up an opportunity of a lifetime. Planning, coordinating and self arranging to go to England with a dog is a daunting and ulcer inducing task. For a novice doing his own thing it is a heart attack waiting to happen. But we did it!

Beni was as calm and laid back as any Welsh could ever be on the trip to the UK. In the cold streets of London; on the tube to Buckingham Palace, Soho and Piccadilly Circus, Beni was much admired and when told that he was an American Champion competing at Crufts his stature rose in the eyes of his admirers. In spite of his wannabe handler, Beni was good enough to get a Highly Commended Award at Crufts.

At this point it was clear, we were hooked and soon we got Wara. She is very typey and has the sweetest face. Fred got better, groomed and showed Wara. She earned her AKC Championship and now is our foundation bitch. She had eight in her first litter. We kept Olivia and Ivy from that litter and both are now AKC champions. Wara had a second litter of eight. Three of them we co-own. They are competing and doing well in the rings. The future looks great for our growing Welsh Terrier Family. Sophie, our cat, lived to 17 yrs. She loved the Welsh puppies and they treated her just like another Welshie. .


We both had dogs as children and through our teenage years and as adults. They ranged from Cockers, Irish Setter, German Shepherd, Belgian Shepherd, Beagles and just plain mutts. Dogs are very important to us. Fred is a civil engineer and Patty a social worker but putting that aside we are just “dog people”.