The StinkEye
- Fernanda Fisher
- Oct 28
- 6 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
A Welsh Terrier Weekend
I have two wonderful and crazy Welsh terriers. Maisie, age nine, is bossy and caring to her human and canine family members. Winston, age seven, thrives upon human interaction while also being afraid of everything, including all dogs except for Maisie.
These two dogs are my four legged children. When my daughters' were young I would take them on playdates and to activities with other children. Today, I take my Welsh terriers to playdates and drive long distances so that they can participate in The StinkEye. But I am getting ahead of myself.
Why a Welsh?
As a child, I walked neighbors’ dogs because it was the only way I could ‘have’ a dog. My parents were cat people even though they both grew up with dogs. I chose to get a Welsh because the first dog I walked as a child was a Welsh called Maggie. I loved Maggie to bits.
I didn’t know much else about the breed except that they were feisty and hypoallergenic. When I saw Maisie as a little puppy my heart just melted. My life as a dog-nut began at that moment.
Welsh are not a common breed, and when I ran into someone in D.C. who had one, I peppered her with questions. She gave me great information and told me about a Facebook group WTCARES devoted to Welsh terriers. Lori and I both were so excited to share this special breed, and we stayed in touch for many years until she lost her dog Peanut.
The information Lori gave me led to a wealth of knowledge about the breed and to an entire group of new friends from around the world. It also introduced me to a Welsh terrier weekend called The StinkEye, which happens every year in the U.S.
What Does Stink Eye Mean?
If you are not owned by a Welsh, you may not know what their stink eye is. Anyone who has a Welsh knows exactly what the phrase means.
Welsh have very expressive faces.
With long snouts, bushy beards, and protruding eyebrows, they are known for many kinds of expressions, especially the stink eye!
If your Welsh cocks its head and shoots you a withering stare, that is the stink eye. Some Welsh have the look down cold by the time they are twelve weeks old
while others take a bit longer to develop that trademark glare.
What is Welsh Terrier Cares?
Welsh Terrier Cares (WTCares) is a non-profit, formed by members of the Welsh Terrier Club of America, to help abandoned Welsh throughout the U.S. People can contact WTCares if they need to re-home their dog or if a Welsh has turned up at a shelter.
Because of the breed's relatively small size, people think that they will be easier to take care of than a larger dog like a Labrador or a Golden Retriever. Welsh terriers are fondly referred to by their owners as Welsh Terrorists.
People see Welsh puppies as cuddly little teddy bears.
They don’t realize that the teddy bear of today will turn into a stubborn, opinionated, mercurial hunter that weighs only twenty pounds. I am a Representative of WTCares and work to rehome dogs.
It is not uncommon for us to receive calls about badly behaved young dogs. We also receive calls from the children of deceased dog owners who do not or cannot care for the deceased's pet.
WTCares uses the term StinkEye for our annual fundraising event. Through The StinkEye, and an online auction, we help raise money and awareness for the organization's mission.
Dogs come to us in all kinds of conditions. Some are old and need veterinary care, some need basic or behavioral training, and some are just dogs that people could not handle. Unless a dog has bitten a human, WTCares will take them in and find them a new forever home. We always take back dogs we have place.
What is The StinkEye?
Every year, for more than a decade, humans and their Welsh meet in a small town and spend three days connecting with other Welsh terrier owners to raise money and make new friends.
Most of the activities over the weekend include the dogs. This is, after all, a fundraiser for the Welsh. It may also be the only time of year where people and their canine companions get to see another Welsh face-to-face.
We do many dog-centered activities like agility, barn hunt, lure course, and scent work. We have also painted pictures of our dogs!
We even have our very own Santa who comes each year. One of our members is a professional Santa during the Christmas season and he generously donates his time. Seeing Santa with the dogs always makes me smile.
Over the weekend, we have several meals together with the dogs. The towns chosen are always dog-friendly.
In the past, The StinkEye has been in Atlanta, Savannah, Lexington and Southern Pines to name a few.
Each year, we take a group photo and then have a Welsh walk along the streets to spread good cheer, shop in local stores, and promote breed awareness.
It is always fun to see locals do a double take when they see so many of us in one place.
By far the biggest draw for many of our members (maybe not for the dogs though) is the annual costume contest.
My friend Katherine, who lives in Wyoming, is an amazing seamstress. She frequently is asked to create amazing costumes for participants.
Some people go with human/canine themes while others dress the dogs in store-bought costumes.
Dogs and humans parade through a crowd of attendees and we have specially selected judges that pick the top three winners.
Meeting old and new friends
I love The StinkEye because it allows me to meet and connect with fellow Welsh terrier lovers. Some dog breeds have particular quirks or health issues, and the Welsh is one such breed.
Since the very first year I attended, I have learned many health and behavioral quirks about my dogs. I have also made some lasting friends who share a love of the dogs that surpasses both religious differences and the current political climate.
Today, I have friends who are breeders that show their dogs professionally, rescue dog parents, and others both young and old. We all get along because we all have Welsh terriers.
The first couple years I would attend the event on my own with Maisie and then with Winston as well. Brian loves Maisie and Winston, but he is not a dog-nut.
One year, Brian agreed to come with me to The StinkEye because there were several other non-dog-obsessed types that were attending. This resulted in several great friendships for us as a couple.
Brian now looks forward to The StinkEye as much as I do. As we drive across the country, we frequently will make special stops to visit the people we know from past WTCares events.
StinkEye UK
The United Kingdom's Welsh group holds a StinkEye event every other year in a castle in Wales. Two years ago, Brian and I went to this event and I had a chance to meet some of my favorite online dog friends in person.
Craig Y Nos Castle is a charming and quirky hotel that allows Welshies and their humans to take over the castle for several days. I thoroughly enjoyed walking the countryside, sometimes holding the lead of a Welsh, while appreciating the difference in appearance between European and American Welsh terriers.
In 2026, we will return to Wales for the UK StinkEye. We plan to bring Maisie and Winston with us this time so that they can see where they hail from, and to meet some of their British, Scottish and Welsh counterparts.
I wonder if the dogs bark with an accent? I guess we will find out next year.