Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Dogs

An incredible adult soft coated wheaten terrier standing over it's puppy

A soft coated wheaten terrier with a white, tightly curled coat

A soft coated wheaten terrier puppy's beautiful little face and floppy ears

Three wonderful, little soft coated wheaten terriers sharing each others warmth

A soft coated wheaten terrier's incredible, thick, long coat

A soft coated wheaten terrier lying neatly, wanting some attention

A close up of a soft coated wheaten terrier's beautiful scruffy beard

A close up of a soft coated wheaten terrier's lovely, thick, white coat

A healthy adult soft coated wheaten terrier sitting, waiting for a command

History

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, also sometimes simply called the Wheaten, is one of the 3 large breeds originating in Ireland. They were used to hunt vermin, but due to their size they were also capable of herding livestock and guarding the farm/home. Their exact origins remain unknown, though some say that it has Kerry Blue Terrier and Irish Terrier blood. They aren’t a very well known breed, only being accepted into the Irish kennel club in 1937.

Behaviour

The Wheaten is a lot calmer than most other Terriers. They are a fun, loving, affectionate and playful breed. They are well suited to family life and form close bonds with those around them. They are also good with children. They will alert you when someone is approaching the door, but will usually greet strangers with a wagging tail and are rarely aggressive - only showing aggression when they feel threatened. These dogs are happiest when around their family. This is a generally docile breed, but they still carry the classic Terrier confident streak. They are fine with other dogs and cats if raised together, but their prey drive can sometimes take a hold of them, especially when around rodents.

Wheatens are fast learners which makes training relatively easy. They can at times be stubborn. Firm yet playful training with lots of rewards and positive praise will bear the ebay results. They will try and push your limits at times, so some patience will be needed. They enjoy spending time around people and like being the center of attention, so activities such as Flyball and Agility are well suited for them.

As is the case with many other Terriers, the Wheaten is brave and will never back down from a fight, though they rarely start any conflicts. Puppy classes and adult classes later on in life will all do wonders for their social skills. They will need a fair amount of exercise each day, a long walk and a chance to run about will satisfy their needs. Their prey drive can be a problem when outside, so only let them off leash if they are fully trained or if you are in a secure area where they can't run away. Recall will never be perfect, though it is usually much better than with other Terriers. They like to dig, so keep this in mind when letting them out in the garden.

Whatens have a single coat which doesn’t seem to shed all that much. They are even classed as hypoallergenic. Their coats will need grooming 3-4 times a week to stop tangling. For show dogs, more grooming is needed. They will only need bathing when they are really dirty. This breed dislikes the warm weather and also doesn't seem to like it when it’s wet outside. They will seek out a cool place to sleep when it gets really hot, so be sure to provide them with this.

Temperament

Overall this is an affectionate and comical breed. They aren’t a typical Terrier and are in general gentle dogs. Early socialisation and regular training are still needed, as some Terrier traits will still show.

Health Problems

Major health concerns are protein-losing diseases such as PLE and PLN, and Renal dysplasia can sometimes be encountered too. Other than this they are a sturdy breed.