Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
| Recognized By: |
ACR
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AKC
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APRI
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CCR
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CKC
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CKC
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FCI
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IKC
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KCGB
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NKC
,
NZKC
,
UKC
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| AKA: |
Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Wheaten Terrier, Wheaten |
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| Mispellings: |
Wheaton Terrier, Wheaten Tierier |
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Living with a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Personality: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a sweet, playful and friendly dog. They typically have a puppy attitude their entire life.
Temperament: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is an easy-going, happy, alert and self-confident dog. They should show interest in their surroundings and are less aggressive than other Terrier breeds. However males may be combative with other male dogs if challenged.
Family Dog: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier usually very loves with children and get along well with other dogs. They may not get along well with cats if not raised with them from a young age. They bond very closely with their family.
Shedding: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is not a seasonal shedder. When their coat is combed out regularly they shed very little which makes them a good choice for allergy suffers.
Grooming: The coat of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier should have a natural look as such brushing is not recommended. The coat should be combed daily with a medium toothed comb to keep it free from tangles. The eyes and ears should be checked carefully. They should be bathed or cleaned with a dry shampoo when necessary.
Training: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a very intelligent breed and generally picks up new commands rather quickly. Take care to socialize this breed at a young age to keep the dog from becoming timid or overly aggressive. It is important to be calm, consistent and confident when training this dog to keep them from taking over control of the home.
Barking: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier typically barks to announce the arrival of guests but seldom barks unnecessarily.
Weather: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier does not tolerate heat very well.
Exercise: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier requires a moderate amount of exercise and should be taken for daily walks.
Living Conditions: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier does well as an apartment dog. They are fairly active inside and will do okay with a small yard.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Appearance
Appearance: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a medium sized member of the Terrier Group with a square outline and soft, silky wheaten coat.
Size: A male Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is between 18 to 19 inches tall at the withers and weighs between 35 to 40 pounds, while females are between 17 to 18 inches tall with an average weight of 30 to 35.
Head: The long, rectangular head of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier should be balanced in proportion to the size of the body. The skull is flat and clean between the ears. The cheekbones should not be prominent. The stop is well-defined. The skull and foreface should be of equal length.
Nose: The nose of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is black in color and large when compared to the size of the dog.
Eyes: The medium-sized, almond-shaped eyes of Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier are dark reddish brown or brown in color. They are set fairly wide apart with black rims.
Ears: The ears of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier are small to medium in size. The top lies level with the top of the head and falls slightly forward with the inside edge lying close to the cheek and pointing toward the ground.
Muzzle: The muzzle of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is well-filled under the eyes, strong and powerful. The lips are black and tight.
Teeth/Bite: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier has large, clean, white teeth that meet in a scissors or level bite.
Neck: The neck of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is clean, strong and medium in length. It should be carried proudly. The neck gradually becomes broader as it blends smoothly into the shoulders.
Body: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a hardy and well-balanced dog with a square outline, strong and level back and compact body. The chest is deep with well-sprung ribs free from roundness.
Forequarters: The shoulders of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier are clean, smooth and well laid back. The front legs are straight and well boned.
Hindquarters: The hind legs of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier are well developed with well bent stifles that should turn neither in nor out. The hocks parallel to each other and well let down.
Gait: The gait of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is graceful and free with good forward reach and strong rear drive. The feet should turn neither in nor out during movement and the tail should be held erect.
Feet: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier should have round and compact feet with thick, black pads and dark colored nails. All of the dewclaws should be removed.
Tail: The docked tail of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is carried gaily but should never be held over the back.
Color: The coat of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier can be any shade of wheaten with the occasional red, white or black guard hairs. The coat must have an overall wheaten color except on ears and muzzle which may have a blue-gray color. Puppies under a year of age may have a deeper colored coat with black tips. The coat may be quite light in color up to two years of age but should never be white or gray in color except on ears and muzzle. By two years of age, the coat of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier should have the characteristic wheaten color.
Coat: The coat of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is the most distinguishing characteristic of this breed. It is a soft, silky single, abundant coat with a gentle wave that covers the entire body. The coat on the head falls forward shading the eyes.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Facts
Category: Terrier, AKC Terrier
Life Expectancy: The average life expectancy of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is about 12 to 15 years.
Characteristics: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier makes a great watch dog.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Health
Allergies: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier commonly has flea allergies.
Health: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is prone to protein wasting disease.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier History
History: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier got its beginning in Ireland where it was used as a herding, hunting and farm dog. It is believed that this may be one of the oldest Irish breeds. It wasn't until 1933 when they had their first public presentation. In 1946 the first Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier was imported to the United States. I was first officially recognized by the AKC in 1973.
