Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier

The Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier is an exceptionally intelligent, medium-sized dog, which IS defensive without being aggressive. It IS an excellent house guard but gentle with children. The Wheaten has strong sporting instincts, and some have been trained, with success, for the gun.

Origin and history

The origin of the Soft-coated Wheaten, like that of so many breeds, has been lost over time. However, from old pictures and records, the breed has been traced back at least 200 years in Ireland. There for many generations hardly a farm or smallholding did not boast an attendant Wheaten that was valued for its sterling qualities.

It IS recorded that the Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier is the oldest Irish breed of terrier, said to be the progenitor of the Kerry Blue and Irish terriers. Legend tells us that a blue dog swam ashore from a ship wrecked in Tralee Bay about 180 years ago. This dog mated the native Wheaten, and from this originated the Kerry Blue. Wheaten­coloured pups have appeared in Kerrv Blue litters from time to time.

There is no record of cross­breeding in the Wheaten, and it appears today to be much as it always has been.

Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier Puppies

Good points

• Hardy
• Not finicky about food
• Intelligent
• Excellent guard
• Gentle with children

Take heed

• No drawbacks known

Size

Weight: dog approximately 35-451b (15.9-20.5kg). Height: dog approximately 18-19'l2in (46-49cm) measured at the withers. Bitch slightly less in both regards.

Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier Information

General appearance
A medium­sized, compact, upstanding terrier well covered with a soft, wheaten­coloured, natural coat that falls In loose curls or waves.

Colour
A good clear wheaten, the shade of ripening wheat; a white coat and a red coat are equally objectionable. Dark shading on the ears is not untypical. Dark overall colour and the even darker markings often present in the Immature coat clear by about 18 months, if not before.

Head and skull
Head moderately long and profusely covered with coat, which should fall forward over the eyes. The skull, while not being coarse, should be narrow The nose should be black and large for the size of dog. Head in general, powerful without being coarse.

Tail
Docked. The tail of the fully grown dog should be about 4-5in (10-12.5cm) long. Set on high, carried gaily but never over the back Not curled or too thick

Feet
Strong and compact, turned neither in nor out. Good depth of pad. Toenails black.

Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier Feeding & Grooming

Grooming

The Wheaten's coat does not shed. Frequent combing should start from puppyhood, as regular grooming will keep the coat clean and tangle-free.

Fuzziness, not natural to the breed, can be aggravated by the use of a wire or plastic brush, and a medium-toothed metal comb should be used instead.

Bathing should be carried out as necessary: for showing, bathe the dog about three days before the event to avoid a fly-away appearance.

Ears, tail and feet need to be tidied, so do any long, straggly hairs underneath the body.

Feeding

About 13-200z (369-587g) of a branded, meaty product with biscuit added In equal part by volume, or 13/4-3 cupfuls of a complete dry food, mixed in the proportion of 1 cup of feed to V2 cup of hot or cold water. Meat scraps and non-splintery bones are acceptable on occasion.

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