The enthusiastic Irish farm dog, the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, is joyful, friendly, profoundly devoted, and just stubborn enough to remind you that he’s a terrier. The wheaten coat is low-shedding but requires careful grooming to avoid matting. The silky, gently undulating coat of these cheerful extroverts distinguishes them from other terriers. It ranges from a soft beige to gleaming gold, reminiscent of maturing wheat. Wheatens are square, strong terriers who stand 19 inches tall and weigh 40 pounds. They have a peek-a-boo haircut and a dashing beard. The overall impression is of a hard-muscled but soft-coated working terrier, or an iron fist in a velvet glove, as the breed has been described.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
friendly / happy / deeply devoted
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
18-19 inches (male)
17-18 inches (female)
Weight
35-40 pounds (male)
30-35 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy
12-14 years
Breed Traits & Characteristics
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
Health
Wheatens are typically healthy dogs, and conscientious breeders examine their stock for health issues such as protein-losing nephropathy, a kidney disorder; protein-losing enteropathy, a term used to describe many gastrointestinal problems; Addison's disease; and renal dysplasia. As with all breeds, a Wheaten's ears should be checked for symptoms of infection on a regular basis, and the teeth should be washed frequently with dog toothpaste.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Urinalysis
- UPC/Micro Albumin (MA) Test
- Serum Chemical Screen
- Protein Losing Nephropathy - Variant 1 (PLN) - DNA Test
- Protein Losing Nephropathy - Variant 2 (PLN) - DNA Test
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Grooming
The smooth, silky coat of the Wheaten takes some upkeep. The daily grooming routine begins with a thorough brushing using a pin brush or a slicker brush to remove dirt and stray hair. Following that, a thorough combing with a medium- and fine-toothed metal comb is performed. Any mats discovered should be removed with a brush, comb, and fingers'never with scissors. As with all breeds, the nails should be cut on a regular basis because extremely long nails can be painful for the dog and cause walking and running issues.
Exercise
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier has a medium to high degree of energy that does not reduce with age. They require a lot of activity every day. Wheatens have a strong prey drive and will chase after everything that moves, from squirrels to cars, therefore the backyard or other play area must be properly fenced and walks must always be on a leash. Wheatens form attachments to their owners, who should anticipate taking part in daily exercise sessions.
Training
All dogs should participate in early socialization and puppy training sessions to help them grow into well-adjusted, well-mannered companions. The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a very intelligent and willful dog who frequently pursues his own agenda. This makes them difficult to train. It also explains why obedience training should begin early before negative habits become cemented. A Wheaten requires consistent, tough discipline but is sensitive to punishment. Wheatens must be trained to be cooperative while maintaining their spirit.
Nutrition
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier should thrive on high-quality dog food, whether purchased commercially or cooked at home with your veterinarian's supervision and consent. Any diet should be tailored to the age of the dog (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to becoming overweight, so keep an eye on your dog's calorie intake and weight level. Treats can be a valuable training aid, but feeding too much can lead to obesity. Discover which human foods are suitable for dogs and which are not. If you have any concerns regarding your dog's weight or diet, consult with your veterinarian. At all times, clean, fresh water should be available.
History
Reams of excellent literature, a tremendous smooth whiskey, and three gorgeous long-legged terriers: the Wheaten, Kerry Blue, and Irish are among Ireland’s gifts to civilization. They all have a common ancestor and were bred for comparable reasons. Wheatens were expected to execute a variety of farm jobs, including ratting, guarding the chicken coop, and even herding or bird-dogging. They were entertaining fireside companions when the day was done, a position they still enjoy—even if the hearth has been replaced by a TV.