Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Modified: 30-11--0001 00:00:00
The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier originated in Ireland, there are now four coat varieties, Traditional Irish, Heavy Irish, English, and American. They are all considered to be hypoallergenic.
Appearance
Puppies have a dark coat of either red or mahogany. Muzzle and ears of Wheaten puppies may be black or very dark. Dark puppy coats gradually grows out into a wheat-coloured coat as they get older. Colour can range from wheat to white, but white coats are not considered desirable by breeders and show enthusiasts. The adult coat may contain black, white, or darker brown "guard" hairs in addition to the lighter wheaten-coloured hair.
Coat is hairlike, it does not shed and needs trimming regularly.
Temperament
Wheaten terriers stay young at heart for many years. They are quite active. Their temperament is curious and friendly. Wheaten owners are familiar with the famous "wheaten greetin'" these friendly dogs treat visitors with. They are very sociable dogs
The Wheaten is a fun-loving, intelligent dog. It can be vocal, making it a good watch dog although no one should consider this breed to deter burglars as the dog will greet the burglar as a friend. His temperament should be such that he considers a stranger a friend he hasn't met yet.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is known to be less aggressive than that of other terrier breeds. Proper socialization with their environment and with other children and adults when they are young will ensure a stable temperament in a wheaten. Basic obedience classes are advised.Trainability in the breed is good, although the terrier stubbornness does appear on occasion. Be consistent and patient, they don?t respond well to punishment. With both a short attention span and an energetic personality, wheatens are difficult to train as show dogs and might get wild, but if you are persistent you will succeed.
Health
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers have a life expectancy of 13-14 years and they remain active to the end. Some Wheatens have a sensitivity to gluten(they will fart a lot), however it is rare.
History
The Wheaten was originally bred Ireland to be an all-purpose farm dog whose duties would have included herding, watching and guarding livestock, and vermin hunting. This is probably why they are not as aggressive as other terriers, who were primarily vermin hunters.
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