Wheaten Terrier make life beautiful!
Journey down the lane…
The history of the Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, also called as Wheaten, has been somewhat obscured by its closeness to the other Irish Terrier breeds. The Wheaten is probably the oldest of the four breeds. Their existence for at least 200 years can be inferred from textual references to soft-coated dogs. The relation of the modern Irish Terrier to the Wheaten, though less well documented, appears to have been the result of deliberate breeding experiments. So the humble Wheaten probably has a fairly mixed ancestry. Despite the long history of the Wheaten, it wasn’t until 1937 that the soft coated Wheaten was officially recognised by the Irish Kennel Club. The breed has grown steadily in popularity since and is now well-known worldwide. Wheaten Terriers were used by small farmers to kill vermin or help with the work about the farm. They were used for a long time in the difficult job of hunting badgers and otters.
The looks…
A Wheaten is a hardy and active who is well-built and gives the idea of strength. He is neither too leggy nor too low to the ground. His head is powerful, without being coarse and is in proportion to the body. His eyes are dark hazel coloured, not too large, not prominent and well placed. His ears range from small to medium, carried in front and are at a level with skull. His tail is well set, not too thick and carried gaily but never over the back. His coat can range from shades of light wheaten to a golden reddish hue. Single-coated, the texture is soft and silky to feel and not harsh. The coat at its longest is almost five inches (12.7 cm). It is soft, wavy or loosely curled with the sheen of silk. The puppies are seldom born with the correct colour or texture of the coat. They go through several changes of colour and texture before developing the mature adult coat, which usually occurs between 18 months and two and a half years.
The height of males is 18-19 inch (46 – 48 cm) while that of females is somewhat less and they weigh around 18 – 20.5 kg.
Excellent temperament…
Spirited and gameful, Wheatens are good tempered. They are most affectionate and loyal to their pet parents. They are intelligent and can be a trustworthy, faithful friend. They are defensive but without aggression. They have a special talent to make you consider them just as family members.
Living with them…
There are not enough words to describe how much joy and affection a Wheaten Terrier can bring to your home. They are always in good mood and happy and don’t hesitate to display their affection. They take interest in whatever you do and they are extremely close to their pet parents.
They love children. They are the best companions ever. Their playful and affectionate temperament matches very well with what children are looking for in a dog company. Although they are not watch dogs, they will instinctively keep an eye on the children of the family and protect the family from strangers if a danger was to occur.
Daily exercise – a must…
They need to be exercised daily. Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers can live in a flat, apartment only if they daily have the opportunity to be walked in a park for a minimum of one and a half hour where they can run freely unleashed. They are very quiet inside the house, rarely bark but they need outdoor activities.
No shedding…
They do not have undercoat so they do not shed at all. They are considered as hypoallergenic dogs and highly recommended for people having allergies to pet hair.
Training at an early age…
Wheaten Terriers typically welcome family and friends in a very demonstrative way. They usually start this behaviour when they are still little puppies. So you will need to train them not to do it but never yell at them or hit them! Wheatens are very sensitive dogs. Love is the main thing of the Wheatens’ training.
Games they love…
They love to play ball and to retrieve sticks, even in the water if they were trained since a young age. Some people practice agility with them and they are doing very well. They are Terriers so they were at a time hunting dogs. Long walks in the countryside, where they can smell on tracks, is one of their favourite activities. They do not run away like other hunting dogs so you can unleash them in the fields or on trails. They will follow you and won’t go too far away from you, you will always have them in close sight.
The healthy breed…
Pure Irish Soft Coated Wheaten lines don’t have a disease specific to their breed. Some breeders mixed Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers with Poodles and Kerry Blues, to get a fluffy frizzy coat easy to sculpt and more spectacular in shows. These unconsidered matings have brought some diseases like kidney dysplasia. All the hereditary problems that you could read about Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers belong to dogs from mixed lines.
Once you have shared life with a Wheaten, you might have another one and for sure, you would never live without one!
(Katia Gobbi is a breeder of Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and is representative of the Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier breed by the French Terrier Breeds Club (CFAT-DT)).