Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier: temperament, size, care and health

About the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a sturdy, square-built Irish terrier about 17 to 19 inches tall, covered in a silky wheat coat that falls over the eyes and wags with the dog's movement. Puppies are born with dark coats and a dark mask, and the color gradually clears to wheat over the first couple of years.

Wheatens were farm dogs, doing a little of everything: vermin control, herding, and guarding the home. Today they are kept as family pets, and they are known as the softest-natured of the larger terriers, with an enthusiastic, jumping greeting.

Temperament and family life

Wheatens are people dogs. They tend to be affectionate, upbeat, and happy to join family routines. Most are great with children, though puppies and adolescents are bouncy enough to knock over a small child, and the habit of leaping up in greeting must be trained away early.

Strangers are often welcomed. The breed will bark at newcomers but is rarely a serious guard. With other dogs, most get along well, though they can be assertive. The terrier prey drive means cats and small pets outside the household may be chased. A Wheaten left alone for long periods can become anxious and destructive.

Exercise and training

Wheatens need an hour a day of activity, preferably including running and playing in a fenced yard. They enjoy hiking, agility, tracking, and games of fetch. When they get too little, the energy turns into jumping, digging, and boisterous misbehavior.

They are intelligent but slow to settle down, and they can be willful. Training should use rewards and humor, with consistent limits. Skip harsh methods, because the breed is sensitive. Many Wheatens remain puppyish until age three. Early obedience classes help build manners, particularly for greeting guests politely.

Grooming and shedding

The single-layer coat sheds little but tangles easily. Daily combing is the usual advice, using a metal comb that reaches the skin, with particular attention to the armpits, behind the ears, and the beard. Without that attention the coat mats and traps debris.

Most owners bathe every few weeks and have a groomer scissor the coat into a tidy shape. The beard and feet need frequent cleaning. Trim nails and check the ears for moisture and wax.

Health

Wheatens have two notable inherited protein-loss diseases: protein-losing enteropathy, which affects the gut, and protein-losing nephropathy, which affects the kidneys. Addison's disease, renal dysplasia, and allergic problems are also described. Some breeders test urine, blood protein, and DNA markers, and breed clubs run health programs for these diseases. Hip dysplasia and eye problems are screened for as well.

The above is general information, and a veterinarian should be consulted about any individual Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.

History

The Wheaten is generally traced to rural Ireland, where it was kept by tenant farmers as a general-purpose farm terrier with a soft coat. The Irish Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1937, and the first Wheatens reached North America in the 1940s. The soft coat is the defining feature and is written into the standard as a sign of correct type.

Is the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier right for you?

A Wheaten suits families who want an active, sociable, low-shedding dog and who will brush it every day. It is a good match for a home with a fenced yard and someone around for much of the day. It is a poorer match for those who want a calm dog or who cannot afford routine grooming.

The Kerry Blue Terrier shares the soft coat but has a more protective nature, and the Irish Terrier is wirier and bolder. The Glen of Imaal Terrier is another Irish choice with a calmer personality.