| Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, including these excerpts:
"The AKC Standard says that the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier "is a happy, steady dog and shows himself gaily with an air of self-confidence."
More congenial than most terriers, the Soft Coated Wheaten is cheerful, lively, and very sociable.
He can adapt to any home if given enough companionship and exercise (he plays hard and vigorously) and allowed to participate in games and activities.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier often acts like a joyful puppy throughout his life. Though he will bark to announce strangers, he welcomes them as long-lost friends, usually with exuberant bouncing and jumping and face kissing.
Early socialization is mandatory to develop this outgoing attitude, however, while training is necessary to control it!
Fences should be high and secure, or he may jump over to greet people on the other side, or to chase passing cats or squirrels.
There is some aggression with other dogs of the same sex; otherwise the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is usually gregarious with other family pets.
Bright and sensitive, yet spunky and headstrong (sometimes dominant), the Soft Coated Wheaten requires an assertive owner who can set consistent rules and follow through with reward-based obedience training."
History
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier originated in Ireland as an all-around farm dog. He hunted small game, herded the flocks, and kept watch over the family's property.
Size
17-19 inches and 30-45 lbs |
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Soft Coated
Wheaten Terriers
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- There are energetic Wheatens, and placid Wheatens.
- Hard-headed Wheatens, and sweet-natured Wheatens.
- Serious Wheatens, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Wheatens, and Wheatens who love everyone.
| If you acquire a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
Now let's look at some common characteristics for this breed...
- Is medium-sized, sturdy, and athletic
- Has a tousled coat (in natural earthtone shades) that doesn't shed much
- Is more congenial than most terriers: happy, cheerful, and sociable
- Is energetic, plays vigorously, and acts like a joyful puppy throughout his life
- Barks to announce strangers, then welcomes them as long-lost friends
- Is usually sociable with other family pets
A Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- The dynamic terrier temperament (see full description below)
- Providing enough exercise and activities to keep them busy
- Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young
- "Separation anxiety" (destructiveness and barking) when left alone too much
- Aggression toward other animals -- strong chasing instincts
- Stubbornness
- Digging holes
- Barking
- Regular brushing and clipping
- "Shaggy dog syndrome," i.e. debris clinging to the coat, water soaking into the beard and dripping on your floors
- Health problems
A Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a SoftCoated Wheaten Terrier... |
My major concerns would be:
- The dynamic terrier temperament. Most terrier breeds are remarkably similar. The same words are used over and over -- quick to bark, quick to chase, lively, bossy, feisty, scrappy, clever, independent, stubborn, persistent, impulsive, intense.
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Terriers are active go-getters. They MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and to use their busy minds to do interesting things.
| I strongly recommend that you get your Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Terrier involved in obedience classes at the intermediate or advanced level, or in agility (an obstacle course for dogs). Some Wheatens have herding instincts and enjoy participating in herding activities. |
- Bounciness. Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people. If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Soft-Coated Wheatens.
- Separation anxiety. More than most other breeds, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you.
- Animal aggression. Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers are less scrappy toward other dogs than many other terrier breeds, but they are still a determined force to reckon with if they decide to initiate or accept a challenge to fight. Many terriers have strong instincts to chase and seize small fleeing creatures. This can make for conflict if you own a cat. It may be much worse than that if you own a pet rabbit or hamster!
| Terriers cannot be trusted off-leash. They will take off -- oblivious to your frantic shouts -- after anything that runs. |
- Fence security. Many terriers are clever escape artists who will go over or under fences in search of adventure. You may need higher fences than you might imagine for their small size. You may also need to sink wire into the ground along the fence line to thwart digging. Gates should have the highest quality locks.
- Barking. Terriers are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them. If you work all day and have close neighbors, terriers are not the best choice for you. For the same reason, terriers should NEVER be left outside in your yard, unsupervised.
- Mind of their own. Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers are not Golden Retrievers. Though they are more amenable to training than many other terriers and some excel in obedience competition, they must still be taught at an early age that they are not the rulers of the world. The toughness that makes them suited to killing vermin can frustrate you when you try to teach them anything. Most Softcoated Wheaten Terriers are stubborn. Some are dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
- Defensive reactions. If you need to physically chastise a terrier, and you go beyond what THEY believe is a fair correction, terriers (as a group) are more likely than other breeds to growl or snap. It may be because they were bred to become more fierce when their prey fought back, i.e. terriers are apt to "return pain" if they "receive pain." As an obedience instructor, I'm always extra careful when putting my hands on any terrier for a correction.
| Another reason I do not recommend Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers for small children is their general terrier "pride." Many terriers will not tolerate any nonsense. They are quick to react to teasing, and even to the normal clumsiness that comes with small children (accidental squeezing of their ears or pulling of whiskers or stepping on their paw). Many terriers are possessive of their food and toys and will defend these from all comers, including children. |
- Grooming. To keep their tousled coat free of mats, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Terriers require regular brushing, and also trimming every few months.
- "Shaggy dog syndrome." Like all shaggy dogs, the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier is a messy dog. Leaves, mud, snow, fecal matter, and other debris cling to his rough coat and ends up all over your house. When he drinks, his beard absorbs water, which drips on your floors when he walks away. When he eats, his beard absorbs food so that when he sniffs your face or presses his head against your leg, YOU end up dirty, too. Shaggy dogs are not suited to fastidious housekeepers.
- Health problems. From hip problems to eye problems to kidney problems to skin and allergy problems, Wheatens can be risky in the health department.
| If you're considering an adult Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier... |
There are plenty of adult Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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Copyright © 2000-2006 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
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