Wheaten Terrier Dog Breed
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a medium-sized, compact and squarely proportioned dog. It is a strong dog that moves gracefully. The head is shaped like a rectangle, rather long, with a short, strong muzzle, jaws that are able to seize and grip prey well, and large teeth. It has a defined stop. The ears are v-shaped and fold forward, level with the skull.
The Wheaten terrier is a balanced, well-muscled, square dog with a distinctive coat and color and a docked tail. Males are 18-19 inches tall and weigh 35-40 pounds, and females are a bit smaller. The breed has the typical rectangular terrier head, small-to-medium ears that drop over at the skull, a large black nose, and brown, almond-shaped eyes.
Regularly information on the breed will be sent abroad to those in charge of events or otherwise involved with Softcoated Wheaten Terriers to prevent the loss of the original terrier type i.e. of the native Irish Softcoated Wheaten Terrier. Due to incorrect selection and breeding programmes combined with a large influx of alienated specimen from abroad that are called Wheatens but have no resemblance with the dogs described in the Irish Standard the appearance of the Irish Softcoated Wheaten terrier is threatened .
If you are looking for a dog that will respond instantly to your every command, then maybe a terrier isn’t for you. Terriers do have minds of their own! If you want a dog that develops strong owner loyalty, maybe a Wheaten terrier isn’t for you. This breed tends to be an ‘everybody dog’, relating well to the family but also enjoying making new acquaintances. If you prefer a dog that lies quietly in his basket waiting to be invited to do something, then perhaps a Wheaten isn’t the dog for you.
The Wheaten terrier was originally bred in 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. They are believed to be related to the Kerry Blue Terrier.
Expect your Wheaten terrier to greet you by bounding straight up to give you a kiss or even jumping into your arms. He’ll twirl when he’s happy, rest his head on your lap when he wants something, frolic in the snow just for the fun of it, and frown at being expected to go out in the rain. (Ironically, this Irish import doesn’t like to get wet.)
