History

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is of Irish heritage, being recognized officially by the Irish Kennel Club in 1937. It is certain that wheaten coloured terriers were around in the 1800's but it is not clear if they were indeed a separate breed. The breed became eligible for registration in England in 1943. This was the same year that a lady by the name of Maureen Holmes whelped her first litter of SCWT's in Ireland. Ms. Holmes has been an outstanding, driving force behind the breed since then. She has published 2 books on the breed. The first time the wheaten was documented to have been imported to the United States was in 1946. By 1968 there were over 250 in the U.S. in over 20 states. Through the efforts and enthusiasm of many wheaten owners,led by the organizational skills of Ms. Jacqueline Gottlieb, breed recognition was obtained in 1973. In 1969 the first Wheaten was imported to Canada by Ruth Cronk of British Columbia. The first breeders were Ruth and Appl Gunther of Saskatchewan with a litter in 1977 from their American import dogs. 1976was the first year of publication for a wheaten bulletin. Through the efforts of Alan Fox of Regina Saskatchewan, the bulletin was distributed to the 20 known households with wheatens. The determination of Alan Fox and Anne Goodsell of British Columbia to bring the breed to full recognition by the Canadian Kennel Club was successful in May of 1978. As of January 1979 the breed competed in the terrier group in Canada. Started by the hard work of these individuals in Canada, The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Association of Canada now boasts a large membership from coast to coast.. It publishes the WHEATEN WAGS four times a year, and has active local section clubs across the country.

Appearance

The breed standard for the Soft coated wheaten calls for a height of 17"-19" at the withers with a weight of 30-40 pounds. This is a medium sized dog, with a compact body, giving a square outline when viewed from the side. Bitches tend to be somewhat smaller than the males. The breed is known for its abundant wheaten coloured coat that at adulthood falls in soft waves. It is a continuous, non-shedding coat that requires extensive maintenance and regular trimming to keep its proper shape. Coat can vary from the standard by being coarse, curly or stand-offish in texture and by being too light or grey in colour. Soft coated Wheaten puppies are usually born very dark in colour, being dark brown, red or mahogany, some with black masks and black tipping on the body coat. This colouring continuously lightens until 1-3 years of age when the coat colour then stabilizes to the adult wheaten colour. When trimmed to the standard, the head has shortly trimmed ears, a fall of hair left between and somewhat over the eyes, and a long beard. The body coat is left medium length with coat on the back of the cropped tail and rear legs trimmed such to give a square terrier outline. The coat on the feet is rounded and the coat on the bottom of the pads is removed. Pigment and eye colour is dark with the pads being black. The wheaten is a sturdily built dog with good bone, well sprung ribs and powerful movement front and rear.

Temperament

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is known to be less aggressive in nature than that of other terrier breeds. The wheaten is an active bouncy breed with out being hyperactive. They love to jump up to greet you and can keep up with the best of joggers. They do not however require an extensive amount of exercise and do well with a walk and backyard exercise. His temperament should be such that he considers a stranger a friend he hasn't met yet. He could be classed as an alert or watchful dog but not a protection dog. We have not noticed a difference between the sexes as to the nature of their character, rather all wheatens have some unique qualities. They should be a happy, self assured and curious dog. Proper socialization with their environment and with other children and adults when they are young will ensure a stable temperament in a wheaten. We also recommend basic obedience classes at the very minimum to enable you to have a less frustrating co-existance with a wheaten. Train ability in the breed is good, although the terrier stubbornness does appear on occasion. Consistency in training and positive reinforcement work much better in the training of a wheaten, as they can be very sensitive to physical correction. On a rare occasion some of the character of their ancestors does appear in the desire to herd or hunt. Around livestock, problems may arise with the breed because of these instincts. Some wheatens love water while others will avoid it. Wheatens do well as a sole dog companion and can also be fine in a multi-dog household depending on the temperaments of the other dogs. Many wheaten owners go on to get a second one eventually. We have found that one of each sex make best companions for each other.

Care & Training

Emphasis must be put on the care of the coat when discussing the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. As this soft and abundant coat is non-shedding, it is mandatory to comb the coat thoroughly at least once weekly. This also being a continuous growing coat, it needs to be trimmed every 2-3 months to keep it in shape. The wheaten coat is easy to care for until the age of about 5 months when it is thickening and lengthening enough for the first trim. Between the ages of about 9 months and two to three years, the coat, depending on texture and abundance, will matt very easily. As the dog grows older the coat will thin down somewhat and grow slightly coarser in texture. This makes coat maintenance a little easier.Although puppies need very little grooming those first few months, the emphasis should still be put on grooming time spent as this is the time puppy needs to learn to lay on its side to be combed and needs to develop the patience to put up with this life long process. Bathing should be done on a regular basis, as the coat needs it. This will depend on individual circumstances. Very mild dog shampoo with a creme rinse following is recommended for the coat. Breed clubs throughout North America will have available care manuals for the breed coat, and often have grooming workshops as well. Choice of diet is of the utmost importance. Veterinary recommendations and breeder recommendations are encouraged. A quality protein base over a grain based food is preferable. Recent health issues in the breed have seen a trend towards foods not too high in their protein content. Although the breed does not require an extensive amount of exercise, they do enjoy activity and are capable of keeping up with the best of joggers. A daily activity of walking or chasing a ball is usually enough to keep a wheaten happy and in good shape. Wheatens do best with a place to call their own and most breeders will recommend an airline-type crate or kennel as its resting and sleeping area. This also makes travel safe and secure for your pet. In the beginning stages, a crate makes the job of house training so much easier. The intelligence level of the breed has been classed as "average", which means it is very capable of learning and many wheatens have enjoyed success in the obedience trial ring. Early socialization, lots of time spent with and constructive training methods with positive reinforcement rather than a heavy hand, seem to work the best for the breed. Participation in formal classes given through reputable training schools is time well spent. A well trained dog is a pleasure rather than a pain to live with!