Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier

Wheaten Terrier
Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier standing as if at a conformation dog show
Other names	Irish Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier and variant spellings: "Soft Coated" and "Softcoated"
Common nicknames	Wheaten or Wheatie
Origin	Ireland
Traits Height Males 45 to 50 cm (18 to 20 inches) Weight Males 14–20 kg (31–44 lb) Coat Soft and silky, loosely waved or curly Color Wheaten or rust color Litter size up to 8 Life span 10.7 to 12.5 years
Kennel club standards Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier (Irish: An Brocaire Buí) is a pure breed terrier originating from Ireland. These dogs are hypoallergenic, and are more easily tolerated by those allergic to other breeds. Wheatens typically have one of two coat types: Irish or American. The Irish coat is considered to be the breed standard. It is generally more silky and wavy than the American coat, which is thicker and more "wooly". Wheatens are generally friendly and playful, and tend to get along well with children and other dogs.

History

The Wheaten was bred in Ireland for over two hundred years to be an all-purpose farm dog whose duties included herding, watching and guarding livestock, and vermin hunting and killing. They share a common ancestry with the Kerry Blue Terrier and the Irish Terrier but were not owned by gentry. In Ireland, they were commonly referred to as the "Poor Man's Wolfhound." Their tails used to be docked to avoid taxes and were often kept to a specific size.

Despite its long history, the Wheaten was not recognised as a breed in Ireland by the Irish Kennel Club until 1937. In 1943, the British Kennel Club recognised the breed in the UK as well. The first Wheatens were exported to Lydia Vogel in the United States in the 1940s, but serious interest in the breed took another ten years to develop. In the 1970s, the first Wheatens were imported into Australia by Anubis Kennels. Finally, in 1973, they were recognised by the American Kennel Club. Recent importation of Irish-style dogs have improved and broadened the gene pool. Today, Wheatens compete in obedience, agility, and tracking and are occasionally used in animal-assisted therapy as well.

Appearance

Puppies have dark coats of red, brown, mahogany or white. Their muzzles and ears may be black or dark brown. The reddish-brown puppy coat gradually grows out to nearly white before maturing into a wheaten-coloured coat as they get older. The adult coat may contain black, white, or darker brown "guard" hairs in addition to the lighter wheaten-coloured hair. If adults ever have skin injuries, the resulting hair growth will be the dark colour of their puppy coat before it eventually grows out to the wheat color. It may also come out to a molten chocolate colour, either white or milky coloured. The breed standards for the English, American and Irish Wheaten state a Wheaten must have a single, soft silky coat.

Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier

The Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier is a medium-sized dog, which ranges on average from 17 to 20 inches (43 to 51 cm) in height and about 30 to 45 pounds (14 to 20 kg) in weight. The breed has a square structure and is well built. Their soft, silky hair does not shed like most dogs; like human hair and Poodle hair, it keeps growing; they do need trimming and should be brushed and combed once a day to avoid mats. They are very smart dogs, and are easy to train. They love people, and they rarely have aggression issues.

"The Aran Fisherman's Child", by Frederic William Burton, 1841

The Irish coat tends to be thinner and silkier than the American variety. The Irish coat has a devoted following in Ireland and Europe. Breeders of the pure Irish type believe this is the original working coat. The coat is not thin – breeders of the Irish type consider the American heavy coat to be "bouffant", not that of the original working terrier type. There are a few breeders of the Irish type in the US and Canada. In the AKC conformation show ring, the judges do not always accept the Irish type well. The Irish is well received in the UK and Europe. The "Heavy Irish" coat is usually a result of cross breeding between coat types – American/English coat with an Irish type. The Irish coat still requires daily brushing to stay free of matted hair.

The Wheatens seen in Ireland today are of the same size, shape and coat texture as those seen and documented well over 100 years ago. Evidence of this can be seen from the famous artwork "The Aran Fisherman's Drowned Child" by the Irish painter Frederic William Burton.

Health

Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers are generally a long-lived breed. They are susceptible to various heritable diseases, although are most known for two protein wasting conditions: protein-losing nephropathy (PLN), where the dogs lose protein via the kidneys; and protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), where the dogs fail to fully absorb protein in their digestive tracts, causing it to pass in their stool. Both PLN and PLE are potentially fatal, but if caught early enough, can sometimes be managed with strict dietary changes and pharmaceuticals. Laboratory tests can aid in diagnosing PLN and PLE; Wheaten owners should check their country's advised testing protocols. Research suggests that PLE and PLN often are more prevalent in female wheatens and often happen in concurrence, with PLE following diagnosis of PLN. While a genetic predisposition has been suggested, an unknown mode of inheritance remains. Research programs, mainly in the United States and the United Kingdom, are looking for answers.

Other Wheaten health issues are renal dysplasia, inflammatory bowel disease, Addison's disease, and cancer. Some Wheatens can suffer from food and environmental allergies, and can be prone to developing the skin disease atopic dermatitis. Potential owners of Wheaten Terriers should discuss health issues with a breeder before deciding to get a puppy.

Temperament

Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier puppy

The Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier is an energetic and playful dog. It requires patience and consistent positive training. Harsh methods will often result in fear and/or aggression. A positive, even-handed approach works best with this intelligent yet headstrong terrier. It is an enthusiastic greeter, and will often jump up to lick a person's face, commonly referred to as the "Wheaten greetin". Wheatens are considered less scrappy than other terriers, but they can be hyper and more active than many other breeds. For this reason these dogs do best when they are exercised regularly. They are cool weather dogs and can become easily overheated in hot weather. If socialised with cats and puppies, they may get along fine with them; if not, care should be taken in introducing them to cats, as the breed has a very strong "prey drive" because of its vermin-hunting origin. Wheatens are extremely friendly and loving pets, and get along well with other dogs if properly socialised. Wheatens are very protective of their families and, although they may bark in alert at strangers, they rarely get aggressive. Many Wheaten owners thus say they make great watch dogs, but poor guard dogs. Wheatens are a great dog for children and are generally friendly towards them.

External links

• Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier at Curlie