Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Terrier

Group:

Terrier

Size:

medium

Lifespan:

12-14 years

Exercise:

moderate

Grooming:

High

Trainability:

Moderate

Watchdog ability:

High

Protection ability:

Low

Area of Origin:

Ireland

Date of Origin:

1500’s

Other Names:

None

Original Function:

vermin hunting, herding, guardian

History

One of only three large terriers of Ireland, the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier originated as an all-around farm dog, perhaps serving in this function for hundreds of years. Besides the ever-essential terrier function of extinguishing vermin, it also helped round up stock and guards the homestead. It was later even known to be trained as a gundog. Its early history is largely undocumented; however, it is mentioned as a progenitor of the Kerry Blue Terrier.

Temperament

Intelligent and loving breed, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers do well with children and are very devoted to their families, but they will not get along with cats. They are playful, friendly and sweet-tempered.

Upkeep

This is an athletic dog that needs a good daily workout, either in the form of a moderate to long walk or an invigorating game in the yard. It should be allowed loose only in a safe area because it still loves to hunt and chase. The Wheaten can live outdoors in temperate climates, but it is far better suited as an indoor dog. Its long coat needs brushing or combing every two days. As a no-shedding dog, loose hair becomes entangled in the coat and will mat if not combed out. Bathing and trimming every other month is necessary to maintain the desirable coat and silhouette; pets can be better managed if their coats are clipped to about 3 inches, but then they lose the breed's typical outline.

Official Breed Standard

CHARACTERISTICS:
The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier should be good tempered, spirited and game. Full of confidence and humour – a delightful, affectionate, intelligent companion. A natural terrier with strong sporting instincts, hardy and of strong constitution.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
A medium-sized compact, upstanding terrier well covered with a soft, wheaten coloured, natural coat that falls in loose curls or waves. An active, short-coupled dog, strong and well built; well balanced in structure and movement, not exaggerated in any way. Standing four square with head and tail up, giving the appearance of a happy dog, Full of character.

Head:
Head moderately long and profusely covered with coat which should fall forward over the eyes. The skull while not being coarse, should not be narrow. Skull flat and not too wide between the ears. The stop should be well defined and the cheek bones not prominent. The distance from the eyes to nose not longer and preferably shorter, than the distance from the eye to the occiput. Jaws strong and punishing, muzzle square with no suggestion of snippiness. The top-line of the muzzle absolutely straight and parallel with skull. The nose should be black and large for the size of dog. Head in general, powerful without being coarse.

Eyes:
A clear bright dark hazel. Squarely set under a strong brow and of medium size. Eye rims black.

Ears:
V-shaped and folded at level of skull. The forward edge should drop down and slightly forward to lie closely along the cheek, the back edge standing slightly away from the side of the head. Thin, small to medium in size, covered with coat and with a fringe.

Mouth:
Teeth large. Bite scissors (the tips of the upper incisors should lie tightly in front of the lower incisors). Overshot and undershot are equally objectionable. Lips tight and black.

Neck:
Moderately long, strong, muscular and slightly arched. Without toatiness. Gradually widening toward and running cleanly into the shoulders.

Forequarters:
Shoulders long, well laid back and slope inwards from points to withers. Well knit in, fine, but muscular. Viewed from any angle, the forelegs perfectly straight. Good bone and muscle. Pasterns strong and springy. Chest moderately wide. Dew claws on the front legs may be removed.

Body:
Compact, with powerful short loins. Back strong and level. Ribs well sprung, without roundness, providing a deep chest with relatively short coupling. Length of back from point of withers to base of tail should measure about the same, or slightly less than, from point of withers to ground.

Hindquarters:
Thighs strong and muscular. Hindlegs well developed with powerful muscle and well bent stifles. Hocks well let down and turning neither in nor out. Dew claws on the hind legs should be removed.

Feet:
Strong and compact, turned neither in nor out. Good depth of pad. Toenails black.

Gait:
Movement free, graceful and lively. Well co-ordinated with long, low strides. Having reach in front and good drive behind; straight action fore and aft. The head and tail should be carried high, the backline remaining level.

Tail:
Docked. The tail of the fully grown dog should be about 10.1 to 12.7 cm (4 to 5 in) long. Set on high, carried gaily, but never over the back. Not curled and not too thick.

Coat:
Soft and silky. Neither woolly nor wiry. Loosely waved or curly, but if curly, the curls should be large, light and loose. The coat should not stand off but should flow and fall naturally. The coat should be abundant all over the body and especially profuse on the head and legs. The length of the leg coat should be sufficient to give good balance to the length of coat on the head and body. There is no seasonal change in the length or texture of the mature coat. The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier is a natural dog and should so appear. Dogs that appear to be over-trimmed or stylized should be penalised. For show purposes the coat may be tidied up to present a neat outline. Coat colour and texture do not stabilise until about 18 months and should be given some latitude in young dogs.

Colour:
A good clear wheaten. A shade of ripening wheat. A white coat and a red coat are equally objectionable. Dark shading on the ears is not untypical. There is often a slight fluctuation in the intensity of colour in the mature coat, but the overall effect should be light wheaten. Dark overall colour and the even darker markings often present in the immature coat clear by about 18 months, if not before.

Weight and Size:
Height: Dogs approximately 45.7 to 49.5 cm (18 to 19.5 in) measured at the withers. Bitches slightly less.

Weight:
Dogs approximately 15.8 to 20.7 kg (35 to 45 lb). Bitches somewhat less.

Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.