The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a breed of dog that originated in Ireland. There are four coat varieties, Traditional Irish, Heavy Irish, English, and American. They are considered to be hypoallergenic - a trait which makes them a good choice for allergic or asthmatic dog owners. The name may or may not be hyphenated.
Appearance
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppies have a dark coat of either red or mahogany. The muzzle and ears of Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppies may be black or very dark. The dark puppy coat gradually grows out into a wheat-coloured coat as they get older. The color can range from wheat to white, but white coats are not considered desirable by breeders and show enthusiasts. The adult coat may contain black, white, or darker brown "guard" hairs in addition to the lighter Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier-coloured hair.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a medium-sized dog, which ranges on average anywhere from 17 to 19 inches and weighs about 30 to 40 pounds. The breed seems to have a square structure and is well built. Its hair does not shed like most dogs; like human hair and Poodle hair, it keeps growing, needs regular trimming, and drops just a few hairs daily.
The English coat variety tends to be thicker than the other varieties and tends to be kept a bit longer than the American variety. For this reason, American coats need to be regularly cared for and maintained.
Temperament
Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers stay young at heart for many years. They are quite active. Their temperament is curious and friendly. Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier owners are familiar with the famous "Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier greeting'" these friendly dogs treat visitors with. They are very sociable.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a fun-loving, intelligent dog. It can be vocal, making it a good watch dog although no one should consider this breed to deter burglars as the dog will greet the burglar as a friend. Their temperament should be such that they consider a stranger a friend they have not met yet.
The Soft Coated Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is known to be less aggressive in nature than that of other terrier breeds. Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers are restrained and patient with children.
Proper socialization with their environment and with other children and adults when they are young most likely will ensure a stable temperament in a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. Basic obedience classes may enable less frustrating co-existence with a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.
The breed is generally trainable, although the terrier stubbornness does appear on occasion. Consistency in training and positive reinforcement is the best method in the training of a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, as they can be very sensitive to physical correction. With both a short attention span and an energetic personality, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers can be difficult to train as show dogs. However showing a well-trained Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier can be very rewarding.
Some Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers love water while others will avoid it. Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers 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. Typically, one of each sex make best companions for each other. Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers enjoy chasing squirrels. Although Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers are terriers; they are originally Irish farm dogs and have some herding dog mentality as well. They make wonderful pets and are very loving.They do not tolerate heat well.