Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier: Your Complete Guide
The soft coated wheaten terrier is a fluffy, cheerful, and affectionate dog breed that’s medium in size. Shortly known as wheatens, these dogs can have haircuts that make them appear similar to schnauzer-type dogs, but they belong to the terrier group, as the name suggests.
However, soft coated wheaten terriers have display traits that are unlike any other terrier-type dog. Some of these unique traits include a family-oriented disposition that’s generally good with kids and a quiet side that only barks when there’s a need for it. There’s much to cover about what makes the soft coated wheaten terrier a unique dog, and you will find everything you need to know in this article.
Continue reading to find out all about the soft coated wheaten terrier’s personality, size, coat type, health, trainability, exercise needs, grooming, and more.
Quick Look at the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
The table below summarizes the key points we will discuss about the soft coated wheaten terrier in this article. You will also find a detailed overview of each point in the coming parts below.
| Weight/Height | 30-40 pounds / 17-19 inches |
| Coat Type | Wavy medium-length coat |
| Grooming Needs |  |
| Shedding |  |
| Temperament | Playful, affectionate, eager to please |
| Good With Kids | |
| Good With Other Animals |  |
| Intelligence | |
| Easy to Train | |
| Energy Level | |
| Barking Habits |  |
| Lifespan | 12-14 years |
What Is the History of Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers?
The soft coated wheaten terrier is a farm dog that originates from Ireland. The breed is believed to date back to the late 18th century, when they were utilized as all-purpose farm dogs. Some of their duties included vermin control, moving livestock, guarding property, and providing companionship.
While the soft coated wheaten terrier excelled at every one of their duties, it wasn’t their capabilities that led to this breed becoming popular in Ireland. In Irish society, landowning laws historically restricted peasants from owning large dogs, which made medium-sized dogs like the soft coated wheaten terrier a valuable asset for farmers. In a way, they were the poor man’s dog.
As for when the soft coated wheaten terrier first arrived in the United States, it was around the late 1940s. Early imports were brought over by Irish immigrants and breed enthusiasts who wanted to preserve Ireland’s number one farm dog. Eventually, wheatens became fairly popular, and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1973.
Soft coated wheaten terriers have their origins as farm dogs, but they are now most commonly kept as family companions today. They are particularly popular among families who prefer a hypoallergenic dog, thanks to their low-shedding coats.
What Do Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Look Like?
The name soft coated wheaten terrier explains a lot about what these dogs look like. First and foremost, the only coat color you will find in these dogs is wheaten, and the coat is quite soft to the touch. They have rectangular, balanced heads that can have a natural beard and mustache that give them a unique appearance, just like schnauzer-type dogs.
While these aren’t unique to the soft coated wheaten terrier, what defines this breed is the flowing hair that falls forward over their eyes. Even though most owners choose to trim this part so that their dogs can see better, it is one of the breed’s traits that is cherished by breed enthusiasts and those who keep show dogs.
What Size Is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier?
The soft coated wheaten terrier is a medium-sized dog. They stand between 17 and 19 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh anywhere from 30 to 40 pounds. This weight and height range makes them an excellent choice for those who want a dog that’s fairly small but not so small that they would have a toy dog.
What Is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier’s Coat Type and Length?
The soft coated wheaten terrier has a medium-length coat that’s silky and wavy. The soft coated wheaten terrier’s coat has a weight and movement to it; once the coat reaches a certain length, it starts flowing instead of standing stiffly or puffing out. This coat is what attracts many people to this breed. Plus, it is considered hypoallergenic, making the soft coated wheaten terrier a perfect fit for people allergic to pet dander.
What Is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier’s Temperament?
The soft coated wheaten terrier has unique personality traits that make them stand out among other terrier-type dogs. Here are the highlights of the soft coated wheaten terrier’s temperament to help you decide whether this breed is the right dog to buy or adopt for you.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Good With Kids?
The soft coated wheaten terrier is one of the best dogs for families with children. These dogs get along well with kids of all ages, making them an excellent family dog – one trait that you won’t find in all terrier-type dogs. Nonetheless, an adult’s supervision is still necessary, especially during playtime, if you have young children.
While the age isn’t a concern, it is safe to say that the soft coated wheaten terrier pairs best with active children who can keep them company and invite them for playtime. Although they can also get along well with quiet children, the soft coated wheaten terrier’s playfulness is a better match for active kids.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Good With Other Animals?
The soft coated wheaten terrier is generally good with other dogs in the family. As long as you introduce a soft coated wheaten terrier to your other dogs properly in a calm, planned fashion, you won’t need to have any worries. However, socialization is critical with soft coated wheaten terriers when it comes to their relationship to unfamiliar dogs, as they can be territorial at times.
Other than dogs, wheaten typically do well with kids or learn quickly that they shouldn’t mess with cats. With smaller animals, we can’t speak all that positively due to the soft coated wheaten terrier’s high prey drive. These dogs have strong instincts to chase after small animals, especially if they’re on the move. This trait can be troubling if you neglect teaching them leash manners or recall.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Aggressive?
Soft coated wheaten terriers aren’t prone to aggression. They are generally calm, happy, and playful dogs that don’t mean any harm. Although they can have a stubborn streak and keep a territorial disposition here and there, it would be wrong to say that soft coated wheaten terriers are aggressive.
Nonetheless, any dog can exhibit aggression if they doesn’t receive proper socialization and training from a young age. If a soft coated wheaten terrier constantly gets away with unruly behavior, it can be the start of a habit that requires addressing later down the line. Therefore, even though wheatens aren’t inherently aggressive, socialization and training still play an important role.
Do Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Bark?
Soft coated wheaten terriers aren’t excessive barkers by default. These dogs typically bark to alert, such as announcing visitors, strangers approaching the yard, or unfamiliar animals in their territory. While these make the soft coated wheaten terrier a fairly good watchdog, it is worth noting that some are like most other terriers; they may be prone to excessive barking.
However, you will know if this is the case for your soft coated wheaten terrier after you get to know their personality. If you notice your soft coated wheaten terrier barking more than usual all of a sudden, it may be an early sign of health issues that require a vet’s attention.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Affectionate?
The soft coated wheaten terrier is a highly affectionate and loving dog breed that can’t get enough of cuddles, pets, and kisses. They bond deeply with every one of their family members and tend to approach everyone equally, rather than picking one particular person to make their favorite human. If they get used to it from a young age, soft coated wheaten terriers also tend to be such lap dogs.
This affectionate nature also makes them warm up to friendly strangers quickly. Although they are wary of strangers at first and may bark to announce visitors, wheatens usually warm up to strangers quickly, especially if they know how to greet dogs.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Intelligent?
The soft coated wheaten terrier has average intelligence. While they aren’t highly intelligent like work-oriented breeds like the border collie, wheatens are certainly capable of understanding social cues and have a good idea of what’s happening around them. They are receptive to their owner’s mood, so it wouldn’t be a surprise for a soft coated wheaten terrier to offer cuddles and kisses when you’re feeling down to cheer you up.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Energetic?
Wheatens are overall medium-energy dogs that benefit from daily exercise. These dogs should be exercised for about 30 minutes. Casual walks, playing fetch, and interacting with friendly dogs at the dog park are all great forms of exercise for a wheaten.
However, note that some soft coated wheaten terriers may be more energetic than the average, depending on individual temperament, so it is best to be prepared for more than 30 minutes of exercise if it happens to be the case for your wheaten.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Easy to Train?
Soft coated wheaten terriers are quite trainable dogs that are capable of learning a wide variety of commands, tricks, and skills with ease. Although we consider them to have “average” intelligence, wheatens tend to be very eager to please, which contributes to their trainability immensely.
You can get the most out of a soft coated wheaten terrier’s trainability with our online training courses. Dog Academy’s step-by-step video lessons can help you train your wheaten for a variety of purposes, from obedience and leash manners to complicated tricks and behavior modification. Plus, all our courses are much more cost-effective than hiring a professional trainer.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Good Watchdogs?
As mentioned in the barking section above, wheatens generally bark to alert, which is the number one trait you would want to have in an effective watchdog. Although these dogs may bark at unfamiliar animals whenever they spot them, we can still say that soft coated wheaten terriers are generally good watchdogs.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Good Service Dogs?
The soft coated wheaten terrier isn’t a popular breed for service dog work, mainly due to their high prey drive. Coupled with their not-so-high trainability required for service dog work, we can say that wheatens don’t make the best service dogs. Although there could be some outliers that excel in service dog training, these wheatens are very few in number compared to the breed overall.
How to Care for a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier?
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the soft coated wheaten terrier is overall a high-maintenance dog that requires an attentive owner, especially when it comes to coat care. Since we’ve already covered some of their care needs above, such as training, socialization, and exercise, here’s more on what it takes to upkeep a soft coated wheaten terrier in terms of grooming, health, and feeding.
Do You Need to Groom a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier?
The soft coated wheaten terrier is a dog that has high grooming needs. They must be brushed daily or every other day at the very least to keep a tidy appearance. The fluffy coat of this breed is highly prone to matting and tangles, so if you want to keep them cute, you will need to put in the work. Soft coated wheaten terriers also require haircuts every six to ten weeks, depending on how often you want to give this treatment to your dog.
In addition to these, soft coated wheaten terriers also have basic grooming needs like nail trimming, dental care, tick prevention, ear cleaning, paw care, and so on. You can easily attend these or have a professional groomer handle these when you take them for haircuts. Given how costly all these can be, check out our General Canine Grooming Course to learn how you can meet your soft coated wheaten terrier’s grooming needs at home.
Do Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Shed?
Soft coated wheaten terriers don’t shed much at all. In fact, these dogs are considered hypoallergenic as they don’t have an undercoat that they shed. This makes them the perfect dog for allergy sufferers, though they can still trigger allergic reactions. Keep in mind that no dog breed is truly hypoallergenic, and all dogs produce allergens.
What Health Problems Do Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Have?
Soft coated wheaten terriers are relatively healthy dogs that are prone to a handful of health issues. These include hip dysplasia, eye issues like progressive retinal atrophy, gastrointestinal issues, and food allergies. Wheatens can also be at risk of intestinal protein loss and kidney problems. Like many other dogs, wheatens are also prone to ear infections and dental disease. As mentioned above, ear cleaning and dental care must be a regular part of their grooming routine.
While some of these can be scary to hear, note that most wheatens live much of their lives without any health issues. Nonetheless, regular health check-ups at the vet and educating yourself on the early signs of these health issues will go a long way in ensuring your soft coated wheaten terrier leads a long, healthy, and happy life.
How Long Do Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Live?
The soft coated wheaten terrier has a lifespan that ranges between 12 and 14 years, though many wheatens live longer than 14 years. When getting a soft coated wheaten terrier, whether through adopting one from a shelter/rescue or buying a puppy from a breeder, be sure to research the dog’s health thoroughly to set realistic expectations about overall health and lifespan.
What Should a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Eat?
The soft coated wheaten terrier should eat a balanced diet that supports their overall lifestyle and health. Most wheatens do well on commercially available dog food, whether in the form of kibbles, subscription-based fresh food, or wet food. They can also do well on a homemade diet, but this must be formulated by an animal nutritionist or a qualified veterinarian. If you’re clueless about what to feed your wheaten, consult your vet to find the best diet possible.
Is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier the Right Dog for Me?
The soft coated wheaten terrier is an affectionate dog that makes an ideal dog for many individuals, couples, and families, especially those who suffer from pet allergies. If you have the time and availability to look after a fairly high-maintenance dog, the soft coated wheaten terrier can be an excellent pick. Provide the right setting for these dogs and meet their care needs on a daily basis, and you will have a loyal, loving dog like no other.