Description: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a compact dog with a square shape. It has a moderately long head that appears rectangular when seen, but in proportion to the body. The muzzle is short and has a large black nose. The lips are black and the teeth meet in a scissor bite. With almond shaped eyes that are large and these are reddish brown to a lighter brown color. The ears are V-shaped and fold forward and end at eye level with the skull. The neck is of medium length and thickens towards the body. The front legs are straight with compact feet that are round in shape. The tail is set high and docked, in countries that allow docking, but can be left natural. The coat is single thickness and has shades of wheat, this is wavy. One note here is that the puppies are born black and the final color will set in at the age of two. The dog’s height is 18-20 inches with the bitch 17-19 inches. The weight of the dog is 35 to 45 pounds and the female dogs 30 to 40 pounds. Life expectancy is 12-15 years.

History: The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier came from Ireland and is believed to be one of the oldest Irish dogs. This dog was bred to be an all-purpose farm dog that can herd, be a rat, guard dog, and livestock guard dog. This means that they are not as aggressive as many members of the Terrier family who were bred only for shaving. Despite the fact that this dog has been around for so long, and probably due to its working roots, it was only recognized in 1937 by the Irish Kennel Club. In 1973, the AKC recognized the breed. This breed is related to the Kerry Blue and the Irish Terrier. They have had a history of being the poor man’s working dog and thus have lost their early fame.