Are Wheaten Terriers good dogs?
What is the temperament of a Wheaten Terrier like? Wheaten Terriers have a spirited and affectionate nature. They are known for their friendly and outgoing personalities, making them excellent family companions. They are notorious for jumping vigorously and twirling when happy or excited: the “Wheaten greeting. Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers are great playmates for older children and do well with other dogs.They are exceptionally affectionate and usually well-behaved with children and other dogs when supervised, trained, and socialized from puppyhood. They are active dogs that, according to the breed club, stay energetic their entire life. Wheaten Terriers benefit from exercise and mental stimulation, as all breeds do.The Terrier in the Wheaten is energetic, and although they enjoy walks, they prefer to be off the leash running around with other dogs. Terriers are lively and they are always looking for something to do. They need mental stimulation and become bored and destructive if they’re neglected.Wheaten Terriers love to play, cuddle, and sleep, but running is also fun. Do you have the time and patience to dedicate hours to training your dog? Wheaten Terriers are quite well known to be slow to train.The Wheaten Cairn Terrier can make a delightful pet in the right home. While this pup is adaptable, they don’t tolerate being left alone well. That makes them vulnerable to separation anxiety and other behavioral issues. This pooch needs companionship and regular interaction.
Are Wheaten terriers difficult to train?
The Wheaten temperament can make them a challenge to train. They’re typically smart dogs with their own agendas in life, which seldom includes what you want them to do. If they get away with too much for too long, you’ll find yourself with an unruly and difficult adult Wheaten –not a good companion for any family. Health Issues Common to Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Breed-specific health problems include protein-losing nephropathy (PLN) and protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), as well as Addison’s Disease, a disorder of the adrenal glands.Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers are known for their cuddly nature. They love to be close to their owners and will often seek out physical affection. Whether it’s snuggling up on the couch or curling up in bed with you, these dogs are happiest when they are in close proximity to their loved ones.The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is keenly smart and willful, and often has his own agenda. This makes them challenging to train. It also provides another reason why obedience training should start early, before bad habits become ingrained. A Wheaten needs consistent, firm discipline but is sensitive to harsh treatment.They are liable to kill such animals because of their heritage of ridding vermin on farms. Wheaten terriers make excellent watchdogs but poor guard dogs because everyone is their friend. Wheatens can bark excessively if not properly trained. They also will pull on the leash.Wheaten terriers are not a common breed; they are listed as a vulnerable breed by the Kennel Club, UK with fewer than 300 registered dogs per year; in the USA they have only come close to cracking the top 50 most popular breeds (see Figure 1).
How big does a Wheaten terrier mix get?
Soft-coated wheaten terriers are medium-sized dogs weighing 35 to 40 pounds (16 to 18 kilograms) for males and 30 to 35 pounds (13 to 16 kilograms) for females. A male wheaten terrier is 18 to 19 inches at the shoulder; females are slightly smaller at 17 to 18 inches tall. Wheaten terriers are not a common breed; they are listed as a vulnerable breed by the Kennel Club, UK with fewer than 300 registered dogs per year. Wheatens are intelligent, have a good sense of humour, and are tolerant with a good nature.Wheaten terriers are typically smart dogs, though willful, and often have their own agenda. This can make them a challenge to train, though can also make training fun. This also makes those successes in dog sports that much more special.None more so than the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier. To avoid heartache later, conscientious breeders will proactively insist on prospective owners making themselves fully familiar with this high maintenance, big personality breed, it’s various developmental stages and wide type diversity.When selecting what to feed your Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, choose a diet with high-quality animal-based protein sources, such as beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, duck, eggs, and fish.
How long do Wheaten dogs live?
You can expect a Wheaten Terrier to live around 12 to 14 years. Wheatens can NEVER, NEVER, NEVER be trusted off leash in a unfenced area.Most wheatens will bark (like an alarm) if they hear or sense something but generally speaking they are not big barkers or what some would call yappy dogs. Something that is very important and a requirement for wheatens, is having a fenced yard or a safe place to walk or take them for exercise.They are intelligent, yet headstrong. The Wheaten Terrier is in perpetual play mode and has plenty of energy to burn, and often makes a great match for a family.Most Wheatens will bark an alarm when strangers approach. They must be carefully fenced or walked on a lead since they will wander or run if not fenced.Wheatens are rarely aggressive, and never aggressive with their family. They are a bit stubborn, so training is a bit difficult, but once trained they’re pretty good (although mine still can’t drop toys, and only comes when called about half the time).
Can a Wheaten terrier be left alone?
Wheaten terriers thrive on human companionship and should not be left alone for extended periods. Barking: Most Wheatens will bark an alarm when strangers approach. They must be fenced or walked on a lead since they are known to wander and will chase squirrels, rabbits, cars, etc. They are terriers and care must be given when there are other pets in the household.Over time, your Wheaten Terrier might calm down a bit and start to trust you more, but they also might need a little extra training or even medication to help them calm down. Basically, you need to figure out what the trigger for their fear or anxiety is and then remove that trigger from their environment if possible.Wheaton are a herding breed which means the dog is more of a problem solving free thinker than other non hearing breeds. Many herding breeds nip when they want to disagree, correct or redirect their charges. When the dog is in a working capacity and trained with a specific purpose, this is a valuable trait.The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is one of the quieter breeds in the Terrier dog breed group. They’ll still bark when people enter your home, but they’re not generally yappy. They’re also super easy to train, which makes it easier to teach them not to bark even when visitors show up!