The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is full of energy, loves people, and makes a great family pet. Here are some interesting facts about this lovable breed.
1. They are native to Ireland.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is one of four terrier breeds that are native to Ireland. According to legend, when the Spanish Armada sunk off the coast of Ireland, the blue dogs on the ships swam ashore and were welcomed by wheaten-colored terriers. Breeding between these dogs supposedly produced the Kerry Blue Terrier.
2. Wheatens were once reserved for peasants.
Irish peasants owned Wheatens because they were not permitted to own hounds, Beagles, Greyhounds, or spaniels. A 17th-century law reserved those breeds for the gentry, part of the upper class.
3. Wheatens performed every farm job.
Because they couldn’t own the aforementioned dogs, farmers used Wheatens to perform pretty much every job on their property. Wheatens herded livestock, hunted vermin, guarded the property and family, and worked as gun dogs.
To this day, Wheatens have retained their versatility. They often compete in Agility, Tracking, and Herding competitions.
4. They are born in a variety of colors.
The Wheaten’s signature pale beige coat does not come in until they reach adulthood. In fact, Wheaten puppies are born different colors, and puppies under a year may carry deeper coloring and occasional black tipping.
5. One Wheaten is a diving champion.
A Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier named Krista came within an inch of being in the top 10 in the 2016 national diving dog championship. Krista jumped 10 feet 2 inches into the water. Her performance was impressive, considering she was competing against retrievers bred to dive and swim and other breeds much bigger than her. In the preliminary events before the championship finals, Krista earned one first-place and two third-place ribbons.
6. They appeared in Victorian art.
Some Wheatens found their way into artwork. An example is the 19th-century work “The Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child” by Frederic William Burton. This painting portrayed tragic aspects of Irish peasant life in a romanticized manner.