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Breed profile

Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

A bouncy Irish farm terrier with a silky, low-shedding coat and a habit of leaping up to greet everyone.

Pale Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier lying on a brick patio in a garden
A pale Wheaten relaxing on the patio.Photo: SusanSmithGSU / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Weight
14–20 kg31–44 lb
Height
43–50 cm17–20 in
Lifespan
12–14 yrs
Group
Terrier
Origin
Ireland
Popularity
#76 US#110 UK · 2025

Known for: Low sheddingFamily dogs

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Exuberant, Friendly, Headstrong, Affectionate.

Health problems to know about

  • Protein-losing nephropathy
  • Protein-losing enteropathy
  • Addison's disease
  • Renal dysplasia

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Brush right down to the skin several times a week to stop mats, with a trim every 6 to 8 weeks. An hour of exercise and patient, reward-based training.

A good fit for

Families, people home a lot, owners who don't mind regular grooming.

Probably not ideal for

Hot climates (they overheat easily), owners who want minimal grooming, homes with cats unless raised together.

Sources

  1. American Kennel Club: Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
  2. PetMD (vet-reviewed): Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
  3. Wikipedia: Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

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