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MediumTerrier Group

Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is an Irish farm dog developed as a general-purpose rat-and-drover's-dog over several centuries.

Calculate Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier age
Lifespan13.7 yrrange 13–15
SizeMediumTerrier Group
Weight30–40 lb13.6–18.1 kg
Senior at7 yrgeriatric at 11

Gallery (3)

About

About the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is an Irish farm dog developed as a general-purpose rat-and-drover's-dog over several centuries. The single-coat silky wheaten texture distinguishes it from other Irish terriers; AKC recognition dates to 1973.

Aging

How Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 13.7 years (n=793). Protein-losing enteropathy and protein-losing nephropathy (PLE/PLN) are the defining breed-specific late-life concerns — linked inherited renal-gut syndrome — with renal dysplasia secondary.

Lifespan deep-divePublished breed median: 13.7 yrSenior careSenior at 7 · geriatric at 11Common health issues5 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
30–40 lb(13.6–18.1 kg)
Height
17–19 in(43.2–48.3 cm)
Coat type
Long
Colors
Wheaten
Temperament

Temperament

How Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

happysteadyself-confidentalert
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. McMillan et al. 2024Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death

    Multi-source UK companion-dog study. See the lifespan page for the matched statistic and its limitations.