Mollie10

Wheatens = always. They don't call it a 'wheaten greetin' for nothing!

Some things you read can make terriers sound like monsters, which they certainly aren't. My Ziggy is a total cuddle bug. He'd sleep on the bed all day if I let him and on your lap all evening. He's always anxious to please. Anouk is the sweetest girl in the whole world. Yes she is a madame and is a kleptomaniac and a thief, but she is also an endearing little character. I just think terriers can take a bit of effort, simply because they were bred to act independently of humans a lot of the time.

:D There speaks someone who's never met a wheaten litter. You had better pick yourself up and dust yourself off, it is awfully dusty rolling on the ground. At the end of the day, of course not all litter mates are going to look identical but it would still be bluntly obvious that they belong to a particular breed. What are you trying to say Sheridan? that a wheaten litter looks as though it consists of a concoction of breeds? I say not. Abigail, you spoke of coat texture. That's what I was referring to. Yes, they all look like wheatens but depending on the parents, the coats can vary within a litter. My first wheaten had one coat, his littermate another. Wheaten pups with Irish coats look completely different to wheatens with American coats. They really do almost look like different breeds. This is Miss Pink and Miss Purple from the same litter. This is the American coat This is the Irish coat [

Wheatens are low allergy - but they certainly aren't the dog for everyone. High grooming requirements, intellegent and independent. Definate terriers. They are awesome dogs and I wouldn't be without my two, but certainly not the breed for everyone. My OH always though poodles were 'poofy' until he met a standard without the typical haircut. Now he thinks they are rather impressive. That website gives weird matches - I got all these guard dogs like the Black Russian Terrier and Anatolian Shepherd dog. ETA the wheaten profile is actually really good on the match website http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/soft-coated-...errier/overview

That's a complete terrier fail. It's a wheaten fail. I'm telling ya, your wheatens are broken. Admittedly, I found a dead mouse outside a few weeks back but I don't think it was my two. Mini would have insisted on showing me and with Grumpy, I wouldn't have seen it. I scooped up the body and disposed of it before they realised it was there. Yes, they really, really are broken. Ah well I kinda like 'em this way

You have said exactly what I was going to WnJ... I am yet to meet a purebred papered JRT that I could fault temperament wise. I think they are awesome little dogs and to be honest I wouldn't hesitate getting the right one (from the right breeder) if I had children. Absolutely awesome little dogs that have a very undeserved reputation. If the two of you met my JRT you couldnt fault her temperament either, she is a great little dog...now That comment was about the people who get a cute little JRT puppy from the petshop or wherever and throw it out in the yard after the cuteness wears off and expect to find it trained when they let it in or decide to take it out, I am not bagging the breed, simply pointing out that it is a breed which needs special care and attention to keep it focused When Anouk did puppy preschool there was an old couple there with a JRT. Poor little thing - they just had no idea. Completely mismatch. Terriers are awesome but they can be stubborn little buggers...

Although the BRT isn't apparently a proper 'terrier'. I agree though, my wheatens are 20kg give or take a kilo or two. They aren't all like the JRT or the Westie. There are heaps of different terriers. After I posted I went looking at info, they are in the utility group! Confusing! I know It's the terrier you get when you don't have a terrier...

Although the BRT isn't apparently a proper 'terrier'. I agree though, my wheatens are 20kg give or take a kilo or two. They aren't all like the JRT or the Westie. There are heaps of different terriers.

I would have thought the issue would be more to do with bite thresholds than temperament. For a dog bred to kill vermin, a good startle reflex, quick reactions and a readiness to bite would have been assets. A dog that defends itself.. wonderful!!! Problems only arise when people don't respect those characteristics and expect dogs to act like stuffed toys, especially around kids that grab and pin. I have no desire to ever own a terrier but I sincerely hope that breeders don't breed out of them what makes them unique (and what their fanciers love) in the first place. What attracts me to terriers is that they think for themselves. I love that independence. I'd hate to see it bred out of them because people can't handle it. That said I have two vermin hunters AND a mouse problem at the moment. Complete terrier fail I think... Anouk will chase, but she certainly doesn't seem able to catch at the moment. Anyone want to lend me a JRT for a week???

I have bolded the spelling mistakes I can see and used strike out for grammatical errors. Remember - one thought, one sentence! It's very general. I'd like to see more specific examples of both types and the jobs they were bred to do. For example the wheaten was also used for herding and as a general, all purpose farm dog - I'd go into detail of a couple of different types of terriers and gun dogs and outline individual history and development. That way you can better show contrast. ETA - you also want to include your references ie, breed standards etc.

Of course not all terrier breeds are like that, nor are all individuals within breeds going to fit that profile. But gee quite a few do!! I think the biggest issue with the smaller terriers is created by people who buy them on looks and have no idea of their breed origin or what they are getting. A terrier in the right hands is a great dog. In the wrong hands.. not so great. They share that with other breeds who find themselves in homes unsuitable for them. If you remember the original job each Terrier was bred to do, you do both yourself and the dog a favour. I have to agree. Breeds like the JRT and Westie are perceived as 'small' so that must equate to low maintenance. So not true. It is really sad, and leads to far too many dogs being abandoned as people just don't think that a dog bred to chase rats all day isn't really going to be happy in my suburban back yard with nothing to do...

This is so Anouk! She'll steal something and then do the mad dash. If you don't notice it, she comes up to you, just out of your reach and either drops it and picks it up again really quickly to show you she's got something or else crunches REALLY hard.

So the neighbours know more than hundreds of people who breed, own and interact with dogs on a daily basis? I don't think they'd be my friends anymore. I'd suggest to your neighbours that they should find some new friends.

That's just erm 'rubbish' (my original word was far ruder). Should blind people be euthanised? Tell your neighbours they should check out Myron and his owner Rachelle Wood http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=1863...amp;topic=10302 Myron had his eyes removed at 5 months due to glaucoma, but I dare ANYONE to say he isn't the happiest looking dog in the world!

I have soft coated wheaten terriers which are generally considered less terrier-y than other terriers (or terrors, or terrorists depending on my mood). I also have an OH who said "I don't like terriers" which to me was a stupid statement. I soon changed his mind. Wheatens are definately terriers. They can be stubborn, which is the main terrier trait I think. Because of being vermin hunters, they were bred to act on impulse (see mouse, chase mouse, kill mouse), rather than the shepherd dogs which were bred to take instruction. As such terriers are intellegent and independent. If you want your terrier to pay attention to you, you have to be far more interesting than anything else that is going on. They don't do well in a traditional obedience setting, as they get really bored with endless repetitions. While wheatens can do really well in obedience and agility, you need a trainer who understands the terrier need to mix things up a bit. They are the canine equivalent of the smart kid in class who acts out because s/he is bored! Terriers are full of enthusiasm, are playful and full of love. Mine both love their cuddles and hugs and are really, really friendly. There are no strangers to them, only friends they haven't met yet.

Thank you. This little guy was so cute. Kind of reminded me of a brown wheaten.

While I was in Sweden recently I met one of these and he was sooooo gorgeous ( I hijacked the poor woman walking her dog and interrogated her) They don't seem to be a recognised breed in Australia. does anyone know anything about them. Wikipedia has this to say http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirehaired_Pointing_Griffon Thanks Mollie

I need a sign like that for my two "Hi we're soft coated wheaten terriers - google us!"

Soooo cute. I want a puppy now

Lagottos are beautiful dogs. I've often said if I'd discovered them before the wheaten had stolen my heart, I may have thought twice about my breed of choice! Wheatens are considered a low allergy dog, and I know it is the case with me. They are a great dog, although they may be a little too boisterous for young children (they do like to jump!) My two have always been quite good around the children we know, but I'm a little hesitant in recommending them to someone with a young family. Your friend should be aware that most low allergy dogs are low shedding which means they will need to be groomed regularly (at least a couple of times a week). Before getting any breed, make sure the allergic people spend some quality time with the breed. Bury the face in the fur, have the dog lick the face etc.

I have always adored dogs, but being allergic, I was never able to have one. When I was 14, we moved interstate and I was homesick and heartbroken. As compensation, my parents said I could get a puppy. We'd heard that poodles were concerned low allergenic, and I'd fallen in love with a little toy poodle (he was brown, and so sweet). I ended up with a little white fluff ball who was apparently a poodle x bichon x westie x maltese from what I now know to be a backyard breeder. She was so beautiful though. I called her Lucy, and she was my light. She died a few years after I'd moved out of home and I was devastated. Didn't want another dog, EVER! My OH and I decided after having two rental properties sold out from under us that we were going to buy a place and that we wanted a dog. I spent heaps of time on the internet researching. He'd had GSDs his whole life and wanted a bigger dog, but I was so allergic to them it wasn't a possibility, plus my heart belongs to scruffy dogs. I found this gorgeous looking breed called the wheaten terrier. It was considered low allergenic, it was medium size, it had a personality description I liked the sound of... I arranged to meet a breeder whilst interstate and came away from that meeting completely in love and with some names and email addresses. I emailed our breeder and she replied saying that she was waiting for a litter to be born at that very moment. Serendipity. As she was in NZ, I didn't get to meet my puppy but she sent lots of photos. I knew it was going to be either Miss Pink or Miss Purple. Finally I knew that Miss Pink was going to be our Anouk This is the litter at 7 days Miss Pink at about 3 weeks Miss Pink at six weeks Anouk finally! At about 8 weeks Because she was flying from New Zealand, we had to wait until she was about 12 weeks to fly her over (for her own wellbeing). She arrived on 15 December at 11 and a half weeks. I went down to the airport and opened the crate to this bigger than I'd expected puppy with a little black face. She was sooo soft to touch and she hid at the back of her crate and didn't want to come out. On the way home I sat in the back with her and she fell asleep on my knee. She's the naughtiest dog in the whole world, but I love her more than words can say. I'll have to do Ziggy's story in a separate posting!

True, very, very true Also true Damn, maybe I can get a refund! Maybe I can send them to you for fixing?

Now I have Mr. Squiggle in my head going "Upside Down, Upside Down"! Did I just date myself?

Wheatens, despite being an Irish breed, don't like the rain (well mine don't!) They aren't labradoodles, or schnoodles or any other Oodle. They have a definate sense of humour and love to make you laugh. This includes putting their cold nose or wet beard on bare skin when you aren't paying them enough attention. They jump up when meeting you because they want to kiss your face to say hello. Ignoring them makes them think you haven't seen them, so they will double their efforts. If you bend down and say hello to them properly, they'll stop harrassing you. They are the best breed in the whole world ;) Mollie

You should check out the wikipedia entry on the Moscow Water Dog. Always makes me laugh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Water_Dog