Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers :)

[SonshineLearner]

Hey Everyone :)

 

I'm wondering how many of you have soft coated wheaten terriers. Surely there's not just the one... :) I am really wanting one, if I get another dog. I'd love to hear your stories... how much you train, and go ahead and make me a realist if you hated yours :(

[dhudson]

My soft coated wheaten is snuggling with me right now. She is very active and has needed some training but she is the best kid dog we have ever had. She is patient and loving and is very much a people dog. She does not like being alone and wants to be with us all the time.

 

She is a little hyperactive when visitors come in but as soon as she greets everyone she calms right down.

 

She doesn't shed and is great for my dog allergic kids.

 

I love my little soft coated wheaten.

[mktkcb]

I have a good friend with one, and they love her to death. She's got lots of energy, but she's been great with their kids. They probably could have trained her more than they did LOL, but overall she's a great doggy. I walk with this friend & dog 3x a week. She's a sweetie & she loooves me in particular. Gets all hyper when I come, and runs up & sits right by me and leans her head on my leg. Anyway, she's very friendly in general, and has been a good dog for them. They got her from a reputable breeder, btw, and have bred her once.

[RoughCollie]

On another forum, we were talking about the Dog Shaming site. We posted what our dog's sign of shame would say. Aidan needs his own website.

 

Aidan would be plastered with signs (and I shortened this list):

 

* If I'm in the bathroom with a guy, we pee together. Male bonding ritual.

* I hide one of each pair of shoes I find.

* I unzip all backpacks and hide the portable contents around the house.

* I tear apart rush seats, and I'm looking forward to working my magic on wicker someday.

* I sleep in my dad's closet and chew the tassels off his loafers.

* I escape from every harness I've ever worn. I have a big collection of worthless harnesses.

* I unlatch my dog crate from the outside -- both latches. Still working on doing that while I'm in the crate.

* I broke the zippers on a brand new soft crate that I had owned for only an hour. Like the harnesses, it was supposed to restrain me in the car.

* I grabbed a roll of bubble wrap 2' in diameter and unrolled it all while still running at top speed through my dad's bookstore.

* I can unlock the locked kitchen trash can.

* I mangle the high heels of all of the sandals my girl buys to wear with ball gowns. I ignore her other shoes.

* I steal open plastic drink bottles from the kids and run through the house with them. Sometimes I don't spill the contents.

* I remove library books from the book bag and chew on their corners, but only when my mom is about to leave for the library.

* I broke my nylon tunnel when I was moving it around the yard, sort of by accident.

* If I get wet, I dry myself off on all the furniture while being chased by towel-wielding people.

* If I can get into the shower with someone, I will. I can shred an entire bath mat in 15 seconds.

* I bark and howl at cats and groundhogs long after I've scared them away. Then I do it again as a preventative measure.

* I wake up my mom when she is taking a nap and at 6 a.m. just because I can, and then I go back to sleep on her pillow.

* I bury bully sticks and meat under my dad's pillow.

* I like to open boxes that come in the mail for my mom. After I take out the contents, I tear up the boxes.

* I eat the kids' homework. The teachers never believe them.

* I ask to go out, and when we step onto the porch, I roll over on my back and wiggle around and refuse to get up.

* I claw at the bottom of the washing machine because I am sure there is a mouse under there.

* I ate 2 lbs. of raw steak after removing it from the packages, in less than 2 minutes, while the boys were unloading groceries.

* I hate peanut butter, but I ate a dozen peanut butter cookies that were cooling on a rack.

* I like to toss the all cushions off of couches and chairs so the living room becomes a bouncy house.

* I love to be in the yard to cheer the boys on while they mow the lawn.

* If you are a dust pan, I will eat you.

* I provide the comedy hour in every dog class I've ever attended. They should pay me.

* I like to empty file folders.

* I can remove all of the bedding from a king-sized bed in 2 minutes or less -- including blankets, sheets, and comforters.

* I knocked a lady friend flat on her back when I ran between her legs in her own big, empty back yard. Her feet weren't far enough apart.

* I can walk or run or jump around the living room without my feet ever touching the floor.

Edited October 6, 2012 by RoughCollie

[mktkcb]

oh..and she always gets comments from people when we walk cuz she's so cute ;o)

[SonshineLearner]

Oh my gosh RoughCollie :) Crazy little pup!! I crate my dogs, so... well... hopefully some of that wouldn't happen :) I'm training my dog (again) at the trainers... and think I'll do agility after that. He's seriously a good dog, but refreshers are good for both of us. I found a woman here who shows them and is good... although I'd have to find her name. We've had our Brownie dog (who happens to be black :)) for 5 years, but if I'm gonna get another dog, I'm thinking in the next 2 years would be good. I don't know if Brownie would accept a pup; we'll have to see how he is. I know the dog would be around $1800 and I want a female... so... (for more than one reason, but one of them is I hope for the smaller side of the wheatens :)) Thanks for all the funnies... Do I want a baby again?? ;) One thing fun is I've never had a puppy before... I was the one with all the strays.... And Brownie we adopted while full grown :) More stories are welcomed!! :)

(By the way, the other dog I thought of was a Laggoto... :)

[RoughCollie]

Aidan has been to many dog obedience classes. He is always the class clown. He amazes people by how many commands he knows. He is easy to train. He is also easily distracted, and once that happens, all hope of obedience is lost. He really thrives on making a roomful of people laugh at his antics. Part of the problem is that we live in the country, where it is quiet (except for mooing, crowing, and birds chirping). When we venture out into civilization, he is excited by all the activity.

 

He has a high prey drive. His nose is always on the ground.

 

He loves toys, and does not destroy them. He especially loves toys that make noise (squeaking, talking, singing). He loves water, dogs, and people. He is extremely playful and he has a great sense of humor.

 

I have read in many places that Wheatens are the least terrier-like of all terriers. This is a lie. I think Aidan is 3x more terrier-like than most, because he is 3x the size. It is definitely easier to handle a smaller dog, IMO.

 

He doesn't shed, but he has to be thoroughly combed at least four times a week. Anything that gets on his hair stays there until I remove it -- burrs, little balls of snow, mud, leaves. He doesn't towel dry. I have to use a blow dryer on a low setting, which takes forever.

 

He doesn't like hot weather, unless he is out in his wading pool.

 

He is 100% cooperative when I bathe, groom, or dress him. He has a thick wool sweater and a waterproof winter coat. He also has boots, but I haven't put them on him yet. These are necessary to keep his feet dry, free of a million little snowballs, and free of mud.

 

He comes running to tell me every time someone enters or leaves the house.

 

He loves to look out the windows. If something is happening outside, I tell him to look out the [dining room, living room, pantry] window, and he goes right to that room and looks out.

 

Read about the Wheaten Greetin'. So far, I have not been able to train Aidan out of that.

 

He sleeps in our closet at night (his choice). When he is ready to go to bed, he bugs me until I go up there.

 

All items that are important are put away out of Aidan's reach. I failed to do that once with a $500 pair of glasses -- luckily, they were replaced under warranty. With Aidan, better safe than sorry.

 

He puts his head in my lap when he wants me to do something. I follow him to find out what it is. He either needs to go out, to play, or he wants me to sit on the couch so he can lie down next to me or on me. Sometimes he just whacks me with a toy when he wants to play.

 

He has a following of teenage boys who come over to play with him. When DD breaks up with a boyfriend, they usually ask me if they can still come over to play with the dog.

 

He loves to ride in the front seat of pickup trucks. He loves to watch tractors, other farm equipment, and motorcycles. He recognizes the engine sounds of our cars and those of anyone who has been here more than once -- a good 2 minutes before we ever see the car. We know someone we know is nearly here because he goes nuts hopping up and down at the window.

 

He will open packages, including presents under the Christmas tree. I wrap all of his so he can have fun unwrapping them. When he's done (it takes him 2 minutes to unwrap about 10 gifts), he helps the rest of us.

 

He can leave a lake of water in the kitchen simply because it drips off his beard. I used to have an unfolded beach towel under his dishes. Now I just mop up after him because I like his beard.

 

He is a great dog, but he is high maintenance in every way. I've gotten real used to him, so I can predict and prevent him from getting into trouble.

 

He is a velcro dog. He is always with me. I trained him to wait for me outside the closed bathroom door, though. Otherwise, he will jump into the shower with me or find things to get into that while I am occupied.

 

My kids wish we'd gotten a Wheaten when they were little. He does have personality plus and is full of enthusiasm for everything.

Edited October 6, 2012 by RoughCollie

[RoughCollie]

Oh my gosh RoughCollie :) Crazy little pup!! I crate my dogs, so... well... hopefully some of that wouldn't happen :) I'm training my dog (again) at the trainers... and think I'll do agility after that.

 

Aidan used to be crated. Now we keep his toys in there. I crate him when necessary. He is not a nonstop mischievous dog -- his great ideas just add up over time. Most of the time, careless family members are the root cause.

 

When he was a puppy and I had to go somewhere, the kids would let him out of the crate and then fail to supervise him. Now he is perfectly safe to leave alone for a few hours. He needs to be around people, and he gets most of his attention from me. My kids pay attention to him, but not as much as he and I would like.

 

Aidan would make a wonderful agility dog, but our club doesn't have a big enough place to set up the training equipment right now.

 

Many people think he would be a great therapy dog, but he is too exuberant.

 

When we got Aidan, I was used to collies, and hadn't had a terrier for 30 years. He is the exact opposite of the collie we used to have, and of all the many collies I know. It took me 5 months to get accustomed to both having a terrier and having a puppy. He's actually a great dog; I adore him. We have the same sense of humor.

Edited October 6, 2012 by RoughCollie

[SonshineLearner]

 

When we got Aidan, I was used to collies, and hadn't had a terrier for 30 years. He is the exact opposite of the collie we used to have, and of all the many collies I know. It took me 5 months to get accustomed to both having a terrier and having a puppy. He's actually a great dog; I adore him. We have the same sense of humor.

 

I've been jealous every since I saw Aidan :) I have wanted a Wheaten for about 5 years since I met one at our Farmer's Market. I also studied about Lagottos but they are new, more expensive, and harder to make sure you get one bred well. They are also suppose to be hypoallergenic and not shedders :)

 

Anyway, I am hoping for one just like the one I met :) (Course, it was already trained and well behaved :)) I'm thinking that if I train it well, I'll have another pup to take around with me all over... like I do my dog now. My kids really won't help with dogs at all. (Although they thought it was fun to have a dog before we got one...) So, this is all for me. :)

[gingersmom]

My neighbors have one that is complete opposite of Rough Collies. They liked her so much they rescued one someone was giving up. It's not as bad as Rough Collies but it had its many moments. This couple has no kids so these are there furry kids. They are great with my dog and kids.

[Cassy]

We don't have one, we have a darling Labradoodle, but one of our neighbours does have a soft coated wheaten terrier called Murphy, who is the most wonderful dog. Despite having their own dog our children adore Murphy and, despite not being that used to children, he adores playing with them. He's very intelligent and a real character; our neighbour says it's important to be quite strict in training as their intelligence can cause them to try to get one over you. Actually, I'd love to kidnap Murphy :D. We're definitely getting a wheaten terrier next time :001_smile:.

 

ETA: Rough Collie, thank you for recounting the tales of Aidan, that's really cheered up my afternoon. What a thoroughly naughty doggy! I love him :001_wub:.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Cassy

[hmvaughan4]

If the mischievousness is a breed trait, I think we've found our dog! They sound like they'd get along great with my boys! :)

[SonshineLearner]

If the mischievousness is a breed trait, I think we've found our dog! They sound like they'd get along great with my boys! :)

 

I do know that with young children you do have to be vigilant to train them. Like find a great trainer before you get them and start with puppy classes and go from there. They are a dog that needs worked from everything I've heard. Our trainer has German Shepherds and has a few puppies a year.... and does all types of training. :) I wouldn't go to say... Petco. There are many turned back in because of not training and then they get seriously out of control. All of that is just what I've read though. Like I said... the one I met was incredible :)

[RoughCollie]

My neighbors have one that is complete opposite of Rough Collies.

 

When we went to look at puppies, I made it clear that I wanted one who was in the submissive range. Not assertive. Basically, I wanted the least willful, stubborn Wheaten in the bunch. This was supposed to be an information gathering mission only.

 

Well, it took the kids 2 minutes to choose and name Aidan. They were insistent that he was The One.

 

I was busy checking out the parents, talking to the breeder, looking at their proofs of genetic and other testing and so forth. I didn't care which puppy we got (other than the not assertive part).

 

We took the kids out to lunch and discussed this matter and I was the lone holdout for an adult collie. The kids, particularly, did not want a collie because they thought it would be like replacing Teddy, our collie who died from cancer. I wanted a tricolor collie. DH only wanted a collie if it looked just like Ted, and I just wanted Ted back. Everyone except me insisted on a puppy. So we were at an impasse, and I let myself be talked into getting Aidan. I had to have a dog because losing Ted was like losing my right arm; I could not function properly without a dog. When I agreed to get Aidan, that was the Supreme Wimpy Moment of my life. Now, of course, I can't function without him, so it wasn't a mistake, just an example of my Great Wimpiness when my family wants something and I know I will be 100% responsible for all the work involved.

 

We went to Walmart and bought some supplies. Then I talked to the breeders and examined Aidan (who was sleepy and friendly -- rather passive). We bought him home, and he woke up. Let the fun begin! Within a week, I was suffering from sleep deprivation which reminded me of when the kids were babies. Aidan only weighed 7.5 lbs. and he was very cute, so at least he was portable and easy on the eyes! I had a new appreciation for small dogs.

 

 

Much later, I asked the kids how they decided on Aidan. It was simple. They called the puppies to them, and they came. Aidan was different than the rest: He climbed on top of the other puppies to get to the kids, and he demanded that they pick him up. They chose Aidan because of all the good qualities this represented. :D They had researched Irish names the day before we went to look at (not buy) Wheatens, and for the only time in their lives, they all agreed on something.

Edited October 6, 2012 by RoughCollie

[RoughCollie]

I think this is a good article about training Wheatens: http://www.scwtca.org/train/index.htm

 

I forgot to mention that I trained Aidan with voice commands and hand signals simultaneously. He can go through his entire routine based solely on hand signals. This always impresses people, and I'll take that whenever I can get it. :-)

 

Some people at our training club seemed annoyed that I did that -- why did you train him to hand signals? , why was that necessary?

 

I did it in case Aidan ever becomes deaf. I had a wire fox terrier who lived for 19 years. She was deaf for the last couple of years.

Edited October 6, 2012 by RoughCollie

[Hockey Mom]

They had researched Irish names the day before we went to look at (not buy) Wheatens, and for the only time in their lives, they all agreed on something.

 

This made me laugh out loud. :lol: Every single time we've gone to "look at" puppies, despite there being very clear rules of NOT buying, we've come home with a puppy.

 

I would love a Wheaten. They would fit in perfectly with my dog-loving boy.

[dhudson]

I had never heard of the "wheaten Greeting" but you are exactly right, that's what my Holly does. I have trained her not to jump but otherwise, that's right on!