History
There is not much documentation about the breed from centuries back, but it has probably existed in ireland for a very long time. The breed was used as a kind of right hand and was regarded as clever and easily trained. In those days the dogs also had to be able to work, and they were used for hunting and fighting vermins. It was a suitable pet dog for the whole family and it thereby established its position as a breed.

To Sweden
The breed did not come to Sweden until in 1965, but has even since then gained ground. Today the breed is very popular, a fact that has both advantages and disadvantages. In 1990, 322 puppies where registered, and in 1998, 689 pups were registered.
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Breeding
The wheaten is a very attractive dog, 44-48 cm high and weighs 14-118 kilos. If you bathe the dog you see that it has a real terrier body under the coat. It is a hardy and generally a healthy dog. The diseases the breed may suffer from is PNP, (20 known case in Sweden)which affects the kineys and is incurable. Approximately one dog a year is stricken by PNP. PLE/PLN 4 known case in Sweden, common in USA. Hip problems exist but is not any major problem, and most of the dogs kept for breeding have been x-rayed and do not have disfunctional hips.
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The coat
The wheaten colourde coat thet is one of the breed´s characteristics is not always that easy to groom. The wheaten terrier does not shed its hair, but must be cut and a dog with the american type of coate needs to be cut every three months to keep the coat in perfect condition. During the time the dog is growing up it changes its puppet coat, and since it does not shed, the coat will inevitably become tangled unless you comb it very carefully. The fully grown dog´s coat needs to be carefully checked on every week and at special occasions and wheather.
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Mentality
The mentality and temper can vary, even within the same litter. But a good wheaten is very much a real dog and a most pleasant breed it is perfect for the sporty family and my wheatens go well together with cats, horses and other animals. At my walks, I often bump into deers and other game but my dogs are usually stopable if I see them turning their noses down to the ground. If I don´t manage to call them they may take a walk on their own, but they usually come back to me quite soon. I´m sure though that they, like most other breeds, stil have some hunting instinct.
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