Some dog writers have suggested that the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a terrier with the rough edges gone. Wheatens can be a little quieter than other terriers, perhaps a bit less scrappy, and a little less driven to conquer the world. They are, however, said to be just stubborn enough not to let anyone forget they are a terrier.  

What this Irish farm dog does exceptionally well is bounce. They adore their people so much that there’s even a name for the way they greet new friends: It’s called the “Wheaten Greeting,” and we found an example of it on You Tube as demonstrated by a pair of naked Wheatens:

Quite the bounce! Perhaps embedded in the exuberant breed’s DNA is the freedom his ancestors knew in Ireland.  Back in the day, terriers there enjoyed a great deal of freedom as they lived largely free of fences, and could wander wherever they liked, “date” whomever they liked, and hunt whatever they could to supplement their menus. Later, how terriers developed in Ireland was hugely impacted by English mandates disallowing any dog over 19 inches tall at the shoulder to be owned by Irish peasantry, nor for peasants to own any dog  valued at more than five pounds. These were perhaps a couple of reasons the breed was sometimes known as the Poor Man’s Wolfhound.

Image: Wheaten Terrier by Louise Tate of LouTateIllustration
https://louise-tate.com/
https://louise-tate.com/collections/alphabet-art