Terrier Medium size 16-20 kg

Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

A friendly, bouncy soft-coated terrier - more sociable than many terriers, but the profuse coat needs frequent grooming and it dislikes being alone.

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Find out how this breed matches your household

Quick overview

Medium
Size
16-20 kg, 43-48 cm
High
Activity
High stamina; needs a long daily walk plus play
Low
Alone-time tolerance
Pack-minded; dislikes long hours alone
Moderate
Trainability
Willing but bouncy; keep training upbeat
High
Coat care
Profuse soft coat; frequent brushing and regular trims
Good
Fit with kids
Good with kids given supervision
Moderate
Other pets
Generally okay with careful introductions
Moderate
Health burden
Protein-losing kidney and gut disease, allergies

The Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier typically weighs 16-20 kg, stands 43-48 cm, and lives 12-15 years.

Consider this breed if…

you want a friendly, sociable terrier that gets on with people and dogs,
you can commit to frequent brushing and regular professional grooming,
someone is home much of the day, or the dog is not left long,
you can give a daily walk plus play to a bouncy, energetic dog.

Do not consider this breed if…

you cannot keep up with a high-maintenance coat that mats easily,
the dog would routinely be alone for a full workday,
you want a calm, low-energy lap dog,
you cannot budget for monitoring the breed's kidney and gut risks.

A typical day with a Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

  1. 6:30 · Morning
    Brisk 45-60 min walk with sniffing and play
  2. 9:00 · Midmorning
    Rest at home; happiest near its people
  3. 12:30 · Noon
    Short walk or a game in a secure yard
  4. 16:00 · Afternoon
    Training or a quick brush-through, kept upbeat
  5. 18:30 · Evening
    Longer walk or play, then relaxed family time
  6. 21:00 · Night
    Settles happily close to the family

Temperament and training

Trainability Moderate
Friendliness Very high
Playfulness / bounce Very high
Prey drive Moderate
Attachment to people High
Guarding tendency Low
Common owner mistakes
Letting the soft coat mat by skipping frequent brushing · Ignoring early signs of the breed's protein-losing diseases · Leaving a people-focused terrier alone too long

Family and environment

Kids Good
Playful and friendly; supervise bouncy greetings with toddlers.
Dogs Good
More dog-social than many terriers.
Cats Conditional
Often fine when raised together; may chase unfamiliar cats.
Apartment Conditional
Adaptable with daily exercise and company.
House with a yard Suitable
A secure yard suits an active, playful terrier.
City Manages
Adapts well with regular walks and play.
Countryside Ideal
Room to walk and explore suits its energy.
Health data provided by RealVetCost
Overall health burden Moderate

Detailed health data - inheritance, prevalence, course, and typical treatment costs - lives in a separate expert database. This is general guidance, not veterinary advice - confirm any decision with your vet.

View the full health profile
Top health concerns
Protein-Losing Nephropathy (PLN) Breed-associated kidney disease; periodic screening helps
Protein-Losing Enteropathy (PLE) Breed-associated gut disorder; watch for GI signs and weight loss
Allergies & Skin Issues Environmental and food triggers are common
Renal Dysplasia Inherited kidney malformation reported in the breed

Similar breeds - by reason

Not visually similar - similar in what they mean for you.

Related Irish terrier with a low-shedding coat
Kerry Blue Terrier
A versatile, clever Irish terrier that stays devoted to its people - the trade-off is a high-maintenance coat needing regular clipping and terrier-typical dog aggression.
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Another friendly Irish terrier
Irish Terrier
A bold, fiery red terrier devoted to its people - courageous and hardy, but dog-reactive and driven, needing firm training and outlets.
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Larger sociable terrier with similar grooming needs
Airedale Terrier
The clever, bold king of terriers suits an active owner, but its prey drive and stubborn streak are not beginner material.
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Frequently asked questions

How much does a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier cost?
In the US, expect roughly $1,500-$2,500 from a reputable health-testing breeder, sometimes more for show lines. The purchase price is only the start: this coat needs professional grooming every few weeks, and the breed's kidney and gut risks make budgeting for monitoring and possible treatment wise, so realistic lifetime costs run into many thousands of dollars.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers high-maintenance to groom?
Yes. The single soft, wavy coat does not shed much but mats readily, so it needs brushing several times a week and a professional trim every four to eight weeks. Skipping grooming quickly leads to painful mats. It is a lower-shedding coat, but a genuinely high-effort one.
What health problems are Wheaten Terriers prone to?
The breed is associated with two serious protein-losing conditions, protein-losing nephropathy (a kidney disease) and protein-losing enteropathy (a gut disorder), as well as renal dysplasia and allergies. These are not guaranteed, but they are why buying from health-focused lines and monitoring kidney and digestive health over the dog's life matters.
Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers good family dogs?
Yes. They are among the friendliest terriers, generally good with children and other dogs, and less scrappy than many in the group. Their main demands are frequent grooming, plenty of daily exercise for a bouncy dog, and company, since they dislike being left alone all day.