Saphyr Soft Coated Wheatens

STANDARD HEADINGS

FCI         27.01.2001

25.04.2001 /EN FCI-Standard N° 40

UK – ANKC, NZCK

Last updated February 2009

USA August 10, 2009 Effective September 30, 2009

CANADA

IV-23 Jan 2005

UTILIZATION

Wheaten Terriers were always used by small farmers to kill vermin or help with the work about the farm. They were used for a long time in the difficult job of hunting badgers and otters.

General Appearance

Medium-sized, compact, upstanding terrier well covered with a soft, wheaten-coloured, natural coat that falls in loose curls or waves. An active, short-coupled dog, strong and well built; well balanced in structure and movement, not exaggerated in any way. Standing four square with head and tail up, giving the appearance of a happy dog, full of character.

.

Origin and Purpose

The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier originated in Ireland. It was an all- purpose working farm dog used for destroying vermin, hunting small animals, herding, and guarding against intruders

CLASSIFICATION

Large and medium

sized Terriers. Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY

The history of the Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier has been somewhat obscured by its closeness to the other Irish Terrier breeds. The Wheaten is probably the oldest of the four breeds. Its existence for at least 200 years can be inferred from textual references to "soft-coated" dogs. The relation of the modern Irish Terrier to the Wheaten, though less well documented, appears to have been the result of deliberate breeding experiments. So the humble Wheaten probably has a fairly mixed ancestry. Despite the long history of the Wheaten, it wasn't until 1937, that the Soft Coated Wheaten was officially recognised by the Irish Kennel Club. The breed has grown steadily in popularity since and is now well known world-wide

GENERAL APPEARANCE

A hardy, active, short coupled dog, well built, giving the idea of strength. Not too leggy nor too low to the ground.

Characteristics

A natural terrier with strong sporting instincts, hardy and of strong constitution.

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a medium-sized, hardy, well balanced sporting terrier, square in outline. He is distinguished by his soft, silky, gently waving coat of warm wheaten color and his particularly steady disposition. The breed requires moderation both in structure and presentation, and any exaggerations are to be shunned. He should present the overall appearance of an alert and happy animal, graceful, strong and well coordinated.

General Appearance

The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier is a medium-sized, hardy, well- balanced sporting terrier, covered with a soft, silky, wavy coat of clear, warm, wheaten colour. The breed requires moderation in all points and any exaggerated features are to be avoided. The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier should present a square outline with the overall appearance of a steady, happy, well-coordinated animal who is alert to his environment and carries himself with a gentle dignity and self-confidence.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT :

Spirited and game. Good tempered. Most affectionate and loyal to his owners. Most intelligent. A trusty, faithful friend, defensive without aggression.

Temperament

Good-tempered, spirited and game. Full of confidence and humour; a delightful, affectionate, intelligent companion.

Temperament: The Wheaten is a happy, steady dog and shows himself gaily with an air of self- confidence. He is alert and exhibits interest in his surroundings; exhibits less aggressiveness than is sometimes encouraged in other terriers. Major Fault - Timid or overly aggressive dogs.

Temperament

Good-tempered, spirited, and game. Affectionate and loyal. Alert and intelligent. Defensive without aggression. He does not start a fight, but should always stand his ground; exhibits less aggressiveness than is sometimes encouraged in other terriers.

HEAD :

In general powerful without being coarse. Long, in good proportion to the body. Hair same colour as on body.

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Flat and clean between ears, not too wide.

Stop : Defined.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Black and well developed.
Muzzle : Foreface not longer than skull.
Jaws : Jaws strong and punishing
Teeth : Teeth large, regular; scissor or level bite (i.e.edge to edge) neither undershot nor overshot.
Cheeks : Bones not prominent.
Eyes : Dark, dark hazel, not too large, not prominent, well placed.

Ears : Small to medium, carried in front, level with skull. Dark shading on base of ear allowed and not uncommon, accompanied by a light wheaten coloured overlay. This is the only area of the dog where under-coat is allowed. "Rose" or "flying" ears are objectionable.

Head and Skull

Flat, moderately long and profusely covered with coat which falls forward over the eyes. Skull of medium width but not coarse. Stop well defined, cheek bones not prominent. Distance from eye to nose not longer, and preferably shorter, than the distance from the eyes to occiput. Jaws strong and punishing, muzzle square with no suggestion of snipiness. Topline of muzzle absolutely straight and parallel with skull. Nose black and large for size of dog. Head in general powerful, without being coarse.

Eyes

Clear, bright dark hazel. Medium size set under strong brow. Eye rims black.

Ears

V-shaped and folded at level of skull. Forward edge drops down slightly forward to lie closely along cheek, back edge standing slightly away from side of head. Leathers thin, small to medium in size, covered with coat and fringe.

Mouth

Lips tight and black. Teeth large. Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Well balanced and in proportion to the body. Rectangular in appearance; moderately long. Powerful with no suggestion of coarseness.

Eyes dark reddish brown or brown, medium in size, slightly almond shaped and set fairly wide apart. Eye rims black. Major Fault - Anything approaching a yellow eye. Ears small to medium in size, breaking level with the skull and dropping slightly forward, the inside edge of the ear lying next to the cheek and pointing to the ground rather than to the eye. A hound ear or a high-breaking ear is not typical and should
be severely penalized. Skull flat and clean between ears. Cheekbones not prominent. Defined stop. Muzzle powerful and strong, well filled below the eyes. No suggestion of snipiness. Skull and foreface of equal length. Nose black and large for size of dog. Major Fault - Any nose color other than solid black. Lips tight and black. Teeth large, clean and white; scissors or level
bite. Major Fault - Undershot or overshot.
 

Head

Well-balanced and moderately long with skull and foreface of equal length and in good proportion to the body. The skull is flat and not too wide. Cheeks are clean; moderate stop. The muzzle is square, powerful, and strong with no suggestion of snipiness. The nose is black and large for the size of the dog. Lips are tight and black. Teeth are strong and white, meeting in a scissor or level bite with scissors preferred. The eyes are dark hazel or brown, medium sized and well protected under a strong brow. Eye rims are black. Coat should fall forward over the eyes. The ears are small to medium in size, breaking level with the skull, and dropping slightly forward, close to the cheeks, pointing to the ground rather than the eye.

NECK :

Moderately long and strong but not throaty.

Moderately long, strong, muscular and slightly arched. Without throatiness. Gradually widening toward, and running cleanly into shoulders.

Neck, Topline, Body: Neck medium in length, clean and strong, not throaty. Carried proudly, it gradually widens, blending smoothly into the body. Back strong and level.

Neck

Medium in length and set well upon the shoulders, gently sloping into the back.

BODY :

Not too long. Length from withers to base of tail approximately the same as from ground to withers.
Back : Strong and level with even top line.
Loins : Short, powerful.

Chest : Deep, ribs well sprung.

Body

Compact, with powerful short loins. Back strong and level. Ribs well sprung without roundness, providing deep chest with relatively short coupling. Length of back from point of withers to base of tail should measure about the same as, or slightly less than, from point of withers to ground.

Body compact; relatively short coupled. Chest is deep. Ribs are well sprung but without roundness.

Body

The body is compact; the chest is deep, but not round. The ribs are well sprung. The back is strong with relatively short coupling. Topline is level.

TAIL :

Well set, not too thick. Carried gaily but never over the back. The tail is docked so that two thirds of its original length remains assuming it is in proportion to the dog. An undocked tail is permitted.

Tail is set on high. Docked tail preferred. Whether docked or natural, the tail is to be carried upright 90 degrees from the back, either straight or with a slight curve forward. Any deviation from this ideal is to be penalized accordingly.
 

Tail

The tail is high set, carried gaily but not over the back. The tail is usually docked so that two-thirds of its original length remains. An undocked tail is allowed.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :
 

Shoulder : Fine, well laid back, muscular.
Foreleg : Perfectly straight viewed from any angle. Good bone and muscle.
Forefeet : Small, not spreading. Toenails preferably black but varying dark colours allowed.

Forequarters

Shoulders long, well laid back, and sloping inwards from points to withers. Not loose, fine, but muscular. Viewed from any angle, the forelegs perfectly straight. Good bone and muscle. Pasterns strong and springy. Chest moderately wide.

Forequarters: Shoulders well laid back, clean and smooth; well knit. Forelegs straight and well boned. All dewclaws should be removed. Feet are round and compact with good depth of
pad. Pads black. Nails dark.

Forequarters

The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier should have good reach in front. The shoulders should be well laid back with a clean, smooth appearance. The upper arm should be equal in length to the shoulder blade and elbows placed well under the body. The forelegs are straight when viewed from all angles and are well boned and muscled. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet are round and compact with good depth of pad. Dark nails are preferred but tortoiseshell is acceptable. Pads are black.

HINDQUARTERS :

Well developed with powerful muscle.
Thigh : Strong and muscular.
Stifle (Knee) : Bent.
Hock joint : Well let down, turned neither in nor out. Hind dewclaws should be removed.

Hind feet : Small, not spreading. Toenails preferably black but varying dark colours allowed.

Hindquarters

Thighs strong and muscular. Hindlegs well developed with powerful muscle and well bent stifles. Hocks well let down and turning neither in nor out.

Feet

Strong, and compact, turned neither in nor out. Good depth of pad. Toenails black.

Tail

Previously customarily docked.

Docked: Set on high, carried gaily but never over back. Not curled and not too thick.

Undocked: Set on high, carried gaily but never over back, not curled and not too thick. Tip may curve forward in a gentle arc. Length in overall balance with the rest of dog.

Hindquarters: Hind legs well developed with well bent stifles turning neither in nor out; hocks well let down and parallel to each other. All dewclaws should be removed. The presence of dewclaws on the hind legs should be penalized. Feet are round and compact with good depth of pad. Pads black. Nails dark.

Hindquarters

The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier requires good drive from behind, so requires well-muscled rear assembly. The legs should be well developed with powerful muscles, well-bent stifles, turning neither in nor out. The hocks are well let down and parallel when viewed from behind. Dew claws on rear legs must be removed. Dark nails are preferred but tortoiseshell is acceptable.

GAIT / MOVEMENT :

Straight action fore and aft, going and coming. Elbows tucked in. Side view : free, light co-ordinated movement.

Free, graceful and lively. Well coordinated with long, low strides. Reach in front and good drive behind; straight action fore and aft. Head and tail carried high, the backline remaining level.

Gait is free, graceful and lively with good reach in front and strong drive behind. Front and rear feet turn neither in nor out. Dogs who fail to keep their tails erect when moving should
be severely penalized

Gait

The gait is free, graceful and lively, having good reach in front and strong drive from behind, straight action fore and aft.

COAT

Hair : A single coated dog. Texture soft and silky to feel and not harsh. Young dogs excluded from this. Trimming permitted. Trimmed dogs : Coat cut close at neck, chest and skull, and left especially long over eyes and under jaw. Whiskers encouraged. Profuse feathering on legs. Body coat trimmed to follow the outline of the dog but not sculpted. Tail trimmed close and neatly tapered.

Untrimmed dogs : The coat at its longest not to exceed five inches (12,7 cm). Soft, wavy or loosely curled with the sheen of silk. Under no circumstances should the coat be "fluffed out" like a Poodle or an Old English Sheepdog. Dogs shown in this condition should be heavily penalized as they give a wrong impression of type and breed.

Special attention is drawn to puppy coat development. Pups are seldom born with the correct coat of maturity, care must be taken when assessing this point.

They go through several changes of colour and texture before developing the mature adult coat. This usually occurs between 18 months and 21⁄2 years.
Pups : Are seldom born with the correct colour or texture coat. They come reddish, greyish and sometimes clear wheaten. The masks are generally black. Sometimes there is a black streak down the centre back or black tips to the body coat. These dark markings clear away with growth.

.

Soft and silky. Neither woolly nor wiry. Loosely waved or curly, but if curly, curls large, light and loose. The coat should not stand off but flow and fall naturally. Coat abundant all over body and especially profuse on head and legs. Length of leg coat sufficient to give good balance to the length of coat on head and body. There is no seasonal change in the length or texture of the mature coat. Over-trimming or stylising should be penalised. For show purposes the coat may be tidied to present a neat outline. Coat colour and texture do not stabilize until about 24 months and should be given some latitude in young dogs.

Coat: A distinguishing characteristic of the breed which sets the dog apart from all other terriers. An abundant single coat covering the entire body, legs and head; coat on the latter falls forward to shade the eyes. Texture soft and silky with a gentle wave. In both puppies and adolescents, the mature wavy coat is generally not yet evident. Major Faults - Woolly or harsh, crisp or cottony, frizzy, kinky or standaway coat; in the adult, a straight coat is also objectionable.
Presentation - For show purposes, the Wheaten is presented to show a terrier outline, but coat must be of sufficient length to flow when the dog is in motion. The coat must never be clipped or plucked. Sharp contrasts or stylizations must be avoided. Head coat should be blended to present a rectangular outline. Eyes should be indicated but never fully exposed. Ears should be relieved of fringe, but not taken down to the leather. Sufficient coat must be left on skull, cheeks, neck and tail to balance the proper length of body coat. Dogs that are overly trimmed shall be severely penalized.

Coat and Colour

Abundant, single-coated, soft, silky textured, having a gentle wave that is apparent when standing. When the dog moves the coat has a free and flowing character to it. Neither woolly nor wiry, crispy nor cottony, frizzy (tight, crisp curl) nor straight. Colour is any shade of wheaten. Upon close examination occasional red, white or black guard hairs may be found. However, the overall colouring must clearly be wheaten with no evidence of any other colour except on ears and muzzle where blue-grey shading may be present. Puppies under one year may carry deeper colouring and some black tipping. The adolescent under two years may be quite light in colour, but must never be white nor carry grey, other than on ears and muzzle. In both puppies and adolescents, the mature, wavy coat is generally not yet seen. Coat colour and texture do not stabilize until about three years of age and some latitude should be given in young dogs. However, the softer and darker puppy coat should not be preferred over the lighter and slightly harsher adult coat. For show purposes, the coat should be trimmed to present a neat, square terrier outline. Overstyling is to be discouraged and severely penalized.

Colour

Colour : A good clear wheaten of shades from light wheaten to a golden reddish hue

A good clear wheaten. A shade of ripening wheat. A white coat and red coat equally objectionable. Dark shading on ears not untypical. Often a slight fluctuation in the intensity of colour in mature coat, but overall effect should be light wheaten. Dark overall colour and the even darker markings often present in the immature coat, should clear by about 18-24 months.

Color: Any shade of wheaten. Upon close examination, occasional red, white or black guard hairs may be found. However, the overall coloring must be clearly wheaten with no evidence of any other color except on ears and muzzle where blue-gray shading is sometimes present. Major Fault - Any color save wheaten. Puppies and Adolescents - Puppies under a year may carry deeper coloring and occasional black tipping. The adolescent, under two years, is often quite light in color, but must never be white or carry gray other than on ears and muzzle. However, by two years of age, the proper wheaten color should be obvious.

SIZE AND WEIGHT :

Height at the withers : Dogs 18-19 inches (46-48 cm).

Bitches somewhat less. Weight : Dogs 40-45 lbs (18- 20, 5 kg).

Bitches somewhat less.

Height: dogs: approximately 46-49 cms (18-191/2 ins) measured at the withers; bitches slightly less. Weight: dogs approximately 16-20.5 kgs (35-45 lbs); bitches somewhat less.

Size, Proportion, Substance: A dog shall be 18 to 19 inches at the withers, the ideal being 181⁄2. A bitch shall be 17 to 18 inches at the withers, the ideal being 171⁄2. Major Faults - Dogs under 18 inches or over 19 inches; bitches under 17 inches or over 18 inches. Any deviation must be penalized according to the degree of its severity. Square in outline. Hardy, well balanced. Dogs should weigh 35 to 40 pounds; bitches 30 to 35 pounds.

Size

Males 18 - 19 inches (46 cm - 48 cm) with the ideal height being 18 1/2 inches (47 cm); for females 17 - 18 inches (43 cm - 46 cm) with the ideal being 17 1/2 inches (44 cm). Ideal weight for males is 35-40 lbs. (16- 18 kg); for females 30-35 lbs. (14-16 kg). Deviations from the ideal should be penalized according to the amount of deviation from the ideal.

FAULTS :

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Nervousness. Viciousness.

Nose any colour other than black.

Undershot mouth. Overshot mouth.

Overall mature coat not clear wheaten colour.

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

Faults

The foregoing description is that of the ideal Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier. Any deviation from the above-described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation, keeping in mind the original purpose of the breed.

Major Faults

Yellow eyes; Nose not solid black

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS

Aggressive or overly shy.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
Dogs carrying any of the above eliminating faults should never be bred from.

Yellow eyes.
Dull, thick, woolly or cottony textured hair. White coat. Brown coat.

Disqualifications

Overshot or undershot mouth; over-aggression

N.B:

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used for breeding.

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.