Soft Coat Wheaten Terrier. Juliette Cunliffe

hind leg has an incorrectly formed hip joint. By constant use of the hip joint, it becomes more and more loose, wears abnormally and may become arthritic.

      Hip dysplasia can only be confirmed with an x-ray, but certain symptoms may indicate a problem. Your dog may have a hip dysplasia problem if he walks in a peculiar manner, hops instead of smoothly runs, uses his hind legs in unison (to keep the pressure off the weak joint), has trouble getting up from a prone position or always sits with both legs together on one side of his body.

      As the dog matures, he may adapt well to life with a bad hip, but in a few years the arthritis develops and many dogs with hip dysplasia become crippled.

      Hip dysplasia is considered an inherited disease and can be diagnosed definitively by x-ray only when the dog is two years old, although symptoms often appear earlier. Some experts claim that a special diet might help your puppy outgrow the bad hip, but the usual treatments are surgical. The removal of the pectineus muscle, the removal of the round part of the femur, reconstructing the pelvis and replacing the hip with an artificial one are all surgical interventions that are expensive, but they are usually very successful. Follow the advice of your veterinarian.

       Named for his soft coat, this SCWT has the desirable abundant single coat that is soft in texture, silky with a gentle wave.

      INTRODUCTION TO THE BREED STANDARD

      All breed standards are designed effectively to paint a picture in words, though each reader will almost certainly have a slightly different way of interpreting these words, just as a musical score is interpreted differently by different musicians. When all is said and done, were everyone to interpret a breed’s standard in exactly the same way, there would only be one consistent winner within the breed at any given time!

      BREEDER’S BLUEPRINT

      If you are considering breeding your bitch, it is very important that you are familiar with the breed standard. Reputable breeders breed with the intention of producing dogs that are as close as possible to the standard and that contribute to the advancement of the breed. Study the standard for both physical appearance and temperament, and make certain your bitch and your chosen stud dog measure up.

       The SCWT should be medium sized, well balanced and square in outline.

      In any event, to fully comprehend the intricacies of a breed, reading words alone is never enough. In addition, it is essential also for devotees to watch Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers being judged at shows and, if possible, to attend seminars at which the breed is discussed. This enables owners and fanciers to absorb as much as possible about the breed that has captured their interest and admiration. “Hands-on” experience, providing an opportunity to assess the structure of the dogs, is always valuable, especially for those who hope ultimately to judge the breed.

      MEETING THE IDEAL

      The American Kennel Club defines a standard as: “A description of the ideal dog of each recognized breed, to serve as an ideal against which dogs are judged at shows.” This “blueprint” is drawn up by the breed’s recognized parent club, approved by a majority of its membership and then submitted to the AKC for approval. This is a complete departure from the way standards are handled in England, where all standards and changes are controlled by The Kennel Club. The AKC states that “An understanding of any breed must begin with its standard. This applies to all dogs, not just those intended for showing.” The picture that the standard draws of the dog’s type, gait, temperament and structure is the guiding image used by breeders as they plan their programs.

      A breed standard undoubtedly helps breeders to produce stock that comes as close as possible to the recognized standard, and helps judges to know exactly what they are looking for. This enables a judge to make a carefully considered decision when selecting the most typical Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier present to head his line of winners.

      However familiar one is with the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, it is always worth refreshing one’s memory by re-reading the standard, for it is sometimes all too easy to overlook, or perhaps conveniently forget, certain features.

      The breed standard for the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier was written by the breed’s parent club, the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America, Inc. (SCWTCA), and was submitted and approved the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1973. Since that time, the standard has been updated and reformatted, though its basic content remains essentially the same. The section on “General Appearance” does a fine job of summing up this handsome terrier breed, as does the section of “Temperament” give the reader an excellent overview of the breed’s character.

      AKC STANDARD FOR THE SOFT COATED WHEATEN TERRIER

      General Appearance: 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.

      LIST OF FAULTS

      Although the English Kennel Club breed standards no longer list faults for any breed of dog, the Irish (FCI) standard still gives a list of faults for the SCWT. These faults are: undershot or overshot mouths; nose any color other than black; overall mature coat not clear wheaten color; nervousness and viciousness. Disqualifying faults are: yellow eyes; white coats; brown coats; dull, thick, woolly or cottony textured hair.

      Size, Proportion, Substance: A dog shall be 18 to 19 inches at the withers, the ideal being 18.5. A bitch shall be 17 to 18 inches at the withers, the ideal being 17.5. 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 35–40 pounds; bitches 30–35 pounds.

      Head: 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.

       The gait or movement of the SCWT should be free, graceful and lively, accomplished by long, low strides.

       LEFT: The old-fashioned, untrimmed working farm-dog type of SCWT with wavy, silky coat. RIGHT: The modern SCWT type with moderate grooming style and heavier coat.

      Neck,