kelpiecuddles Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 (edited) Hi all, I have two gorgeous dogs, a basset hound and a kelpie who are 5 and 9 years old respectively. I am planning to add another dog in the next two to three years as my basset frets when alone and I worry about her having a companion as my kelpie gets older and if the worst should happen(hopefully not for a long time!) Also there are times when I need to take my kelpie places alone and it would be nice for her to have a companion when I do(it's the only time she exercises her excellent basset bark when left without her doggy friend :p ). I have decided that the next dog will be a non-shedding breed and after much angst I happened upon a lady walking her lovely wheaten at a local market and instantly loved the look and the size. So I am hoping to get a few opinions on this breed and whether it will suit me. As you would imagine with two working/hound breeds already I am comfortable with training and from what I understand they can be quite a headstrong breed which is not a huge problem for me, I was also told they will often just 'decide not to listen' LOL which is very similiar to our basset(love that 'sorry did you say something, nope didn't hear a word' look LOL ). Mainly I'd like opinions on how they get along with kids(youngest would be around 6-7 when we got the dog, oldest around 12), other dogs and small animals if raised with them. Both my basset and kelpie were raised around free range rabbits and chooks and have been taught to be very gentle and not chase. Also just on a 'how much do I need to save perspective', what sort of price range am I looking at? It's not an issue for me, I'm more than happy to pay for a good dog but I'd like to have an idea so that I can put some away and keep an eye out for the perfect breeder/puppy. From a maintenance perspective how often do people clip them? I've only ever had short haired dogs so I'm a bit clueless about the clipping side of things :) Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated, I'm in a rural area and there aren't really shows here. When I was looking for my basset we went to a show and met up with breeders, etc but it's a little harder now that we are out of the city. Edited May 3, 2013 by kelpiecuddles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 our not that far out from the grounds although your biggest issue will be finding Wheatons at a show. Your best chance would be the Long weekend when the Terrier club has there big weekend of shows . We board a number & found them to be very laid back,easy going dogs & never had any issues with being head strong * i wouldn't consider these dogs we board trained as such. Only pitfall is they will need regular brushing & grooming trips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Sorry, just edited my profile as it was showing old info. We are on the South Coast of NSW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I'll reply properly tomorrow as I'm on my iPhone right now. I've been involved with wheatens since 1999. Best breed ever (aside from kerry blues, which I also have). Headstrong, yes, they're terriers. Some are more biddable than others. My first wheaten was more biddable than my most recent whom DOLers know as Grumpy but only because he was. He never did anything he didn't think was his idea. Grooming ... Think of it as time spent with your dog! Lots of time ... Price range. Last time anyone in the breed mentioned a price to me it was around $1700 but some will charge more, some will charge less. More important to me are the health tests done. More tomorrow. Let me know if you have specific questions cos I could talk about them for hours. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Thanks :) I suspect I would need to keep it groomed fairly short most of the time as we go to the beach and also we get a lot of ticks here and I would worry about missing one in the fluff! Probably clip short and a bit longer around the face, etc, a similiar to the schnauzer type clip if you know what I mean. I have asthma so the main motivation is having less hair in the house and being able to travel without the carseats getting covered in fur as we often take dogs interstate. Actually the price you mentioned wasn't as much as I was expecting so that's OK with me and the same reason I was happy to pay the price I did for my basset too, proper testing and a great breeder. How do kerry blues compare in size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Oh, can I ask what the lifespan of wheatens is usually like? My main concern is probably their trainability around small animals as we have chooks, rabbits and a cat. My kelpie and basset will lie in the middle of a flock of quails or next to a mumma chicken with her day old chicks, this is one probably my major worry being terriers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 What about a schnauzer? Another non shedding breed and bred as general farm dogs, so raised right will be fine around other animals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Yeah but the little guys are smaller than I want and the big guys are just too big. Wheatens are right in the middle in a size comparison LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 There are 3 sizes to suit! A standard would be a good size with a basset, unless you want a dog you can tuck under your arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Nah I need a 'real' dog LOL I just love the look of the wheaten. I think I'll have to work hard to consider another breed now, I've been bitten by the bug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 There's a gorgeous SCWT puppy at my dog park who's about 5 months old at the moment. I've been speaking to his owners who'd also previously owned a Wheaten and really, really love the breed. He's currently going through his mottled coat colour so he's a cute mix of varying shades of brown -- I'd never known Wheatens were born dark. Regarding coat care, the puppy's owners commented on how the breed shouldn't be clipped as it ruins the coat. They said they used to get their previous Wheaten clipped, but his coat was never the same so they're not planning to have their new pup clipped. I had the luxury of meeting their previous boy on a few occasions before he died suddenly and they are a lovely breed. I'm biased of course because I have a love of terriers and their personalities. Most terriers are quite stubborn and require a firm, stern hand when giving commands, but they are generally keen learners and quite intelligent. If given an inch, they'll walk all over you so you need to make sure they know you're the boss Of course, like Sheridan has said, not all terriers are the same, Poochie (from my sig) was a very happy go lucky Aussie Terrier and completely different to Kirah, who is the most stubborn turd I've ever met. They do make for an interesting training challenge and you'll find the terrier mindset much different to the hound and working dog you've currently got. As long as you're willing to learn with a terrier and find a training method that works, I think a Wheaten could suit you quite well. Just remember though that terriers more often than not have the 'there's nothing in it for me so I'm not going to' mentality, which can make for some very frustrating training!! I also note that you're on the South Coast. I'm in the Illawarra myself, so if you're close by, you could come chat to the Wheaten owners I mentioned above. They love sharing their knowledge of the breed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emgem Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 (edited) Wheatens are great dogs and I wouldn't be without mine for the world, but they might not co-exist quite so easily with your rabbit and chickens. I know one breeder who keeps both Wheatens and chickens. I am sure she would be happy to talk to you about her experiences. I will PM you the name if you are interested. Also there are supposed to be a few Wheatens marching in the parade at the Berry Celtic Festival on the 25 May. I think they were talking about getting a stand so people could meet and greet the dogs too. Edited May 2, 2013 by emgem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justrace Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 What about a Lagotto Romagnolo, no shedding, can be clipped, medium sized. One of the mums from school has just got her second one, they look like such a lovely dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I know a few people who have gone from a wheaten to a lagotto and have been very happy. In terms of coat, honestly and to be blunt, one of the wheaten prizes is the coat and I don't understand why people get one and then chop all the coat off. Regarding testing, there are certain tests that should have been done before breeding and after and I can take you through those. Even so, there are certain dogs that if present in a pedigree, I would never get a puppy from a breeding, (a) no matter what a test said and (b) no matter what the breeder said in reassurance. I've had a wheaten die of protein losing nephropathy and I will do my best to avoid certain dogs. Life span is generally 12-14. My Grumpy died a month before his 17th birthday. Most wheatens die of cars. Tip: never ever off a lead. You said you like the look of a real dog: here's a description of the wheaten terrier. Firstly, they're really happy dogs. It even says they have to have a sense of humour in the standard (kind of) and they do. They're supposed to be less terrier-y than other similar terriers and although less fiery than say, kerry blues, you certainly know where you stand with them. They need to be socialised just like any other dog and they need a firm hand. They respond very well to positive training methods so if you have a hankering for a check chain, e-collar or prong collar, forget it. They're stubborn and independent and they remain puppies to the end. I get asked, when will they calm down. Well, they funsters, so they like to play a lot. They have a particular fondness for socks and cardboard. The thing I probably most often said to Grumpy was, 'What do you think you're doing?' Often I was late to work because Grumpy decided that he just wasn't going to get up until he was good and ready. As I said in my previous post, Grumpy never did a thing he didn't think was his idea. They are similar height wise to kerry blues. I see Oliblu is in the thread and she may want to chime in on kerries in contrast with the wheaten. Chickens and small animals ... not something I would honestly recommend. Grumpy loved chickens. They were his favourite food. He liked rabbits, too. Wheatens do have to co-exist with animals, they were farm dogs in Ireland but you have to remember they're also vermin killers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Non-shedding breed in a tick area is going to require constant, thorough checking. I think to ask a terrier to ignore its hard wired instinct not to hunt rabbits and chickens is going to be challenging. Is a run for the rabbits or chooks out of the question... or the dog?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 If someone is going to stick a dog in a run so it won't get at chooks and rabbits, my advice is don't get the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 If someone is going to stick a dog in a run so it won't get at chooks and rabbits, my advice is don't get the dog. You could stick the dog in the run while the chooks and rabbits get some time free ranging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OliBlu Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I do agree that I personally would not leave a kerry or wheaten - or any terrier for that matter, with small animals while unattended. It can & has been done, but it is just something that I would not do. We use our kerrys to herd our sheep on our farm, and there is no way they would hurt a lamb or sheep, but the chickens are kept safely in their pen when our dogs are out with us. Kerrys and Wheatens are similar in height and both have non shedding coats. I also agree with Sheridan that the look of the coat is what catchers the average person's eye to these breeds, but sadly this is usually the first thing to go, unless you put the effort in and brush them thoroughly weekly and trimmed/clipped every 6-8weeks (min)- Just like All Non Shedding breeds. Once clipped off completely, you end up with what the dog is underneath, and for us, the Kerry is still the perfect dog. They love a good laugh, a good run and they love spending time with their family. I have not had a lot to do with Wheatens, but I do love our kerrys and for the right family, they are great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 As you know, Oliblu, I have the most perfectist blue girl ever in the whole history of blue girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 What about a Lagotto Romagnolo, no shedding, can be clipped, medium sized. One of the mums from school has just got her second one, they look like such a lovely dog Every lagotto I have met has been weak nerved and reactive - and predictably so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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