Original Irish coats versus North American coats
Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers originated in Ireland and have a silky, soft, abundant coat that is wavy and flowing. The correct Irish coat is easy to maintain with little matting. The puppies look quite scruffy and their coat can take 3 years to mature. These dogs were mainly used to guard family farms against vermin, foxes, etc... The terrier personality is strong and loyal. Only dogs that had the correct coat type and personality would have been used to continue breeding lines. Even today, the Irish breeders are very protective of their lines. Within the Irish coat type, there are still variations. This will all be dependent on breeding lines and the dominant Irish coat gene.
In countries outside of Ireland, there have been changes in breeding practices resulting in a thicker, straighter, fluffier coat that is extremely cute, but takes some effort to maintain in any length. This is typically called a North American, heavy or woolly coat. This coat type is actually a recessive gene, so if two North American coated dogs are bred together, then all the puppies will be North American coated. Within this type, there are definitely many variations! This is also dependent on good breeding. The Irish Kennel Club would like to see these dogs become a separate breed altogether.
The coat type has nothing to do with the health of the dog and all reputable breeders should be health testing their wheatens and doing their best to eliminate PLN, PLE, PRA, Addisons, DM, Renal Dysplasia, etc.. from their lines.
There have been many dogs imported from Europe that have proven to be carriers of these diseases, so don't let the "European dogs are healthier" lines fool you! And crossing wheatens with other dogs will not result in "hybrid vigour" either, as most of the diseases that wheatens are known for can easily be carried through to their mixed lineage puppies!! It's frustrating to see such foolishness on the internet and know that people that being scammed.
The first three rows of pictures (12 pics) below are all North American. The bottom three rows (12 pics)are Irish.
In countries outside of Ireland, there have been changes in breeding practices resulting in a thicker, straighter, fluffier coat that is extremely cute, but takes some effort to maintain in any length. This is typically called a North American, heavy or woolly coat. This coat type is actually a recessive gene, so if two North American coated dogs are bred together, then all the puppies will be North American coated. Within this type, there are definitely many variations! This is also dependent on good breeding. The Irish Kennel Club would like to see these dogs become a separate breed altogether.
The coat type has nothing to do with the health of the dog and all reputable breeders should be health testing their wheatens and doing their best to eliminate PLN, PLE, PRA, Addisons, DM, Renal Dysplasia, etc.. from their lines.
There have been many dogs imported from Europe that have proven to be carriers of these diseases, so don't let the "European dogs are healthier" lines fool you! And crossing wheatens with other dogs will not result in "hybrid vigour" either, as most of the diseases that wheatens are known for can easily be carried through to their mixed lineage puppies!! It's frustrating to see such foolishness on the internet and know that people that being scammed.
The first three rows of pictures (12 pics) below are all North American. The bottom three rows (12 pics)are Irish.