and the Irish breeds were the main topics for the seminars. By then, the Soft Coated Wheaten had spread to 22 countries throughout the world, but concern was expressed that some of the dogs entered at FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) shows no longer fitted the Irish (FCI) standard and, in consequence, there was a risk of losing true breed type.
TERRA
The word “terrier” actually comes from the Latin word terra, which means earth. All such dogs carrying this name were selectively bred to be not only very brave but also tough. It is generally accepted that most terriers originated in the British Isles, where they have been known since the Middle Ages.
It was most unfortunate that Mrs. Maureen Holmes, the longest established breeder of Soft Coated Wheatens, was unable to be present at the Congress because she was hospitalized. However, her own strong views were conveyed by Mr. Tony Killykeen Doyle, Chairman of Ireland’s specialist breed club. Before passing on some of Mrs. Holmes’s comments, it is important to mention that for over 40 years she was the breed representative to the Irish Kennel Club and also had carried out several offices within the breed club, including that of President. Through her Holmenocks Kennel, Mrs. Holmes worked hard for the promotion and recognition of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, both in Ireland and abroad, and was author of two books about the breed. Sadly, she passed away in 1996.
Mrs. Holmes wished to bring attention to the fact that “some retired American champions of a different type, style and build” had been used extensively at stud. She considered that because of the American dogs’ smart, flashy appearance, they had almost decimated the sturdy Irish type.
Most breed enthusiasts, whether or not they are owners of Soft Coated Wheatens, would surely agree that there are very evident differences in the appearance of the breed from country to country; how they view these differences is for each to decide for himself. However, as conveyed at the Congress, Mrs. Holmes was very open in her personal view that the breed had been brought to what she called “the brink of disaster” by indiscriminate breeding. She believed that dogs were part of a country’s heritage and, like other valuable things, should be preserved.
The Wheaten was recognized in Britain in 1943 and is frequently seen taking home ribbons at the shows. This modern dog is winning at Crufts, Britain’s premier competition.
SOFT COATED WHEATEN TERRIERS IN AMERICA
The first SCWTs to arrive in the US were a breeding pair imported by Lydia Vogels of Springfield, Massachusetts in November 1946. Some 17 puppies were produced from this pair. Although Vogels’s dogs were shown with some success in the AKC Miscellaneous Classes, there was insufficient interest in the breed for it to receive full championship status by the AKC. The breed was exhibited at the famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1947, but it did not take hold until the O’Connors (of Brooklyn, New York) and the Arnolds (of Connecticut) imported some dogs in the 1950s.
It was about ten years after Lydia Vogels’s initial import that the O’Connor family brought in a bitch named Holmenocks Gramachree from Maureen Holmes, the most influential breeder in Ireland. It was through seeing picture of Lydia Vogels’s Soft Coats that the O’Connors had fallen in love with the breed. The “shaggy dog” look attracted them.
The O’Connors decided they would like the breed to be granted AKC recognition and so, with the help of Maureen Holmes, they tracked down descendents of the Vogels’s dogs and other Irish imports. This led to the formation of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America (SCWTCA), on March 17, 1962, St. Patty’s Day! However it was believed that there were fewer than 30 representatives of the breed in the country. Influential dogs from these early days, owned by the O’Connors and Arnolds, include Holmenocks Hallmark, Gads Hill, Liam and Maud.
But things moved ahead steadily and a stud book was commenced in 1965. By 1968 there were 280 Soft Coated Wheatens registered. The club held its first matches in 1970 and 1971, but the breed remained in the Miscellaneous Class, where large numbers of Wheatens flooded the ring in an effort to show the AKC that the breed was ready for the big time! In October 1973 the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier was allowed to compete in the Terrier Group, thanks to the clever guidance of Dan and Marjorie Shoemaker. In addition to the O’Connors, Arnolds and Shoemakers, Jacqueline Gottlieb, her daughter Cindy Gottlieb Vogels, Emily Holden, Carol Carlson, Eileen Jackson, Ida Mallory and Gay Sherman Dunlap are among the other breeders whose dedication and hard work led to the SCWT’s success in the US during the first ten years of AKC recognition.
Ch. Abbey’s Postage Dhu O’Waterford, the first AKC champion Wheaten. Owners, Dan and Marjorie Shoemaker.
Dan Shoemaker served as the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America’s first president for the first five years. The club drew up its own standard of points, which was adopted by the American Kennel Club. Champion Abby’s Postage Dhu O’Waterford, owned by Dan and Marjorie Shoemaker, became the breed’s first AKC champion.
From the late 1960s onward, the breed has continued to increase in popularity in the US, so that by the early 1990s it had become the seventh most popular terrier breed in the country. Annual registrations with the AKC had risen to over 2,000 per year; a great leap forward from the numbers of the 1960s. There are local SCWT breed clubs in ten states plus the District of Columbia.
Canada also has a “soft” spot for the Wheaten. Ruth Cronk of British Columbia imported the first SCWT to Canada in 1969. The first Canadian-born litter was whelped by Appl and Ruth Gunther of Saskatchewan in 1977. The parents were American imports. Full recognition of the SCWT by the Canadian Kennel Club was attained in 1978 thanks to the determination of British Columbia residents Alan Fox and Anne Goodsell. Today the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Association of Canada continues to promote and protect the breed and publishes a quarterly newsletter called the Wheaten Wags.
A handsome lineup of American-bred SCWTs showing off their well-groomed “terrier outlines.”
With a joy for living and steadfast loyalty to his family, the Wheaten is an excellent choice for an active, interactive household.
WHY THE SOFT COATED WHEATEN TERRIER?
Although its name might be appealing, whether or not any owners have been drawn to the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier by its name is perhaps debatable, for it has to be admitted that it is rather a mouthful! When writing about the breed, the initials SCWT are frequently used, so I hope readers will not mind my using them here.
This is a breed about which there is a lot to like. The SCWT has stamina, gameness, strength, intelligence and a joy for living, as indeed have other of the terrier breeds. However, the SCWT is somewhat steadier than many other terriers, and is incredibly loyal to its family. Having said that, to be fair, SCWTs are not perfect pets for everyone, as they can be somewhat stubborn and rather headstrong.
PERSONALITY
