Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier vs Fell Terrier - Breed Comparison

Fell terriers, known by other names such as Lakeland-, Patterdale-, Red Fell or Black Fell Terrier are small working terriers, hailing from the fell or hilly country of northern England.

Several breeds have been developed from the Fell terrier, of which the Patterdale Terrier, Lakeland are some as well as other locally developed breeds. All these particular breeds are sometimes referred to as the Fell Terrier, and in fact the National Terriers Club LLC has published a Fell Terrier standard.

It is also believed that the long legged Fell Terriers may have descended from an old type of terrier referred to as the rough-coated Black and Tan. The Black and Tan Terrier is now extinct but was drawn into The Kennel Club as the Welsh Terrier.

This wheaten colored terrier hails from Ireland. Although the Wheaten has been around for a long time, it was in 1937 that he was recognized as a breed in Ireland.

The British Kennel Club also recognized the Wheaten and the dog was also exported to the United States. Serious interest started being shown for the Terrier in the 1970s. It was in 1973 that they were recognised by the American Kennel Club.

Small and feisty, the Fell Terrier is a working dog used for hunting purposes. He stands at roughly 31cm to 38cm in height and ways between 6 to 9kg.

The dogs were sought after for their hunting skills as being the small dog they were, and with their narrow chests, they were able to move around in small, narrow underground tunnels.

The Fell has long legs, and his coat is shortish but with a rough texture to it. The coat is found in different colors such as white, black and tan, chocolate, red, black and bronze. The ears are medium length and floppy while the tail of the dog is traditionally docked, but these days the tail is often left long, and then he becomes less distinctive.

Temperament:

Used to having hunted in packs, the Fell Terrier has always been used to getting along well with other dogs. He makes a fantastic family pet and will get on well with children who have been been taught to respect animals. He is an independent, strong-willed dog and will certainly need socialization and training to turn him into an obedient dog.

He is energetic, fearless, strong-willed, determined and always ready for a game or some form of action.

The Wheaten is a medium sized dog standing at between 43 and 50cm and weighing between 13 and 20kg both male and female. The coat of the dog is soft, silky and wavy to even curly and is a wheaten to ginger color.

The coat of the puppy is dark but as he grows up it changes into the wheaten color although the ears may be a dark brown color. Pet owners like that the Wheaten is a very low shedding dog.

Temperament:

Playful, social and friendly, the Wheaten has always been put to good use on the farm. These days he is pet and companion. He is energetic and playful so children love having him around.

He is slightly more hyper and energetic than other Terrier breeds so will require a good dose of exercise.

He is smart and strong willed, and training and socialization turns him into an amicable pet to have around, so much so that he is sought after as a therapy-dog.

They’re easy-going dogs with no aggression issues but they still make great watch dogs and want to do whatever it takes to look after- and protect their human family.

The Fell Terrier still has dreams of the hunt in him and with his strong prey instincts, he isn’t really suited to city living, but will fit ideally into life in the country.

He is a high spirited, working dog with an endless amount of energy. He bonds closely with his human family, and for all his robust, larger-than-life attitude and boldness, when he is with his human family he can be gentle, calm and loving, just thriving on the love he receives.

Your Fell Terrier is just waiting to be your best friend and a never ending source of unconditional love.

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier has always made an excellent farm dog, but today he is more suited as pet and companion.

He adapts easily to life in the city or the countryside. Wherever he is, he will need his exercise. He also longs to be an active part of his human family, and then he’s happy, lively, social and friendly and is a great playmate for children.

He also gets on well with other dogs and will make you a fantastic family pet.

Caring for your Fell Terrier requires knowing what do do with him when he develops certain common dog illnesses. He is a robust dog and is not likely to get any serious illnesses, but still you want to know about some of the more common ones.

If you suspect an illness, get your pet to the vet who can provide you with a treatment plan for your dog.

Dental Disease:

Your Fell Terrier can easily fall prey to dental disease if you don't brush his teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week. Unfortunately bad teeth isn't just a case of losing a tooth or two, bad teeth can cause serious diseases such as kidney disease. Tarter build-up progresses to infection of the gums as well as roots of the teeth. So serious is dental disease that your dog can actually have his life shortened.

Obesity:

Your Fell Terrier is a small dog and obesity can easily creep up if you don't control your pet's diet. Obesity is a serious illness that can increase problems with the joints and digestion.

When you bring a Wheaten Terrier into your home, you’re not likely to have too many vet fees as he tends to be a healthy dog breed, being able to reach 13, 14 or 15 years of age with good care.

Look out for a dog ailment known as Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). This is a condition where the dog isn’t able to properly absorb protein in the digestive tract, so that it is passed in their stools.

It can be fatal, but if caught early, some dietary changes can keep it under control.

Also, look out for inflammatory bowel disease. This disease occurs when the stomach of the dog has a large number of inflammatory cells which can change the lining of the digestive tract, preventing the normal absorption of food.

Exercise:

Your Fell Terrier is an active dog who won’t thrive if he is cooped up and ignored. He thrives on action and will need to be taken on walks with you and involved in all your games and sports, such as when you go jogging, swimming or cycling.

Diet:

Feed your Fell Terrier the best quality commercially manufactured foods if you opt to feed your pet this way. Include cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken into his kibble from time to time and always ensure there is cool, fresh drinking water available to him.

Grooming:

It depends on whether your Fell Terrier has a short, smooth coat, or the longer-haired coarse coat. He will certainly need brushing twice a week and sometimes, with the longer coats, he may require professional trimming or stripping.

Always check nails, in and outside the ears and remember to brush his teeth with canine toothpaste and toothbrush twice a week at least.

Grooming:

Brush your pet’s silky coat twice a week. Such a silky coat can get all tangled and matted. If you prefer, many people opt to rather have the Wheaten’s coat professionally clipped as then it is easier to handle. They like to have the hair clipped that hangs over the dog’s eyes.

Other grooming tasks require you to check inside his ears for redness which could indicate an infection. Trim his nails and check him over for ticks and fleas.

Training:

Have your Wheatie trained and socialized as he is a stubborn dog breed and you want him to be well mannered and obedient.

Exercise:

Terriers like this are energetic dogs and he is going to need exercise every day. A walk for a dog is always a welcome experience as it gives him the opportunity to sniff around and pick up new smells. Play ball- or frisbee games with him as this can tire him out a bit.

Veterinary Care:

If your dog shows signs of illness, get him to the vet. He is such a feisty dog that it can be unbearable to see him out of sorts.

Diet:

Terriers are energetic dogs so if you feed your dog one of the commercial dog foods, make sure the label indicates what food it is. This is because the foods are manufactured according to the type of dog it is, its age, size and energy levels.

Always try and go for the high quality foods which don’t have all those unhealthy ingredients in them. Try to include some home-made food – nothing exotic and spicy – just plain, wholesome food that won’t upset his stomach.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. You can chop it up and add it to your pet’s kibble twice a week.

Try and include a little bit of raw meat to his diet occasionally as this can go towards ensuring he doesn’t get skin diseases. Always ensure he has a constant supply of fresh, cool water available.