PLEASE READ THIS TO THE END IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PUPPY
(It may save you a lot of heartache, time and money!)
Up until now, we have assumed that most wheaten puppies were obtained from ethical people and that the majority of prospective owners would be able to find a happy, healthy puppy by normal means, (naive, we now realise).
Due to some of the horror stories now coming to light, Dean and I have felt it necessary to add this section concerning looking for and buying a SCWT puppy.
We have heard many times now, "Oh, if only we'd known about these things"!...well now people will know!
There are "breeders", (I use this term loosely), from mainly the north of England, but there are some in the south as well, that are selling what they proport to be Irish-Type SCWT. These dogs and "breeders", are not necessarily all that they seem.
These people are buying in dogs by the litter, or they are importing a bitch in whelp, from Ireland.
These people ARE NOT breeders, they are BROKERS. Therefore, these puppies are only theirs because they have bought them to sell on. You will not get breeder back-up, you will be lucky to get registration documents, you will not get a reliable pedigree, you will not get food for the puppy, or toys or crates and most importantly, YOU WILL NOT GET A HEALTHY DOG.
These poor puppies are usually yanked away from their mothers at about 4 weeks, never wormed, so they are infested with worms, which can cause many on-going health problems, and they are not really socialised with people, so these poor dogs are terrified when they eventually reach their new home. It will take many months, or possibly years, to turn this kind of appalling start around.
Please bear in mind, that these puppies are not health-tested nor are the parents. There is no care taken in the breeding, (that is presupposing that these are pure-bred SCWT's in the first place).
These poor animals are purely a means to an end, MONEY, usually yours if you are not careful.
The mothers are bred from over and over again, (reputable breeders only take 2, maybe 3 litters from a girl, again only after health-tests and pedigree studying, temperament studying etc).
The stud dog used is rarely the stud dog stated on any, (if any), pedigree and any paperwork is usually of the DOG LOVERS REGISTRATION variety, NOT official Kennel Club or official Irish Kennel Club documentation.
These puppies are advertised in Local Papers, Free-Ad Papers, Exchange & Mart and on the Internet in Classified Ads sections. Please remember: NO REPUTABLE BREEDER USUALLY ADVERTISES WHEATEN PUPPIES IN THESE PLACES! This is a fundamental fact that should be borne in mind when searching for a puppy.
(NB There are also excellent breeders, devoted to the health and welfare of our breed, in the north of England, and in Ireland, both north & south, who are as concerned about this growing problem as we are. Do not confuse the Brokers with these hard-working people who are actively working to help educate prospective owners. These Good Breeders are more than happy for you to ask them questions, they will welcome it and ask many of you in return)
The SCWT Club of GB runs a puppy list system, where a form can be filled in and you go on the list to wait for a breeder from the SCWT Club to contact you about an available puppy.
The SCWT Club of GB also runs an Area Representative scheme, whereby you can visit wheatens in their homes and talk to owners.
There are dog shows throughout the country where there are SCWT classes and there will be many dogs entered, you can meet breeders and dogs at these events. There is a list of these shows on the SCWT Club of GB's web-site.
The SCWT Club of GB runs Fun-Days throughout the year around the country, where people can come and meet wheatens and their owners and breeders. There is information on these fun-days on the SCWT Club Of GB's website.
Here is a link to the SCWT Club web-site:
There are ways to contact reliable, helpful people, who will put you in touch with wheaten breeders, there is no need to buy a puppy from unreliable, questionable sources.
Now the thorny question of price of puppies!
These brokers charge aprox 40% less for their puppies than reputable breeders. There are reasons for this and I will number them, (it is easier that way!)
1 Brokers have no overheads, they do not keep stud-dogs, they do not breed, they do not test, they do not show, therefore puppies are a commodity to be sold for a fast return.
2 Reputable/Good breeders usually only breed a litter when they want another show dog or to improve the breed. So much care is taken in the selection of dog to bitch, for health, temperament etc. After keeping the show dog from a litter, the rest of the money from the litter, (and bear in mind some litters have only 2-3 puppies), is used to defray the cost of showing and keeping their dogs. Also, some bitches need a Caesarian section, which is expensive. Brokers don't usually breed themselves.
3 Reputable/Good breeders worm their bitches throughout pregnancy and worm their puppies fortnightly from 2 weeks of age. Reputable breeders also health-test their puppies and give copies of the results to the new owners. Reputable breeders will also supply 5 generation pedigrees and full Kennel Club Registration Documents and Worming Records with their puppies. Puppies supplied to Brokers aren't usually wormed and rarely have valid documentation.
4 Good breeders will expect you to visit their homes and see the puppies with their mother. THEY WILL NOT SELL YOU A PUPPY IN A CAR-PARK FROM THE BACK OF A VAN OR CAR.
5 Reputable breeders will expect you to ask searching questions and will ask many of you in return. They don't just want your money, they want the best homes for their puppies. Brokers don't ask questions, they aren't bothered about the home. They just want your money!!
6 Good breeders supply food for your puppy, toys, fleece etc and will provide back-up for you in the years ahead with your puppy. They will also provide you with Insurance cover for your puppy, for added peace of mind. Brokers don't usually provide extra's.
7 Good Breeders will supply grooming tools and help with grooming problems. Brokers don't want to know about grooming. It's not their problem, it's yours!!
8 Good Breeders ensure that their puppies are well-socialised. They usually raise their puppies inside their house, not in kennels outside, (or in stables or sheds), so the puppies see everything that goes on. Puppies supplied to brokers will not have had much human contact. They will have been taken from their mothers and put into a van to be sold. Puppies need socialisation from an early age, in order to develop into out-going friendly adults. Sadly, an unsocialised Wheaten is a very sad thing to see. He/she will be afraid of it's own shadow and may start to bite anything it sees, as it feels so threatened. (Remember, these dogs have BIG teeth)
9 Good Breeders feed their dogs and puppies the best food possible to ensure a healthy start and a healthy life. This does not cheap. Brokers Don't Care about a good feeding regime, any food will do.
10 In A Nutshell, Brokers do not care about the breed, Good Breeders do,
So if price is a factor, (and let's face it, it has to be these days), please take time to weigh up the pro's and cons:
A puppy obtained from a Good, Reputable breeder will probably cost you a couple of hundred pounds more in the short-term, but you will get many benefits from spending that bit extra, for the knowledge that you will get the best for your money.
When you buy from a Good Breeder, you are buying your breeders time, commitment, effort and experience, as well as your puppy. A Good Breeder will put as much time into their litters as we all do with our children. the philosophy is the same.
On the Other Hand:
Saving those pounds will bring you a puppy that is probably full of worms, which will need expensive treatment at the Vets. He/she may have ear infections, fleas, have problems feeding etc, all this costs money to put right.
There are also people out there in the Big, Wide World, and on the World Wide Web, breeding and selling what they call "Working Wheatens"..
These people are actually breeders BUT some of the same things apply to them as to the Brokers, so please, BE CAREFUL if you thinking about buying a Working-Type Wheaten.
Working Wheatens, on the whole, DO NOT ALWAYS MAKE GOOD PETS
Also, you may obtain a puppy which you are told is a wheaten. Then several months down the line, you will wonder why he/she isn't losing it's harsh black coat, or why it only has little short legs, or a very long back...This is because, maybe, your puppy ISN'T A WHEATEN.....It's a cross-breed. You will have been duped by an unscrupulous broker. MANY HAVE!!
On the subject of Cross-Bred Wheatens
THEY ARE NOT A GOOD IDEA!
It is unlikely that you will get a dog that either resembles a SCWT or has the Wheaten temperament. Depending on which cross you buy, you could be in for more than you bargained for!!
Some examples of Cross-Breeds being bred from SCWT and being advertised at the moment on the internet and elsewhere:
Wheaten x Bull Terriers
Wheaten x Staffordshire Bull Terriers
Wheaten x American Pit-Bull Terriers*
* it is illegal to own or breed from an American Pit -Bull Terrier
Again, these dogs, like the "Working Wheaten", are bred for working and DO NOT MAKE GOOD FAMILY PETS.
Please be careful if you purchase one of these and you have children.
The SCWT Club of GB's Code Of Ethics FORBIDS Wheaten Stud Dogs from being mated to bitches from any other breed, (and vice versa). So, anyone breeding or selling these cross-breeds should be regarded with extreme suspicion.
So Basically, when looking for a Wheaten, ask questions of the breeder/seller and be prepared to travel for the right dog from the right breeder.
As there are only aprox 300-350 wheaten puppies born per year, it is unlikely that you will find a breeder in your area.
Don't be put off though by the prospect of traveling a distance for the right puppy. All of us have had to do it at one time or another.
Good Breeders usually have to travel long distances to find the right Stud-Dog for their girl..
Travelling is part of the process of joining Wheatendom!!
I will be adding to this section in the coming days. If you have any questions or would like to talk to either myself or Dean about what we are saying here, please feel free to give us a call. :-)
Good Luck in your search for a lovely Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. We hope that you are successful and have many happy, trouble-free years with your dog.
XXX
Sally :-))