# Wheaten vs Tibetan Terrier for a first time dog owner



## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

Hi, after many years of saying no, I finally relented and said yes to a dog. My husband grew up with a dog in the family. My daughter and I never own a pet other than a goldfish. Both my husband and I are somewhat allergic to dogs. So far, we don't think our 12 year old daughter is. Therefore, we are looking for a minimum shedding medium size dog. We agreed to keep the dog on the first floor since that is where we are all the time. We only go upstairs to shower, sleep, and run the laundry. 

Our daily routine is as follows. My husband leaves by 6am for work and doesn't come home until 7:30 or so. My daughter is back from school around 3pm. Sometimes, she has after school events (sports). I work 3 days a week for 5 hours. But, I can take the dog out daily for about an hour's brisk walk in the AM on our hilly road. (I hate running.) I work about 10 minutes from home and can come home to walk the dog during its puppy stage. Our lifestyle is pretty sedentary. When we have free time, we like to sit and read or watch TV. We understand with a dog, we will need to "get off our duffs" as the Brits will say and spend more outdoor time. We understand that.

My husband's co-worker suggested a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. After researching on the internet and reading Wheaten blogs and forums, I have major concerns with the allergies and health issues of a Wheaten. But, I am praying if we stick to a SWCTCA club member breeder, we will be OK. Since we have never met/seen a Wheaten, we went to a dog show hoping to meet one. There were no Wheatens showing, but, we saw a Tibetan Terrier. I like the TT look a lot. From researching on the internet, TTs have health issues as well. But, I think because the breed is not well known, there aren't blogs or forum postings about health issues. Since then, we have met with a Wheaten breeder and a TT breeder. Now, I am torn. I really like the TT. My husband and daughter like the Wheaten better. With the Wheaten, the puppies will be ready in 2 weeks. With the TT, we can't get one until the 1st week of August (the earliest). We want a puppy in the summer so that my daughter can be involve in taking care of the puppy. She feels having a pup in Aug does not give her enough time. 

Does anyone have experience with either breed? My concerns with the Wheatens are:
1. will they be too energetic for us?
2. will we be able to train out the Wheaten Greetin'

My concerns with the TT are:
1. will they be too aloof?
2. will they bark excessively at everything?
3. will they be OK with other strange dogs (We will try to socialize the dog as much as possible)?
4. even though they are suppose to be lower shedding dogs, my husband read somewhere that they do shed a lot. Is this true?

At Thanksgiving, we go to the in-laws. My sister-in-laws have dogs and I am afraid the TT wouldn't do well with that. But, I think a TT is better suited for our lifestyle. Will Wheaten and TT owners please give us their 2 cents.


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## Staycib (Feb 13, 2011)

When I rescued Lacy in December from a local shelter, they "guessed" she was a Lhasa type dog. The groomer believes she is a TT. After researching ALOT, I believe she is TT as well (although she is not likely full bred).

Shedding: when I allow her hair to grow long (and grow it does), she tends to shed more than when it is kept quite short (1/2" to 1" in length). I do brush her daily and the brush can, at times, become full of hair twice during a brushing. However, that being said, once I had had her a few months, bathed and brushed her regulary, and fed her a good food, the shedding is MUCH less. We have allergies and asthma in this house and she does not irritate those for any of us....and she sleeps with me! I have not noticed any increase in allergy or asthma symptoms.

Aloof? Not at all. She actively requires being next to me and will always attempt a belly rub if I am sitting. She seems to prefer being next to me than not. She is attentive to every move and follows me around the house as I do my daily routine.

Barking: She lets me know if someone is walking to close to the house, if the gate is opened, or if someone rings the doorbell. She was barking when we walked - in response to the neighborhood dogs barking - but she was easily trained not to bark back in a matter of weeks. She will bark at other dogs that she feels threatened by, such as pit bulls, or other large aggressive dogs. Also, she may bark to get my attention if she needs to go out....but even this is rare.

Socialization: Lacy loves everything and everybody! She would try to pull her leash to get to other dogs, tail wagging and barking, but again, with a small bit of training she now immediately sits (without prompt) and waits for the new friend to approach her. I take her to the dog park and she absolutely LOVES meeting all the new friends. Lacy makes friends with dogs, cats, birds, and even June Bugs...she thinks all animals are here for her to play with. It's really quite hilarious!

Honestly, I love this dog and feel so blessed that we were able to find such a great family member at the local shelter. I walk her about 4 times a day; one long walk - 20-40 minutes, and the other 3 are just short walks to take care of business. This is because I do not have a backyard or I might limit the walk to once a day and I know she would be fine. She is crate trained for when we are not home (for her safety). If she get's too bored, she does like to chew on paper she can get out of the bathroom trash cans. She was chewing on other things when she first came (sock stealing), but she has stopped all inappropriate chewing other than tissue....the dog is obsessed with toilet paper and paper items! (Can you say, "The dog ate my homework?")

You can see, by the pic above, that she is groomed short. Also, being well over 100 degrees here most of the summer, I am certain she prefers it as well. To keep her short, she requires grooming about once a month as her hair grows very quickly! During the cooler months, I let her go 3 months without a haircut but I bath her every or every-other week.

Hope that helps.


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

Staycib, your Lacy is so CUTE! From the TTs I've seen on the internet and in person, I really love their puppy dog cut. 

I think my daughter was unnerved by the TT breeder's dogs. The breeder introduced her dogs 2 at a time from the oldest to the youngest. She will wait for the dogs to settle then send the 2 dogs out and send in 2 younger dogs. My daughter and I were sitting on the sofa the dogs use to look out and they swamped us. When we met the Wheaten breeder, she was very controlled with her dogs and crated both her adult dogs and let us play with the pups for a while then let the dame in. I think that and the fact that we can get the dog sooner sealed it for her.


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

I think a wheaten is going to be may more energy than you want.


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## RaeganW (Jul 14, 2009)

I agree, Wheatens are ACTIVE dogs. They're also bigger and more powerful than Tibetian Terriers (which aren't really a terrier at all). In general, the long legged terriers are a bigger challenge for the novice dog owner. 

Good for you for doing your research! Going to a dog show, looking at club breeders, and meeting the dogs before you buy are all excellent moves! Especially with allergy concerns, it's important to meet the individual dogs, not just the breed, because allergies react differently. There are things you can do to mitigate allergies and it sounds like you've got a good handle on that. A good diet, regular grooming, and keeping the dog in certain areas of the house are all good things. 



> My concerns with the TT are:
> 1. will they be too aloof?


Most dogs that are described as aloof refers to the dog's reaction to strangers. One of my dogs is aloof with strangers and most people we meet out in the world are just invisible to him. But with me he's very affectionate. Part of it will vary based on the individual dog. Not all dogs are super clingy, cuddly, etc, but most want to be where you are. Some of it is what you put into it as well. Bond with your puppy! Hang out, pet them, love them. Practice grooming rituals when they're young, especially since there are allergies in the family and good grooming will help with those. Grooming is a great bonding time. You have to put in the time to build a bond, but it's not like that's hard. That's why you bought a puppy! They might not be the kind of dog that crawls into your lap the second you sit down, but most will want to be in the same room as you and keep tabs on you. Many people find that once they get a dog, they never go to the bathroom alone again.



> 2. will they bark excessively at everything?


This is another thing that varies from dog to dog, but you do see trends in breed. One of my dogs is a Schnauzer, and he barks at EVERYTHING. There are three things you can do to get a handle on this.

1) Tired dogs are good dogs. Sometimes excessive barking comes from boredom. Keep your dog physically exercised through walks and mentally exercised through training. Food dispensing toys are good. Tracking is easy and fun and something your daughter can teach the puppy. It's great for puppies because it's easy on their bodies but takes a lot of concentration, so it wears them out without putting too much stress on their bodies. There are lots of books and guides out there, look on www.tcow.net to get started and www.dogwise.com has books you can order.

2) Training. Train "enough," some barking is okay, but after "enough" it needs to stop. Good puppy books will address this, my favorites are Ian Dunbar's Before and After You Get Your Puppy and Patricia McConnell's Puppy Primer. Train your puppy to go to a mat or dog bed on cue and stay there until you release her. This is incredibly useful in all kinds of ways, one of which is it keeps your dog away from the dog while you deal with whoever is there. It gives them a concrete task to do and allows them to calm down from the excitement of someone coming in before they are allowed to go and meet the visitor.

3) Minimize stimulation. Put a couch in front of the big bay window. Train the dog to stay out of the front hallway. Crate the dog in an inner room when you're gone. Management is about not letting the dog practice behaviors you don't like, because the more practice they get at them the harder it will be to get it to stop.



> 3. will they be OK with other strange dogs (We will try to socialize the dog as much as possible)?
> 
> At Thanksgiving, we go to the in-laws. My sister-in-laws have dogs and I am afraid the TT wouldn't do well with that. But, I think a TT is better suited for our lifestyle. Will Wheaten and TT owners please give us their 2 cents.


[/quote]

Socialization to other dogs is about creating a balance. Your puppy needs to meet other dogs so she knows that SHE is a dog and other dogs aren't something to be afraid of, but she also needs to learn that not every dog was put on this earth to play with her. A really good puppy kindergarten class is worth any price. Look for one that lets the puppies play together, but not for the whole class. If they bring in adult dogs that are known to do well with puppies, that's even better! Puppy kindergarten is about you working with your puppy, not your puppy learning to ignore you to satisfy her own desires. If the puppy class advocates choke collars or harsh physical corrections, stay far away! Puppies are like toddlers, they get a lot of license to be stupid because, well, they are. Puppy kindergarten should be a very positive experience for you and your puppy. If it's not something that both of you look forward to going to, it's not the class for you. The whole family should go, but different places will have different policies on how much handling your daughter can do. At 12, if she's well mannered, there should be a lot she can do.

Let your puppy meet your family's dogs. Puppies should meet healthy, vaccinated adult dogs more than other puppies, IMO. It's like with kids, you want your kids to have good older role models to play with, not just other 3 year olds. Always supervise play, some dogs are better with puppies than others and if the older dog is being bothered too much by the puppy, remove the pup. It may be that your family's dogs and your puppy don't get along. That's fine, really. Like people, some dogs just don't get along. Unlike people, there's not a lot you can do to force the issue and sometimes it's just better to avoid the situation. You puppy will be fine if she is boarded for a few days at a kennel or has someone watch her for a couple of days, I promise. Getting her used to the possibility of you going away is another thing to get her used to when she is young.

As for the timing of the puppy, that's tricky. I understand wanting a summer puppy, that makes a lot of sense with your lifestyle. I don't think you should get a Wheaten. An August TT? Maybe. It might be better to wait until next summer though. Talk to the breeder, they should know other TT breeders you can meet if you think that breeder and her dogs aren't a great fit for you for timing, temperament, whatever, even if the BREED is. A year in advance is not too early to be on a waiting list and you can spend the time in between getting ready for the puppy. Forewarned is forearmed, and I think having a little extra time might serve you well to get everyone prepared for a puppy, puppy proof the house, buy supplies (if you buy them over time it might be easier on your pocketbook, getting ready for a dog is more expensive than the price of the dog!), find a vet, find training classes, etc.


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## lisaj1354 (Feb 23, 2008)

I can't really speak to the Wheaten, bu I fostered a TT for a while. What a fun dog she was! She had a bunch of energy, and yodeled (not barked!) when she was upset. I didn't find her to be anything but loving, but then again, I don't need a dog to follow me everywhere (although my Pepper is totally velcro). They're very emotional dogs and need positive training methods only. They can also jump a fence, so make sure that if you have a yard, that the fence is high enough. 

Check out the TT breeder carefully. Check with the TT Rescue (you can find them online) as to who is really a good breeder - they occasionally get rescues from the same breeders and know who you shouldn't buy from.


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

My Wheaten is only 5.5 months old, and this is our first Wheaten, so I am not an expert. Some of this is puppy stuff, some is terrier stuff, and some of it is Wheaten stuff ... I don't know which is which.

Outside
*He pulls on the leash like crazy. 

* He digs in the dirt, including removing dirt with his mouth, from time to time.

* He likes to eat grass and blackberries for fun. I do not let him eat deer poop (although the vet said it wouldn't hurt him), pebbles, or mushrooms, even though he would very much like to. 

* He is very determined to do what he wants to do and to go where he wants to go.

* He loves playing in his kiddie pool.

* He likes to sit in the yard or pasture and watch tractors. This is usually when I am walking him ... often I take my Kindle with me because of these stops. I think he deserves the time outside.

* Fallen trees are like Toys R Us to him -- he loves sticks and carries them around the yard. I don't let him chew them b/c the people here said it wasn't a good idea for various reasons. I trade a bully stick for a real stick when we get inside.

* We walk him many times a day. Most are business walks, but I like to go for 45 minute to 2 hour walks with him in our yard, woods, and pasture.

Training
* It took him 3 weeks to learn the sit command, but 3 tries to learn the other commands I've taught him, so that may have been a brain development issue. He knows sit, shake hands, water, window, off, down, come, no bite, potty, and roll over. I teach dogs the water command so if they look like they need it, I can tell them to go drink. The dog goes crazy at the door when someone comes home or leaves, so the window command was taught so he will go look out the window and watch the person go to and fro instead of beating up our front door.

* He is toy and treat driven. His favorite treats are freeze-dried liver, hot dogs, and liverwurst. I use those for training only, and I use a reward-based training method.

Foibles
* He has been a counter cruiser for at least the last month, as of the time his legs grew long enough for him to gain access. He likes to jump on the counter so I will say the off command and he will get a treat. Now, if he is fooling around in the kitchen, I put him in his ex-pen. He wants to see what is cooking on the stove. Our knobs are in the front and he actually turned one on so the gas hissed the other day. Luckily, he is not interested in the stove unless I am cooking. I only use the back burners because of him, just in case.

* He loves to eat paper, and he has eaten the kids' homework several times. The mail is not safe. He greets magazines with great glee. I cannot read a newspaper with him in the room; luckily, I rarely do this. To balance this out, he does not chew on shoes or purses.

* He chews on furniture and the woodwork. None of the bitter sprays work. Either he doesn't taste them (the taste buds for bitter are on the back of a dog's tongue, I read) or he likes it.

* He hides his toys and one of each pair of shoes in the couch, usually. He doesn't like the ear cleaning solution, and yesterday I found it stuffed as far as I could reach into the sofa.

* He is difficult to distract.

*We have to keep the chairs moved away from the dining room table or he will jump on it.

* He is prone to suddenly leaping into a reading person's lap, from across the room and without warning.

* The wheaten greetin' -- well, we are trying to train him not to do that.

* He likes to grab something he shouldn't have and lead us on a merry chase. We never do that. Instead, I wait until he stops and offer him a toy in trade. This works so well that he has nearly stopped taking my Playtex gloves and the sponge from the kitchen sink.

* He has a beard and his hair soaks up water like crazy and every time he has a drink, I find water in his wake ... it drips from his beard (and his paws). He loves the kiddie pool, too.

* He loves to play fetch -- he naturally knew how. We have at least 3 play sessions with him every day, playing until he gets tired or over-excited and starts nipping. I am trying to teach him to catch, but he hasn't done it yet.

* He has the zoomies every night -- running and leaping all over the place. We just calmly watch him until it is over. I think he is part cat and part flying squirrel.

* He is very affectionate. I thought this meant he would sit in my lap or sit next to me while I read. No. It means he loves to lick people.

* He loves to play and if I'm busy, he gets a toy and hits it across my legs until I get the drift. He loves all types of toys equally.

People and animals
* He focuses on people and ignores all animals (birds, cows, dogs, cats). All friends and strangers are greeted as though they are his favorite person in the whole world.

* We have 4 teenagers, plus me, paying attention to him. 

* He gives his attention about equally to all of us. I feed, groom, bathe, and train him, so he follows me everywhere. When he naps, it is in a spot from which he can open his eyes and see me, even if he is in a different room.

* He is always happy, friendly, and affectionate. He is super cute, too, and very funny.

Barking - He has barked about 6 times -- a few short barks. He will whine a short whine when he wants to go out. Other whining is ignored, given that it is usually of short duration and for the purpose of getting me to release him from his ex-pen.

Living Arrangments
* The best investment I have made is the ex-pen I bought on Amazon. We put a tarp under it, and his crate in it. We do not put his water in there because he plays in it and it gets everywhere.

* We have puppy-proofed our house. Doors stay firmly shut to rooms that are not safe for him because of junk on the floor (my daughter's room). We have locking trash cans in the kitchen and bathrooms. We keep the toilet lid down and the linen closet closed. Puppy proofing is sort of like baby-proofing.

* He does not sleep in our beds b/c at night he is in the ex-pen with the choice of sleeping in his crate or not. For the last few nights, I have allowed him to follow me to my room and he sleeps on a pillow beside my bed. He tells me when it is nap time now that I let him take a nap with me in our bed. He sleeps on my husband's side of the bed during naps. He's happy with the pillow on the floor at night since my husband will not give up his bed for the dog.

* He adjusted readily to sleeping in the crate. 

* He takes a couple of naps a day. If I am home alone with him (rarely), he naps while I work, and is ready to play when I am. This has to be because the house is so quiet with 5 people gone, and I am boring when I am doing chores.

Allergies & Ears
* Frontline takes care of the fleas, hence no flea allergy. I have read in a few places that most, if not all, Wheatens are allergic to fleas.
* I feed him TOTW mixed with Merrick Puppy Platter -- grain free food in case he is allergic to wheat or corn, especially. He gets an egg 3x a week.
* I use a hypoallergenic puppy shampoo.
* He has had several ear infections caused by yeast. Vet says this is common with Wheatens.

Grooming
* I comb his hair every other day -- so far, no mats or tangles, but I am assured that the adult hair will not be this easy to manage. I use a slicker brush every other time I groom him, along with the comb. It takes 10 minutes max.
* He behaves beautifully during grooming, nail clipping and bathing, even though he doesn't especially like it.
* There is no groomer around here who has ever groomed a Wheaten, so I have to take the national club's grooming instructions to our groomer. This is important to me because I want Aidan to look like a Wheaten; otherwise, everyone thinks he is a Labradoodle.


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

Katielou: Yes, I am nervous about the energy level of the Wheaton. We have said if we get a Wheaten, we wanted a female since they are supposedly easier for first time Wheaton owners. But, the breeder has only males available.

RaeganW: That is funny. I am in midst of reading "Before and After Getting Your Puppy" by Dr. Ian Dunbar. I also have The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell. I believe I got these books due to suggestions on various sites. With the TTs, how tough are they to train? From what I read, they are also very stubborn. 

Lisaj1354: Thank you for the suggestion regarding the TT rescues centers. That is an excellent idea.

RoughCollie: Wow, Aidan really has a bundle of energy. I would think after a 2 hours walk, he would be tired out. How do you keep up? Do you know other Wheaten owners? Are they all so energetic?


More questions: 
1. I know both Wheatens and TT have separation anxiety. I know we have to crate the pup when we go to work and school. How did you handle it?
2. With Dr. Dunbar's housetraining technique of taking the pup to eliminate every hour on the hour, what happens at night? Do we still take the pup out every hour on the hour?


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

I have not been around as many Wheatons as I have TT's. In my short experience with TT's were that they were barky and the adults were pretty aloof with strangers. Also there was a lot of grooming but then again the breeder kept most of his in show coat. 

But that is only my very short few days stay at the #1 kennel in England, and spending a little time with the TT that won Crufts one year.


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

cte1sttime said:


> RoughCollie: Wow, Aidan really has a bundle of energy. I would think after a 2 hours walk, he would be tired out. How do you keep up? Do you know other Wheaten owners? Are they all so energetic?


Wheatens are a scarce breed where I live -- there is one more, according to the vet. 

We live in the country, so we meander through woods and pasture, and Aidan stops to pick up sticks, sniff, watch tractors. He is up for playing or resting with a chew toy when we get home.

I think his high energy level is due to his age. His parents were a lot calmer.

Aidan doesn't have separation anxiety. When we any of us leave, he gets all excited. I tell him "window", and when we get out to the cars, there he is, watching us. I wave and yell, "Good-bye, Aidan". This is to provide him with a ritual, assurance that I am coming back, since I always do. If the entire family leaves, we put him in the ex-pen. He has chew toys, regular toys, a few dog cookies, and I'm pretty sure he sleeps most of the time we are gone. Mind you, we aren't gone for more than 2.5 hours because there is not much to do in town, which is 30 minutes away.

At night, Aidan (until the last week) slept in his crate. He whined when he had to go out, which was every 2-3 hours, until he was 4 months old. I slept on the couch to keep him company and to be available when he had to go out. After that, he was able to hold it between 11:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. One of my sons has been getting up around 5 (odd for a teenager), and he takes him out around 6 if Aidan is awake, otherwise an hour or two later. When Aidan sleeps in my room, he goes downstairs in the morning for my son to take him out.

The most important thing, which I did not do the first night, is not to play with the dog at all when he goes out in the middle of the night. Put him back in his crate right away. The first night, I played with Aidan for an hour after I walked him. An hour after that, he needed to go out again, and he wanted to play afterwards. I realized immediately that this method was not going to work and I put him into his crate.


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## jfine1231 (Jul 6, 2011)

My wife and I have been the owners of both SCWTs and TTs. Wonderful dogs! SCWT can be prone to ear infections and skin conditions-smelly, oily skin with hot spots (so they scratch their coat to excess). Best to check the family tree of the SCWT you purchase for the aforementioned conditions. SCWT are true terriers--TTs are not--so SCWT can be a bit territorial. They have a high energy level and need exercise. They "tend to be puppies for a number of years" before they mature and settle down---so be prepared.

TTs are not true terriers--they are very much attached to people and want to be in the thick of things (very social as a general rule). They are not as active as SCWT in our opinion but will not hesitate to be active if given the chance to run and play. We've seen TTs who are quite adept at agility courses too! TTs can be stubborn and do not take kindly to yelling and being ordered around--can be independent. TTs can have eye and hip issues. TTs need to be bathed, brushed and groomed on a regular basis - even if they have a puppy cut.

Please be sure to really check out the breeder and the lineage of SCWTs and TTs. Some breeders of these two dogs will put you through your paces before they will sell you a dog. It's all about keeping the breed pure and having a good home. 

Best of luck


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

Well, it is 2 against one and I lost. We are getting a Wheaten. The breeder is a member of the SCWTCA. We were with the pups and dame for an hour or so. The breeder will pick the pup with a temperament that matches us...a first time dog owner. I mentioned a female will be better for us. The breeder says temperament is what matters. I am worried about the energy of the dog. But, the breeder feels my morning walk should result in a tired dog. 

jfine1231 and RoughCollie: How do you prevent ear infections and skin conditions? From what I've read on the Wheatens, changing the dog's diet helps with allergic reactions. Do you restrict your Wheatons' diet? Also, how often do you give your dog a bath? Were you able to train out the Wheaten Greetin? I don't like dogs jumping on people. I can see the dog jumping on my 85 year old mom or my in-laws resulting in broken hips.


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

cte1sttime said:


> jfine1231 and RoughCollie: How do you prevent ear infections and skin conditions? From what I've read on the Wheatens, changing the dog's diet helps with allergic reactions. Do you restrict your Wheatons' diet? Also, how often do you give your dog a bath? Were you able to train out the Wheaten Greetin? I don't like dogs jumping on people. I can see the dog jumping on my 85 year old mom or my in-laws resulting in broken hips.


Aidan is on a grain-free diet. We are very strict about this. When I give him beef or chicken, I give him a couple of pieces and then watch him for 24 hours to make he handles it okay. We feed him TOTW mixed with a Merrick Puppy Platter. I give him a scrambled egg (made with water, not milk) three times a week. He doesn't have any skin problems.

I bathe him once a month, because he doesn't need it more often. He is cooperative, but does not enjoy it. I use a puppy shampoo that has all natural ingredients. 

He gets ear infections caused by yeast frequently -- three times since we've gotten him. Last time, the vet removed the hair from inside his ears, which some people say helps, and some say doesn't. I pick up an ointment from the vet to treat it. I tried an ear wash that didn't have alcohol in it, but Aidan hated it. He buried it very deeply into our couch. 

One of the most important things I do is brush Aidan's hair every day. I use puppy bath wipes (Petco) to clean him up if he needs it. I handle his paws a lot, as did his breeder, and I think that is why he is completely cooperative when I cut his nails. They are black, so I take off a tiny amount once a week. 

We haven't trained Aidan not to do the Wheatin greetin' yet because I am busy training him to do other things right now. I hold him back from the UPS man and the mail lady so they are greeted nicely. When my husband comes home or we have a guest, Aidan is on a leash, and I make sure the people sit down before I let Aidan greet them. I warn them first that he will jump in their lap and lick their faces. If the person doesn't welcome that, I hold Aidan and let him say a reduced hello before putting him in his ex-pen. He hasn't been around kids (my children are teenagers) but if he were, I would definitely hold onto him because he would overwhelm a kid in about one second.

Our ex-pen is the best purchase I have ever made. It is white plastic, easy to move for cleaning, cost about $80 at Amazon, and holds his crate and his vast toy collection. We put a tarp under it in case ever makes a mess, and to protect the wood floor. I put him in the ex-pen when I sweep and vacuum, when the kids carry groceries in, and anytime when his participation in our activities is either dangerous for him (he cannot help me take cookies out of the oven) or he is being a pain in the neck.

His water bowl is not in his ex-pen because he plays in it. He loves water, so we bought him a kiddie pool, and he loves toys, pig ears, and bully sticks. I bought him the large hide-a-squirrel toy at Amazon, and that is one of his favorites.

Above all, Aidan is so darned cute, happy, friendly, clever, and physically agile that we are thrilled to have him. Life is not boring with Aidan around, and I mean that in a good way!

BTW, his legs grew long quickly and he stretches out so he can reach things on the counter, desks, and dining table. I took everything off the living room tables, and I keep the counters and dining room table clear of objects that would interest him. My desk has everything either filed or in piles at the back, where he can't reach it. I use the back burners on the stove.

This is an informative site; I linked the training page, too: 
http://www.scwtca.org/
http://www.scwtca.org/train/index.htm


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## jfine1231 (Jul 6, 2011)

Good to hear the breedeer will selct a pup for you. Agreed a female is best for you (as your first dog)--should be a bit easier to handle. The energy levelof your SCWT will be high--be sure to exercise the dog as much as possible. I agree temerment is very important but so is checking the family history for ear/skin problems

We would check Bailee's ears on a regular basis to look for a discharge. We'd also employ the sniff test to see if her ears smelled--quite distinctive. Also watch for head shacking (back and forth). Could be a sign of ear issues. I'd make sure Bailee's ear hair was pulled out to keep the ear canals clear. I also used Q-Tips (carefully) to clean out her ear canals--used an ear cleaner prescribed by our vet. We placed Bailee on a strict diet of kibble--again recommend by our vet - and if we decided to change her diet--we'd introduce new food carefully. We also give her white rice. Watch for the dog to see if she is scratching her coat--to the point of breaking the skin (hot spots). Bailee got a bath once a week and was groomed every 4-6 weeks--we used shampoo prescribed by our vet. We also used good old fashion baby shampoo. We'd watch her skin/caot to see if got oily/smelly--if so into the tub for a bath. Bailee was more territorial than a jumper--she barked a bit but not to excess. Let me know if you have other questions. Sure would be nice to see pictures of your new addition when you get her!


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

I will definitely post pictures of our pup...but she is a he! The breeder only has males available  

I am in midst of trying to find a vet and a puppy class for our pup. The breeder said to limit the vaccines to give to the pup. She feels over-vaccination is not good for the Wheatens. Did your breeders have the same concern?


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## jfine1231 (Jul 6, 2011)

Is the male going to be neutered or will you use him as a stud? If he is not neutered he may spend a lot of time marking his territory--inside and out. Get him potty trained as soon as you can. I agree with limiting vaccines--we do with all of our dogs! What color SCWT will you be getting--a darker red/nbrown color or light wheaton? Just curious.


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## luvntzus (Mar 16, 2007)

I've found males to be more affectionate and less moody. But it may be different with Wheatens; I don't know.


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

The pup will be neutered. It is part of the contract. Regarding the color, are you referring to American vs Irish Wheatens?m I believe ours will be American.

Did you fenced your yard so your dogs could go outside without a leach?


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

cte1sttime said:


> Did you fenced your yard so your dogs could go outside without a leach?


We have a 50' lead so our Wheaten can run in the pasture, but we haven't used it yet. I wish we had a fence because he loves to play fetch, and because it would be easier in the winter to just let him out to do his business.



luvntzus said:


> I've found males to be more affectionate and less moody. But it may be different with Wheatens; I don't know.


This is what our breeder said about Wheatens, and it is why we chose a male.


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## runner (Jul 13, 2011)

Our wheaton is 7 months old and she is very active. She is getting taller so things on the counter and table are now fair game. We try and take her to the dog park everyday so she can burn some energy and socialize, she is very friendly and never barks except the one time she barked about 6 times at the phone book? Overall, wouldn't change a thing








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## Allyfally (Mar 4, 2011)

I love the look of Wheatens, and I've wanted one for a really long time. But by reading about them more lately, a lot of them seem to have aggression issues... I dont know if thats true or if it was just where I was looking (I've been looking at Wheaten rescues and it seems like 8 dogs out of 10 in rescue have bitten people or other dogs.)

I have met a Tibetan Terrier though. We babysat him for 2 weeks a few years ago. I LOVED him. I cried when we had to take him back to his family. He was pretty low key, but also extremely sweet. He didnt bark hardly at all, and when we took him outside he was fine with the dogs on the other side of the fence, even though they were all barking and going crazy at him. And he didnt shed hardly at all.


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## runner (Jul 13, 2011)

Sorry that you had a bad expierence with the wheatens, like I mentioned we socialize her whenever we can, so I think that helps alot because a friend of ours has a wheaten that wasn't socialized and sometimes she goes after other dogs


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## Allyfally (Mar 4, 2011)

I've never met any in person. I was just looking at rescues online.


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## runner (Jul 13, 2011)

Oops, misread your post, sorry. We bought ours from a breeder and our friend bought hers from a chain store, maybe that has something to do with it?


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## IAWheaten (Jul 31, 2011)

Did you get him yet? If so, how's it going?

I owned a female Wheaten for 7 yrs and it was 7 yrs filled with joy, happiness & unconditional love. We just had to put her down last month (she was diagnosed with PLN when she was 2) and it was devastating. She was much more than just a dog to us.

My husband and I are getting ready to welcome another Wheaten into our family in September. I can't wait ~ well... except for the potty training.  Samantha was a slow learner in that area.

Well I hope things are going well. Just have patience through the early puppy stages.  The best advice I can give you with raising a Wheaten is this ~ be firm, but friendly when you're telling him not to do something. They can be stubborn, but they really do want to make you happy. Yelling at them only breaks their special spirit down. They are extremely happy dogs, but emotionally sensitive (again...try not to yell at them too much). Good luck and I hope you are as blessed as we were with our first Wheaten.


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

Yes we did. We got Indy a day shy of 9 weeks. He turns 11 weeks today! He is a cutey especially when he sits, tills his head, and looks at you. 

We are currently battling potty and crate training (hence the slow responses). He likes to go wherever he wants to...AHHHHH. He HATES his crate. Everytime we put him in it, he cries and paws the crate. There aren't many treats we can give Indy to entice him into the crate since the breeder has him on limited ingredients diet (Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Chicken Limited Ingredients Diet). The breeder switched him from regular Natural Balance diet to LID because she felt the stool was too loose.

We took him to his first puppy class this Saturday. He had a ball! We were told to bring in soft treats. Because of his diet, I boiled some chicken in chicken broth and gave it to him. He LOVES it. We will be using chicken for crate training. 

Indy is really trying to show us who is the boss. On weekdays, my daughter and I will take him out for a long walk. On weekends all of us will go together. He used to love the walks. But now, he refuses to move. He just sprawls on the driveway and refuses to do anything. I don't know what to do about that. Any suggestions?


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## IAWheaten (Jul 31, 2011)

Chicken is a great treat. For not really being a 100% sure you wanted a puppy, you seem to be enjoying him and really going that extra mile. That's awesome!  See...they're so darn cute they just suck you in. I'm not looking forward to the potty training and crate phase again. Things are starting to come back to me and I remember Sam not liking the crate either. Our solution was to bring up the big crate and throw our Lab in there with her. We told Cassie it was good bonding time. LOL! Not sure what we're going to do this time...hmmm.

Yes, they can get a mind of their own. I'm trying to think if Sam ever just said I'm not moving...probably did. Either I jumped around like a nut trying to get her excited and motivated to get going or just gave up and went back inside. One thing I do remember is taking her outside in the middle of the night and waiting for what seemed like hours for her to go potty. I'm sure if the neighbors would've saw me pleading and making deals with her they may have called the funny farm to come pick me up. I think just making everything FUN with them is the key. They seem to really enjoy that kind of attention. 

Your reply did make me smile and chuckle. I can tell that even though things can be frustrating, you are really enjoying him and he is putting smiles on everyone's face. That's a Wheaten.

If you ever have any questions, please feel free to ask. It's a good way for me to be able to talk about Sam and think about some of the crazy things she did. I'm sure I'll be looking for puppy advice here in several weeks as it's been awhile. I just keep telling myself it so worth it when it all comes together.


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## hequestrian (Jul 26, 2011)

I grew up with 4 different Wheatons. 2 of which my parents still have. 

Cooper and Zoe were the first two- they were my step dads from his first marriage and his ex wife ended up getting them permanently (which is why we got the 2 others). 
They were neurotic and had poor breeding I believe. Coop was extremely territorial and despite being neutered peed on EVERYTHING. Both had very bad allergies and the food that ended up settling best for them was Wellness. Zoe passed away about a year back after a battle with cancer. 

To this day I feed both of my own dogs (not wheatons) wellness. I have used Taste of the wild as well though and it did great too. 

Izzy and Gracie are both almost 6yo now and are great dogs but from experience I can tell you that for the first 2-3 maybe even for years of their lives a walk in the morning would not cut it. They went for walks and had free run of my parents HUGE yard and still didn't tire out. 
Both are serious diggers and you would almost think that they had noses that were trained to find mud and dirt. They are always filthy. 
Gracie got an ear infection a few years ago and since then it has been a reoccuring problem. She also just had to have a mass removed from one of her front legs that fortunately wasn't cancer. Izzy has pretty unfortunate arthritis. 

They are stubborn and took FOREVER to housebreak (all 4 of them). They also do what I refer to as Spitefull pissing. If they are mad or bored they will pee in my moms office or bedroom. 

All that being said they are the sweetest girls. My little brother is now 10 and all through their lives he has been harrassing them in some way shape or form. He is always bugging them and I have never seen a hint of aggression towards anyone in our family, even my ubber obnoxious brother. They are pretty protective and do bark at strangers etc. They probably weren't socialized as well as they should have been and are pretty unfriendly to new dogs. 

I think that with the right exercise, diet, and training you could have a great family companion.

Good luck. PICTURES!


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

Hi, here is an update on Indy's walking. Earlier this week, we put Indy on a long leash. Then, we started walking. He would go through his boulder routine (sit/lie down). But, once we get a little distance, he comes running up. We did this a few times back and forth on the driveway and backyard. We are now back to the regular leash. He still has some resistance and we are walking only down our driveway. We are waiting for the weekend so that our whole "pack" can go for our normal walk to see how he does. 

I need help on posting pictures next to the user id or as a signature. The picture size is very limited and I can't get my pictures to the allowable size. What did you do to get your pictures in. Here are 2 pictures of Indy when he was 9 weeks old: Indy 1 Indy 2


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

He's adorable!


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## IAWheaten (Jul 31, 2011)

He is adorable! Makes me excited to bring my Wheaten puppy home. Keep working with him, he'll catch on.


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## hequestrian (Jul 26, 2011)

He's adorable. 

I had the same problem as you for pictures and what I did was resize them in photobucket. There are requirement guidelines when you try to upload and the way I did it was very easy and didn't take long.


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## kadini (Nov 30, 2011)

As there seems to be more Wheaten info here I will chime in with my post on my Tibetan Terrier from a different thread. I suspect there is a fair amount of variation as with any breed and I can only speak from experience with one Tibetan, a 29 month old, which I have had for just seven months. He is exceptionally large, 20-1/2 inches and about 44 pounds, but from from a TTCA recommended breeder. He is very easy to live with, smart and adaptive. My wife, who had never had a pet and been brought up to think dogs were disgusting, smelly and scary, really likes him.

I live both in New York City in an apartment and in the county with a big yard and he has become equally happy in both places. I would say compared with other dogs in general he is much more easy going and relaxed. He doesn't fetch or run around much. First and foremost he loves to be included in anything I'm doing or the family is doing. At a dog park he is almost as interested in the other people as he is in the dogs and doesn't enjoy chasing around when more than one other dog is involved. He is a little timid. He attacks the neighbor's labs if they come in our yard but quickly retreats. 

He is fine off leash which I started after fully bonding. (All the "web wisdom" says never trust a TT off leash because the queen mother of TT's said that in a book once. It has been perpetuated by over-protective show dog folks. These are companion dogs, not hunters.) He runs free in NY parks (before 9:00 am and after 9:00 pm). In the county he was trained to an invisible fence and now stays in the yard without it. I take him off leash in the county whenever he is not around cars. Burrs can be a problem. When off leash he rarely goes more than 50 yards from me and checks in regularly. Here he is playing in Central Park with a Poodle puppy.

He travels very well. He loves to go with us where ever we go, stays in the car when I run errands or eat in restaurants. I don't leave him alone at home for more than about five hours and when we leave him he stays happily in his crate which he was trained to as a pup. He barks a lot at anyone who comes near or in the house but is fine a few minutes after introductions. His coat does require a couple of 30 to 45 minute sessions a week even when clipped. (You need a good brush with steel "bristles" with no plastic ends, a teflon coated steel comb, and a tool for cutting out matted fur.)

I think healthy walks are as much about time for seeking behavior as they are about exercise. He gets 60 to 90 minutes of walks a day in the city and a mile or two in the county plus yard time. But if I'm not in the yard he'd rather be where I am after about 5 minutes in the yard.

As Buddhist monks had little presence in Tibet 2000 years ago everything written about Tibetan Terriers' history should be taken as conjecture. But whoever bred them originally created a fabulous companion dog that is highly tuned-in to people. If you are into ordering dogs around and showing them who's boss all the time and all that nonsense, this dog probably isn't for you. The guy who decided intelligence in dogs is measured by how they respond to obedience and training was not an intelligent guy. This dog's intelligence runs more towards knowing what you are thinking and feeling. 

He responds to respect and to an owner who expects to be respected. I look at living with a dog as a two way street. I make and enforce the rules but I try to be accommodating to his interests especially olfactory interests. I don't think of him as stubborn but occasionally he'll do something like not get out of the car when we get home and although very cooperative in general, he doesn't always obey. Although adaptive, Tibetans are probably happier in a relatively calm environment. My dog had trouble adapting to a previous short term owner who had a brutish husband prone to charging around and yelling.


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

Kadini, we got the Wheaten because both my husband and daughter wanted the Wheaten. Indy is now 6+ months old. He is really a very good puppy and very adorable. He just has a way of looking at you that I find very cute. I've also met a neighbor who has a Tibetan Terrier. Indy and Murphy (the Tibetan) are best of friends. They love running together. So, I sort of have both dogs


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## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

This is my first wheaten and I love this dog so much!!!! He was definitely a challenge at first but so eager to please and be loved. Made things a lot easier. Definitely wouldn't suggest to someone who's never owned a dog before as he gave me a bit of a run for my money... but worth it.


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## cte1sttime (Jul 4, 2011)

WheatenDaneMom: My, what a mix you have! Your Brody is SOOO CUTE! We are a first time dog owner and trying to learn from our mistakes. But, Indy is so cute. The hair over Bordy's eyes is so cute. But, we like seeing Indy's eyes. How much does Brody weigh? Indy is around 18 pounds and 15 inches from the shoulder. I believe he is on the small side.


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## WheatenDaneMom (Nov 4, 2011)

Awwww when I HAVE to say the same thing about Indy... in fact I am pretty envious of his gorgeous face!!! Brody is my "rescue"... I bought him off craigslist knowing he was a mill dog. His original owners bought him from a petstore... I had a company in Iowa link him back to the mill he was born at... the child had an allergy to him so he at some point sold him to a younger girl a few hours away... she had him for an undisclosed amount of time and sold him on craigslist... the whole situation is shady but I have all of his original paperwork and microchip info. He has two undescended testicles (breeding is out, maybe that's why?) and came to me with a WHOLE SHALOO of aggression issues... food, child, dog, cat, grooming, tail touching, face blowing... but now four months later... he's SUCH A GEM. I love this dog SO MUCH. I don't think either of the previous owners bothered to know about the breed and/or work with him knowing he was genetically predisposed for failure... LOL.

Brody is a chunky monkey... around 35lbs... very barrell chested, but on the small side. He's actually completed shaved down now... except for his beard. We gave him a lion cut when we first got him... let him grow out but he likes to get into the toilet and eat and drink from it... with little kids in the house it was inevitable he'd come downstairs smelling like a sewer... Heck to the no. 

I posted a pic of what happens when he plays in snow in the pics section, check it out... LOL>.. "Brody's dingleberries"... SO FUNNY.

I want to see more pics of Indy!!


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