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By Cindra Grooming Products — USA-Made Professional Grooming Essentials
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is Ireland’s all-purpose farm dog — a terrier with a distinctly different coat from most of its group cousins. Instead of a hard, wiry jacket, the Wheaten carries a single coat of soft, silky, gently waving hair in warm wheaten shades. This coat is not hand stripped — it is scissored and shaped, making the Wheaten’s grooming more similar to a sporting breed than a traditional terrier.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier has a single coat — no undercoat — of soft, silky, gently waving hair in shades of wheaten ranging from pale cream to warm gold. The coat covers the entire body including the face, where it falls forward over the eyes in the breed’s characteristic “fall.” The AKC recognizes two presentation styles: the traditional Irish coat (shorter, neater, more natural) and the American coat (fuller, more profusely coated, shaped with scissors). Either way, this coat is scissored, not stripped. It is also low-shedding, which makes it a popular choice for allergy-sensitive owners — though no dog is truly hypoallergenic.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is exuberant, affectionate, and people-oriented — friendlier and more sociable than many of its terrier cousins. It greets everyone with its famous “Wheaten greeting,” a full-body leap of joy. Intelligent and energetic, the Wheaten needs consistent training and daily exercise. It retains the terrier’s independent streak and prey drive. It is excellent with children in the family and generally gets along with other dogs. A wonderful family companion for owners who can keep up with its enthusiasm.
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Matting, especially behind ears, armpits, and groin | Single coat tangles easily in high-friction zones; moisture accumulation | Brush daily; check these areas every grooming session; apply Moisture Plus Conditioner to help ease tangles before brushing |
| Coat losing soft wave; becoming cottony | Over-bathing without conditioning; incorrect product use; coat cut too short | Always follow shampoo with Moisture Plus Conditioner; avoid clipping the coat too close; allow length to maintain the wave |
| Face staining around the mouth and eyes | Tear drainage; food and water contact on the face fall | Wipe face daily; clean beard after meals; use Moisturizing Shampoo on face during bath; trim face fall regularly |
| Dry, brittle coat | Under-conditioning; harsh products; excessive sun exposure | Use Reconstructor as a monthly deep treatment; maintain regular conditioning routine |
| Static and flyaways | Low humidity; dry coat; synthetic surfaces | Mist lightly with Super Coat at 90/10 dilution; use Maxi Care as a daily coat dressing between baths |
The Wheaten coat must be brushed daily — not because it sheds, but because the soft single coat tangles easily. Use a slicker brush followed by a wide-tooth steel comb, working in sections from the skin outward. Pay extra attention to the armpits, groin, behind the ears, and the fall (face coat) — these areas mat fastest. Mist lightly with Super Coat or Maxi Care before brushing to ease the comb through without breakage.
Bathe every 4–6 weeks. Use Moisturizing Shampoo and follow with Moisture Plus Conditioner on every bath — conditioning is non-negotiable for this coat type. Work shampoo and conditioner through the coat gently without rough scrubbing. Rinse completely. Dry with a dryer on a low heat setting, brushing the coat smooth as you dry to encourage the wave rather than frizz.
The Wheaten coat is shaped entirely by scissoring every 6–8 weeks. Use straight scissors and thinning shears. The body coat is kept at a uniform length; the face fall is shaped to frame the expression; legs are kept fuller and rounded. For the Irish presentation, the coat is kept shorter and tidier overall. For the American presentation, the coat is grown longer and shaped into a fuller silhouette. Neither style uses clippers — scissoring produces the characteristic soft, natural finish.
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a low-shedding breed with a single coat and no undercoat. Loose hair is caught in the coat rather than falling freely. The tradeoff is that the caught hair contributes to tangling if not brushed out regularly. Daily brushing keeps the coat mat-free and the home largely hair-free.
| Feature | Puppy (under ~18 months) | Adult |
|---|---|---|
| Coat color | Born dark — reddish-brown to black; lightens progressively to wheaten | Warm wheaten shades from pale cream to rich gold |
| Coat texture | Softer, fluffier; coat transition occurs between 12–18 months | Soft, silky, gently waving single coat |
| Grooming priority | Build daily brushing habit; the puppy coat transition is a high-mat-risk period | Daily brushing; scissoring every 6–8 weeks |
| Key challenge | Coat transition from puppy to adult coat is the highest-mat-risk period of the dog’s life | Face fall maintenance; armpit and groin mat prevention |
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Brushing | Daily |
| Face wipe | Daily |
| Bath (shampoo + conditioner) | Every 4–6 weeks |
| Scissoring | Every 6–8 weeks |
| Nail trim | Every 3–4 weeks |
| Ear check | Weekly |
The Wheaten’s signature silky coat needs a different approach than most terriers — conditioning over coarsening, softness over structure. Cindra’s Moisturizing Shampoo and Moisture Plus Conditioner are the foundation of every Wheaten bath — clean, conditioned, and ready to scissor. Made in the USA since 1982.
Used the texturizing shampoo on my Border Collie puppy and I loved it! Rinses nicely, smells okay, coat feels really nice after drying. Other shampoos over-soften which isn't correct for the breed. The texturizing shampoo is just right!
really nice product for my gsd!
love this sprayer and it's pretty to look at!
Washed a dirty puppy and the cleansing shampoo got him *literally* squeaky clean. First time using a cleansing shampoo and I was impressed. I'm not a fan of the scent, but I cant argue with the results.
