The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier (or just plain Wheaten Terrier for short) Is a terrier from Northern Ireland with a considerable amount of sheep dog bred into it.

Coat

The Wheaten coat should be light biege to shimmering gold in color. The dog is named for it's coat, after all. During puppyhood, the coat is a dark muddy brown, which lightens usually within 6 months.
Be warned, the Wheaten's coat is very beautiful, but once you give yours a bath, it will look like a large rat when soaking wet.

Disposition

Wheatens are playful; in fact very much so. While this breed is a sheep dog in part, many terrier characteristics still remain. Biting and aggressiveness are much less of an issue with the Wheaten, although they are still very stubborn. Have patience when training them.
The wheaten is a very friendly dog; certainly more than your average terrier. They love social contact with almost any dog or human, although they can act a little too playful around timid dogs, and the aggressive barker in your neighborhood will set the Wheaten off like any other Canine.
I have noticed that wheatens like to be lapdogs, and unfortunately they can easily grow to weigh over 30 pounds. Be sure to discourage this behaviour during puppyhood if you don't want it in later life.

History

The wheaten was originally used on Irish farms to herd cattle, defend property and hunt small mammals that were causing problems (mice, rats and even foxes) They have existed since the 1800s, but since they were only recognised by the AKC in 1950, their status as dogs is a little fuzzy in the consciousness of many dog enthusiasts.