Are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers good in hot weather?

How Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers handle the heat

The cooling problem

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers cool themselves through normal panting without the added handicap of a flat face or a heavy northern coat. A healthy dog of this type manages typical UK summers without much drama.

Practical summer management

Shift walks to early morning and late evening, and skip them entirely on the hottest days. Carry water on every outing, provide deep shade in the garden, and give access to cool floors indoors. The pavement test is simple: press the back of your hand to the ground for seven seconds, and if it is too hot for your hand it is too hot for paws.

Never leave any dog in a parked car, conservatory, or caravan, even briefly and even with a window open. Interior temperatures climb to lethal levels within minutes.

Exercise in warm weather

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers have high energy, which is the trap in summer. They will keep going past the point that is safe, so it is on you to cut sessions short, choose shaded routes, and swap a run for sniffing and brain games on hot days.

Personality and summer walks

A silky, wheat-coloured terrier that greets everyone like a long-lost best friend. Exuberant to a fault.

An energetic dog does not naturally self-regulate in the heat, and left to its own devices will keep playing or running well past the point that is safe. Confident dogs carry on as normal in unfamiliar hot conditions rather than showing early signs of discomfort, which can mask overheating until it is more advanced. A stubborn dog can refuse to come in from a sunny garden or cut a walk short, even once it is visibly struggling with the heat.

Heat, training and behaviour

Teaching a dog to settle in the shade

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers respond reasonably well to basic settle training, which helps on hot days when the aim is simply to keep the dog calm and off its feet during the warmest hours.

Barking and restlessness in a heatwave

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers bark a moderate amount day to day, and that can increase during a heatwave if the dog is uncomfortable and unable to settle properly.

Family and other pets in a heatwave

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers generally do well around children, though hot weather adds a job for parents: making sure excitable play with kids in the garden does not run on longer than the dog can safely handle. A cat in the same household should have its own cool retreat well away from this breed, heat or no heat.

Cost and ageing in hot weather

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers typically live 12 to 15 years, and older dogs of any breed regulate heat less efficiently than a fit adult, so senior soft coated wheaten terriers need shorter, cooler outings and closer watching during a heatwave. Insurance for a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier in the UK typically costs about £28 to £60 a month, and heatstroke is exactly the kind of sudden, serious vet visit that cover exists for. A Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppy, usually priced around £700 to £1800, overheats more easily than an adult dog as well, since puppies have less developed temperature regulation and tire without always showing it.