Kerry Blue Terrier vs Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

A Kerry Blue Terrier
Photo: Eponimm
A Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Photo: SusanSmithGSU

Side by side

Kerry Blue Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Adult weight
Males 15–18 kg (33–40 lb); females 10–13 kg (22–29 lb)1
Males 16–18 kg (35–40 lb); females 14–16 kg (30–35 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 45.5–49.5 cm; females 44.5–48 cm1
No sourced figure
Lifespan
Median 12.4 years3
Median 13.7 years3
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes4
Group
Terriers1
Terriers5
Coat
Wavy coat1
Wavy coat5
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
A moderate amount
Health
Mouth melanoma (much more likely)6
Blood-vessel cancer of the spleen (much more likely)6
Class
Watchdog
Family

Which suits you

Lifespan
In UK vet records the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier lives longer: a median of 13.7 years, against 12.4 for the Kerry Blue Terrier.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Kerry Blue Terrier: affectionate on its own terms; Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier: a lap or leaning dog) and on independence (Kerry Blue Terrier: decides for itself; Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier: cooperative, with its own ideas).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 14 kg (31 lb) for the Kerry Blue Terrier and 16 kg (35 lb) for the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Kerry Blue Terrier
Terriers · Medium

In temperament the breed is lively, clever and alert. It is affectionate and playful with its own household and watchful with strangers, which suited its old role as a farm guard.

Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Terriers · Medium

In temperament the breed is friendly, cheerful and closely attached to its family. It is generally less combative than many terriers but keeps the terrier's quick energy and urge to chase.

The Kerry Blue Terrier page →The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Kerry Blue Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Activity
A good daily walk and play
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Differs
Needs daily brain work
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Kerry Blue Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Decides for itself
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Kerry Blue Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Differs
Likely to chase small pets
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour7. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home8,9.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier grows to the heavier adult, about 16 kg against the Kerry Blue Terrier's 14 kg.
Kerry Blue Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
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More comparisons

Compare the Kerry Blue Terrier with
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier vs Standard SchnauzerKerry Blue Terrier vs Standard SchnauzerStandard Poodle vs Soft Coated Wheaten TerrierAmerican Pit Bull Terrier vs Soft Coated Wheaten TerrierKerry Blue Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull TerrierSoft Coated Wheaten Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull TerrierAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·