The Welsh Terrier was developed in Northern Wales during the 1700s and
has changed little since then. He is believed to be descended from the Old
English Coarse-haired Black and Tan Terrier. He somewhat resembles a small
Airedale Terrier. He was bred to hunt fox, badger, otter and rats. He was
recognized as a separate breed from other terriers by the Kennel Club of
Great Britain in 1896. Introduced into the United States in the late 1800s,
he was shown at Westminster Kennel Club in 1901. He is more popular today
in the United States than in his homeland.
The Welsh Terrier is lively and stubborn. An endearing pet, he is also an
agile and brave watchdog. He needs plenty of mental and physical exercise
. This could include swimming, which he loves.
The skull of the Welsh Terrier is flat and wider between the ears than that
of the Wire-haired Fox Terrier. The jaw is powerful and deep. The drop-off
from skull to muzzle (stop) is not too defined. The nose is black. The ears
are v-shaped, small and set high. They fold over at the level of the skull
and are carried close to the head. They reach to about eye level. The eyes
are small and dark hazel colored. The neck is moderately long and thick.
The back is short and of good depth. The legs are straight and muscular.
The feet are small and cat-like. The coat is wiry, hard and abundant. Coat
color includes a jacket of black or black grizzle that extends onto the
neck, onto the tail and onto the upper thighs. Legs, quarters and head are
a clear, deep reddish-brown tan. There is a profuse amount of tan coat on
the chin, creating a beard. The average height is fifteen inches. The average
weight is twenty pounds.
michelegbononi@msn.com of Greensburg, PA writes:
The only dog I would want to own.
I currently own two Welsh Terriers. My first one will be celebrating
her twelfth birthday. Last October I adopted a second one. They are both
females. My reasoning for adopting the second one was the age of my first
one and while she is quite healthy, I thought it would be easier on me to
have another one. My first one who has always been my most loyal companion
accepted her without any hesitation. They are now best friends and play
all the time. These dogs are extremely loyal. They are quite beautiful
and do not shed at all. If they have a downside it is that they are very
hyper at times. However, they love to play, have a great temperament and
are very friendly. They do need to know who the boss is and require discipline
at an early age to establish their boundaries in life. My oldest one can
be let out at any time and will not wander. My youngest is working on this
and at this date she has not conquered this feat. However, she just turned
a year old. They are very tough dogs and can endure a lot. Both house-trained
within a short period of time. Our oldest one is not crate trained and
while we started her in a crate, she learned how to open the door and get
out. Our youngest is still crated. While I have read that they cannot
be left if you work long hours, I have never had any problem as both my
husband and I do work long hours and so long as they get a walk they are
fine. My youngest likes to swim and my oldest hates the sight of water.
Both can be stubborn at times but will give in. My daughter was four when
we got our first one and there was never a problem with her and the dog.
We adopted a cat when the first one was four years of age and they became
great friends. We own a guinea pig and both dogs if allowed would go after
it in a minute. I would highly recommend this dog. After owning two I'm
still convinced that this is the only dog! They are my babies!
ddpark@aol.com of New York writes on 6/13/00:
A wonderful, affectionate dog.
We adopted our wonderful female Welshie as an adult and were uncertain how
she would adjust to living in a house with a new family. She was great -
she was already crate trained and became house trained almost instantly.
She is extremely affectionate and, although a little wary of small children
at first, very patient eventually with everyone. She has been very quiet,
barking only at cats or other unpredicable, bizarre items (some garbage
cans, particular stuffed bears). She is not too good off leash. She immediately
runs, not to get away but just because she loves running and will come (eventually)
when called, particularly if she has not focused on something. I don't know
how typical she is of all Welshies. But if I could create a dog from scratch,
it would be an awful lot like her.
Betsyhaus@iwon.com of Madison, AL writes on 5/6/00:
The smartest, most entertaining dog I've ever owned.
We have the pleasure of sharing our home with a beautiful, female Welsh
Terrier. I haven't ever found a dog I haven't liked but I have never found
one I have more affection for than this little lady. Welsh Terriers are
beautiful and regal to look at when they are professionally groomed but
have a very comical side to them nonetheless when they are chasing after
a ball or a bird or basically anything that moves. She can run and jump
like no dog I have ever seen but come back into the
house and lay next to me while I watch t.v. She is not hyper at all like
you might expect a terrier to be. She was easily housebroken, easy to crate
train, one of the easiest dogs I have ever trained in obedience. Coming
off lease was the hardest thing for her to learn. When these dogs are outside,
they want to run - run - run. I personally always carry a squeaky toy. When
I want her to come, I just squeak the toy. She can't resist. She is wonderful
with kids of all ages even though she wasn't raised with any in our home.
She isn't much of a barker - only to warn if someone is coming up the drive.
One of her favorite pastimes is to lay in the window seat and watch for
something exciting to pass by. She is the most loving dog I have ever owned.
She will nudge your hand or leg when she wants a pet - and likes nothing
better than to be by your side. She is loyal and wants nothing more than
to make you happy. She loves to swim and always brings a smile to my face
when I look
out the kitchen window and see that she has decided to take a few laps around
the pool before we do. She learned to swim and get in and out of the pool
as a young pup. When she gets hot, she cools
off with a dip. She will sleep next to you in bed - she is quite a cuddler
but never objects if she is moved. She is the greatest dog I have ever encountered.
On a clear night - look up into the sky - that's how many stars I would
really rate her.