Welsh Terrier

The Welsh Terrier is a compact and a large Terrier breed. When watching this dog, you get a feeling that it is always busy, always up to something. They are fairly strong and extremely agile. Those traits were “bred into” the breed as they were used for hunting badgers, otters, and foxes.

The Welsh Terrier has relatively small eyes that are usually dark in color. The full, round eye is an undesirable trait in the show ring. Their ears are small and V-shaped and their tails were traditionally docked. Undocked tails are carried straight and erect, well-balanced with the rest of the dog.

Their coat comes in black and tan or black grizzle and tan colors.

Coat

Welsh Terriers have a hard outer coat and a soft undercoat. These dogs shed little and regular brushing will keep the amount of hair under control.

Welsh Terrier coat colors:

• black jacket with tan on legs, quarters, and head

They will also need other basic care; brush their teeth at least three times a week. Check their ears for signs of infection and redness, bathe them regularly, and trim their nails if they don’t wear them down naturally.

Welsh Terrier Exercise

Welsh Terrier is a highly energetic and active breed. They were bred to work all day, so these dogs need a lot of daily exercise. These dogs need an active lifestyle to be happy. They love to be outside and be part of the action, whether running and chasing balls, playing, jumping, or jogging.

If you are thinking about getting a Welsh Terrier, make sure you have enough free time and energy to spend outside playing and training your Welsh Terrier. If your schedule can’t allow you that, consider getting some less active breed.

Except for daily activity, these dogs also need consistency. They like things to happen at the same time every day.

Temperament

The Welsh Terriers’ temperament is one of the best in the whole canine kingdom. They are incredibly cheerful, playful, and curious. They are friendly towards just about everybody and have been described as “social butterflies.”

They are also very funny; the Welsh Terrier loves to amuse himself and everyone close to him. They are usually great with kids and love playing with them. The Welshie has an abundance of energy, so it can keep up with the toddler pace of playing without getting tired or bored. 

They are not as hot-headed as the rest of the terrier breeds and are usually great with other dogs. They are, however, not the best fit for households with other, smaller pets, such as gerbils or guinea pigs.

Welsh Terrier training and socialization

The Welsh Terrier’s training sessions should be interesting and divided into short intervals. They can be easily motivated with food and treats but can quickly lose focus because they are fairly curious and enthusiastic about everything that is going on around them. They are trainable and usually do great in dog sports such as agility, obedience, flyball, or frisbee.

Like any other dog breed, the Welsh Terrier should be socialized as soon as possible. Make sure that your dog is exposed to different sights, sounds, and situations. A good way of socializing a Welsh Terrier is by visiting the dog park. The most important thing is that your puppy receives all their shots first.

Proper socialization will make sure that your puppy develops into a stable and well-behaved dog that you and your family can enjoy to the fullest.

Health problems

Like any other dog breed, the Welsh Terrier can potentially develop health problems. If you are buying a dog, make sure the breeder can provide you with the necessary health tests and guarantees. Always ask to see the results of tests from the puppy’s parents.

The health problems these dogs are associated with are: 

• Epilepsy - Brain problem causing mild to severe seizures.
• Hypothyroidism - A health problem caused by the hyperproduction of hormones from the thyroid gland.
• Glaucoma
• Allergies - these dogs are prone to have allergic reactions to specific foods, products, or medications.

The Welsh Terrier is generally considered a very healthy breed that can live 12-15 years. 

Breeders

When getting a dog, the most important thing is to get it from a responsible and reputable Welsh Terrier breeder. These dogs are energetic and protective, and getting a poorly bred dog can have catastrophic results. Responsible breeders will breed dogs that don’t only look good but have great characters as well.

You must find a good Welsh Terrier breeder that can help you learn about this breed and make an informed choice about getting a dog with these characteristics. 

If you are unsure whether this is the breed for you, check out this FREE GUIDE that will help you decide which dog breed is right for you.

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World Dog Finder team

The history of the Welsh Terrier is not completely unraveled and some canine historians believe that they might be one of the first true Terrier breeds. There are many works of art such as paintings or prints that depict dogs with similar traits as the modern-day Welshie.

The Welsh Terrier was not always called by that name, in fact, it was called and categorized as the Old English Terrier. Many different dog breeds were categorized under the same group that was called by the same name and it wasn’t until 1885 when the Kennel Club divided some of these breeds and categorized the independent Welsh Terrier.

A couple of years later, the Welsh Terrier was brought to the United States and their import was largely uncontrolled and uncategorized. Their import started to be controlled in 1901 and their popularity and numbers started to steadily rise.