How to Breed Wheaten Terriers

Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers are comical dogs with long, flowing hair. If you own a friendly and happy Wheaten terrier, your friends might say they'd love to have a dog just like yours. You might then consider breeding your dog, but be warned: dog breeding is a costly, stressful undertaking and should be left to professionals. If you feel committed to this breed and are willing to take the necessary steps to ensure you have a quality dog, following these steps will help begin your breeding program.

Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure your dogs are at least 2 years old, which is when testing for genetic disorders is the most accurate and your female dog is mature enough to endure a pregnancy. Many health problems cannot be seen until your dog is around 2, so health testing before that age is not helpful, and a dog that hasn't been properly tested should not be bred.

    • 2

      Have your Wheaten terrier registered by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club, which confirms your dog's purebred status. You must show proof that your Wheaten and its parents and grandparents are all of purebred lineage.

    • 3

      Exhibit your dogs in conformation showings done by a Wheaten terrier club. Your dog will be judged on physical characteristics and temperament according to the breed standard for the Wheaten. If your dog is a good representative of the breed, it will win "points," titles and championship rankings. If your Wheaten doesn't earn points after many showings, it's not a good candidate for being bred.

    • 4

      Have blood tests done by your veterinarian for protein-losing enteropathy, protein-losing nephropathy, renal dysplasia and Addison's disease. PLE is an autoimmune condition that affects the Wheaten's bowels and causes diarrhea and weight loss. PLN, RD and Addison's disease are caused by or affected by the renal system (the kidneys). All four disorders are serious and can be life-threatening to your dog and its puppies that inherit them.

    • 5

      Have screening done on your Wheaten's joints by your vet and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for problems, and have a veterinary eye association check for eye diseases. The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America requires all dogs being bred to be free from hip dysplasia and genetic eye diseases.

    • 6

      Have your Wheaten tested for canine brucellosis, a bacterial infection transmitted between dogs that can cause infertility and canine abortion. To be safe, this test should be done once per month for six months leading up to the mating.

    • 7

      Monitor your female Wheaten's estrous (heat) cycles, which normally occur every six months. The second week of the heat cycle is usually the time when your female is able to conceive puppies.

    • 8

      Put the female and male Wheaten terriers together once every other day over the next week for mating. Always directly supervise your dogs during this time. If your female Wheaten becomes upset or behaves aggressively, separate the dogs attempt to mate them another day. The dogs must create a "tie" during mating, where the male Wheaten's penis becomes temporarily stuck inside the female's vagina. A tie can last from a few minutes up to an hour, and signifies a mating has taken place.

    • 9

      Have your female Wheaten examined by a vet three to four weeks after breeding. The vet will feel the female's abdomen or perform x-rays to look for puppies. If your vet can't detect a pregnancy, you'll want to repeat Steps 7 through 9 when your female has her next heat cycle.