Wheaten Terrier vs Gordon Setter - Breed Comparison

Wheaten Terrier vs Gordon Setter - Breed ComparisonWheaten Terrier is originated from Ireland but Gordon Setter is originated from United Kingdom. Wheaten Terrier may grow 20 cm / 7 inches shorter than Gordon Setter. Wheaten Terrier may weigh 16 kg / 35 pounds lesser than Gordon Setter. Both Wheaten Terrier and Gordon Setter has same life span. Both Wheaten Terrier and Gordon Setter has same litter size. Both Wheaten Terrier and Gordon Setter requires Moderate maintenance.

History

The Wheaten Terrier hails from Ireland, some 200 years ago.

wheaten terrier - historyThe dog was bred to be a useful dog to have around the farm. He was needed to help with the guarding and herding of livestock and to keep the rat population down.

This little dog has a long history, but in spite of this, he wasn’t recognized as a breed in his home country by the Irish Kennel Club until 1937.

It was in 1943 that the Wheaten was recognized by the British Kennel Club. They were exported to the United States in the 1940s and recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1973.

gordon setter - historyThe Gordon Setter includes mixes of the English Setter and the Irish Setter. The original purpose of the breed was to hunt game birds.

The dog breed hails from Scotland with a history that dates back to the 17th century. The dog was developed in Gordon Castle by the Duke of Gordon IV.

The dog became popular among hunters in the early 19th century. He is the biggest of the setter breeds. It was in 1884 that the American Kennel Club recognized the Gordon Setter.

Description

wheaten terrier puppy - descriptionThe Wheaten Terrier is a robustly built, medium-sized dog with males and females standing at between 43 to 50cm in height and weighing between 13 to 20kg.

The soft, single coat is a silky texture and a wheaten, gingery color. A bonus is that the coat doesn’t shed much. Puppies are born with darkish coats of a reddish-brown color but the coat lightens significantly as the puppy grows older.

Most Wheaten Terrier owners opt to have the dog professionally groomed. Their tails have always been docked.

Temperament:

Your Wheaten Terrier is a smart dog, albeit headstrong and stubborn. His intelligence makes it easy to have him trained.

They love their human family and aren’t known for any aggression issues. They’re energetic, playful dogs and are sometimes even looked upon as being hyperactive. They’re able to get along well with other dogs and cats in the house. They generally make great family pets.

These dogs are well suited to life in the city as well as the countryside just so long as he gets his daily walks and other forms of exercise.

gordon setter puppy - descriptionThe Gordon Setter is a large dog, capable of reaching up to 69cm in height and weighing up to 36kg in weight.

He belongs to the Setter family and is somewhat heavier than the other Setter breeds. Setter dogs are classified as sporting- or gun dogs. He is a beautiful dog with a pitch black coat with tan markings found around the chest, muzzle and paws as well as those two familiar tan dots above each eye.

Sometimes you can find a small amount of white on the chest. The coat is straight and silky but it can be slightly waved with feathering around the legs, chest, ears and tail. Both the tail and the ears of the dog are also long and feathery. The Gordon has an intelligent, dignified look about him.

Temperament:

The Gordon Setter is a confident, fearless, loyal and affectionate dog. They do well with their human families, when there are other pets in the house as well as children.

He can be a boisterous dog so training and socialization will become necessary. Your Gordon Setter is an intelligent dog and also a dog ready and willing to learn. He is calm and even-tempered but playful too.

He isn’t a dog suited to life in the city if there isn’t an adequately sized garden. He is essentially a country life dog well suited to farms or large fenced gardens.

Characteristics

wheaten terrier dog - characteristicsThe Wheaten Terrier is such a bouncy, lively little dog that he brings joy into any home.

He is energetic, playful and full of the joys of living but you don’t want to take advantage of his good nature.

Don’t leave him stuck in your back yard but include him in all your family activities. He’s your best friend, providing you with unconditional love that few humans can equal.

gordon setter dog - characteristicsBeautiful to look at, the intelligent and even-tempered Gordon Setter has everything to be confident about. He loves the attention he gets from his human family and is always looking for a pat.

He can be stubborn and he certainly won't like the idea of being left cut off from his family for long periods of time as he is a social dog with those he knows and loves.

The Gordon Setter is energetic and playful so he will need regular exercise. When you bring a Gordon Setter into your home, you bring in a wonderfully loyal pet and companion.

Health Problems

wheaten terrier puppies - health problemsYour Wheaten Terrier is a dog breed that can live healthily with you for a good number of years.

Just like most other dogs, they are prone to some heritable diseases. Perhaps a condition to look out for with this particular dog is protein wasting conditions - protein-losing nephropathy (PLN) and protein-losing enteropathy (PLE).

Both of these diseases are actually fatal but if caught early enough, they can be managed with dietary changes and medication.

Your dog produces proteins known as enzymes, one group being digestive enzymes that help with the breakdown and digestion of food. When your pet battles with malabsorption, digestive enzymes don’t absorb protein and it passes through the large intestine into the faeces. Your dog will have inflammatory bowel disease.

Dogs with PLE for instance, will have vomiting, diarrhoea and weight loss.

gordon setter puppies - health problemsLife expectancy for the Gordon Setter is usually about 10 to 12 years and with good nutrition and care, your Gordon can easily reach 12 years of age.

Every dog is prone to some common health issues and these include among others hip dysplasia, gastric torsion or bloat, retinal atrophy and ear infections.

Hip Dysplasia:

Large dogs are more prone to hip dysplasia. The disease is a malfunction of the hip joints causing pain and loss of function in the rear legs.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This eye conditon just gets worse over time and can lead to vision loss.

Hypothyroidism:

An under-active thyroid causes a decrease in metabolism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs include weight gain, obesity, cold intolerance, changes in the skin and coat like hair loss and your dog is lethargic.

Gastric torsion or Bloat:

This can be very dangerous with your pet as the stomach is swollen and the stomach rotates and twists and can lead to death.

Caring The Pet

wheaten terrier dogs - caringBrush your pet’s coat twice a week to keep it healthy and have him professionally trimmed to keep him looking nice and groomed.

Dental disease is a common problem with dogs, and more specifically small dogs. Dental problems start with tartar build-up on the teeth and then infection of the gums and roots can set in too. The teeth have to be kept in good condition as rotten teeth can have a negative impact on other important body parts like the heart and kidneys.

Have your pet vaccinated against bacterial and viral infections such as rabies and parvo.

Speak to your vet about the many worms and other parasites that can invade your pet’s body.

Have your Wheaten spayed or neutered if you want to avoid unwanted puppies.

Provide your Wheaten with the best food there is to encourage good health and longevity. Keep his meals simple and consistent and always go for high-quality foods that are in keeping with your dog’s age, Kibble as well as home-made food are good choices. Never leave your pet without a constant source of fresh, cool water.

Provide your Wheaten Terrier with good exercise. Remember though that these dogs are sensitive to warm temperatures, and you don’t want to have him exercising in hot weather because of the fear of heat stress.

Exercise:

gordon setter dogs - caringGordon Terriers are energetic dogs so he is going to require a good deal of exercise each day. Take him with you on your walks and make sure that you give him lots of ball games and rope games.

Grooming:

All Gordon Setters shed, and their coat will require a good brushing at least twice a week. Check nails, teeth and ears regularly. Brush teeth at least twice a week to prevent dental decay.

Diet:

As a working dog your Gordon Setter has a special need for a high fat content diet. You can include some raw meat in his high-energy dog kibble. He can also have some cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables added into his kibble from time to time. Make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.

Basic Information

Group:
Terrier dog
Sporting dog
Origin:
Ireland
United Kingdom
Height Male:
43 - 50 cm
16 - 20 inches
65 - 70 cm
25 - 28 inches
Height Female:
43 - 50 cm
16 - 20 inches
65 - 70 cm
25 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
13 - 20 kg
28 - 45 pounds
32 - 36 kg
70 - 80 pounds
Weight Female:
13 - 20 kg
28 - 45 pounds
32 - 36 kg
70 - 80 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 8
6 - 8
Size:
Medium dog
Large dog
Other Names:
The Wheaten
Gordons, Black and Tans
Colors Available:
Wheaten, gingery
Black and tan
Coat:
Soft single coat
Straight and silky and wavy
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
Yes
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

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