All About
Welsh Terrier

Welsh Terriers need plenty of vigorous exercise in order to maintain health,happiness and an even temperament. They should be walked several times a day and allowed to run as much as possible. They are small enough to live in an apartment or condominium, but a commitment should be made to allowing your Welsh to run as much as possible.

Welshies are highly intelligent and need to work their brains as much as their bodies. They bore easily and will find ways to entertain themselves – which usually involves a great deal of mischief. At home, hide and seek games can keep him occupied, as can problem-solving toys. If at all possible, you should enroll your Welsh Terrier in agility or flyball. He will appreciate the extra exercise, the opportunity to think and will eat up the extra bonding time.

The Welsh Terrier should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

Care of the Welsh Terrier’s coat is similar to that for other broken-coated terriers. The hair can be plucked by hand, commonly referred to as hand-stripping. This type of grooming is a continual process and an art that takes years to master. Pet grooming for a Welsh Terrier is not complicated. The dog should be clipped every 8 to 12 weeks, leaving the coat longer in cold weather. The nails should be trimmed at least weekly, and the dog brushed once or twice a week. Usually bathing between clippings is not necessary, but if it is, use a good shampoo that contains moisturizers.

Training a Welsh Terrier can be a study in who is more determined, the trainer who's trying to get the Terrier to listen, or the bored Terrier who's ignoring the trainer. The Welshie is known for having a mind of his own and he's not the most obedient of breeds — he's no sunny Golden Retriever — so he will often test limits. Train him with positive reinforcement and consistency. Harsh corrections can shut down any chance at getting through to him.The Welsh Terrier can also become bored easily, so he requires an interesting training routine. Breaking training up with fun games, keeping it free of repetition, and giving him something to work for are excellent ways to get him more interested in training.Socialization is important with a Welsh Terrier. He can be combative with other dogs and animals, but this trait can be corrected with proper training and early and ongoing socialization. In fact, Welsh Terriers generally do well with other dogs once they're socialized.A Welsh Terrier is a high-energy dog. Even with a vigorous exercise routine, you should expect some of that energy to be converted into room-crashing escapades that range throughout the house. He should have a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes of daily exercise, which can be accomplished by playing in a yard or dog park (as long as he isn't too dog-aggressive to go to the dog park), playing in the house, or going on a long walk. Letting him hang in the yard by himself is not going to be enough — and he'll probably jump the fence.The Welsh Terrier is very fond of toys and will burn off ample energy playing by himself with his favorite squeaky toy. He can also make an excellent jogging companion, though his high prey drive means you should keep him leashed on walks.Crate training benefits every dog and is a kind way to ensure that your Welshie doesn't have accidents in the house or get into things he shouldn't. A crate is also a place where he can retreat for a nap. Crate training at a young age will help your Welshie accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized.Never stick your Welshie in a crate all day long, however. It's not a jail, and he shouldn't spend more than a few hours at a time in it except when he's sleeping at night. Welshies are people dogs, and they aren't meant to spend their lives locked up in a crate or kennel.Although it's not ideal, the Welsh Terrier can live in an apartment. He will bark, though, and this can become a problem in buildings with noise restrictions. A house with a small, fenced yard is better. Also, he needs to live indoors with the people he loves.

Major concerns: none
Minor concerns: lens luxation
Occasionally seen: cataracts, patellar luxation, distichiasis
Suggested tests: eye, (knee)
Life span: 12-14 years

Although the history of the Welsh Terrier is not completely clear, we can ascertain from paintings and prints that the breed is quite old and may have been one of the first Terriers.He was originally known as the Black-and-Tan Wire Haired Terrier or the Old English Terrier. Although associated with Wales, he lived in many parts of England during the 19th century. He was commonly used to hunt foxes, otters, and badgers, and he excelled at eradicating vermin.He was commonly shown and categorized as an Old English Terrier, a category under which many Terrier breeds were classified. It wasn't until 1885 that he was classified as a Welsh Terrier by the Kennel Club of England.Welsh Terriers began arriving in the United States in 1888, though their importation was erratic. By 1901, however, the Welsh Terrier finally established a footing in the United States, and his popularity grew at a steady pace.