Is a Welsh Terrier Right For You

Most often our Welsh are adult dogs — from young adult to senior citizen. Some may have had only minimal training, and others may have lived in a household where they were successful pets. Occasionally a retired show dog may be placed through our program. Generally they are quite “normal,” but some may exhibit health conditions, minor behavioral quirks, or poor manners mostly as a result of improper treatment, socialization, or training.

Our special dogs are truly adaptable and, if the rescue dog already has lived somewhere else (i.e., it is being re-homed), the dog will need to be taught the rules of its new home. Sometimes bad habits that were permitted in the previous home must be gently but firmly unlearned. An adult dog has the physical capacity to accept housebreaking as well as the attention span to learn different behavior patterns. If a dog to be placed is one of our “uncut jewels” from a situation where it had little or no human contact, such as a puppy mill, the new owner can combine a housebreaking routine with a confidence-building training program. In all cases, a minimum eight-week obedience class is invaluable and strongly recommended for any new dog.

Don’t be put off by the idea of adopting an older dog. Since Welsh Terriers easily can live into their teens, they are amazingly active at what some would consider an advanced age. There is no reason to fear that an older dog will not adapt to your household or bond to new people.

Although the details of a dog’s previous ownership usually are confidential, WTCARES passes along all pertinent information available about the dog’s background to the prospective new owner. When you adopt, you won’t get “papers” with your dog, but if you intend to train your dog for obedience, go-to-ground, or other competitions, ask us about the American Kennel Club’s “ILP” registration.

If you wish to be considered for an adoption, please contact the WTCARES representative in your area (see tab under Rescue) You will be asked to complete an application which will tell us more about yourself, your lifestyle, and your needs in a dog.

If you are looking for a dog that:

• Looks like a small Airedale
• Is dynamic, sturdy, and tough — not a delicate lapdog
• Makes a keen watchdog
• May not be as boisterous or argumentative with other dogs as some terriers
• Doesn’t shed too much (if properly cared for)

A Welsh Terrier may be right for you. However, please also consider these traits:

The dynamic terrier temperament

• Quick to bark, quick to chase, lively, bossy, feisty, scrappy, clever, independent, stubborn, persistent, impulsive, intense.
• Providing enough exercise and activities to keep them busy
• Aggression toward other animals — chasing instincts
• Welsh Terriers are often more congenial with other dogs than most terriers, but they are still a determined force to reckon with if they decide to initiate or accept a challenge to fight. Most terriers have strong instincts to chase and seize small fleeing creatures. This can make for conflict if you own a cat. It may be much worse than that if you own a pet rabbit or hamster!
• Stubbornness, Digging, Barking
• Regular brushing and clipping