Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier vs Rafeiro do Alentejo - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Portuguese Mastiff, the Rafeiro do Alentejo comes from Portugal and has always been used as guardian for livestock. Their numbers declined quite a bit when there was no longer a need for this kind of job.Today it is essentially a companion dog.

The official standard of the Rafeiro do Alentejo was established in 1953. The dog is is recognized as a breed by the Portuguese Caniculture Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Interationale.

This wheaten colored terrier hails from Ireland. Although the Wheaten has been around for a long time, it was in 1937 that he was recognized as a breed in Ireland.

The British Kennel Club also recognized the Wheaten and the dog was also exported to the United States. Serious interest started being shown for the Terrier in the 1970s. It was in 1973 that they were recognised by the American Kennel Club.

The Alentejo is a large dog standing at between 64 and 75cm in height and weighing 45 to 60kg. He is a powerful dog with a deep chest, dark eyes, floppy ears. His coat is short to medium length, thick and straight. The color of the coat is a mix of fawn, a wolf grey, white, cream and black.

Temperament:

This is a serious dog with a calm demeanour about him. It doesn’t matter how calm he is though, as every dog will require training ad socialization if you want to enjoy having an obedient, well mannered dog around you. This is particularly important with a large, independent, self-confident, territorial dog like this.

He isn’t an aggressive dog but he is protective, wanting to guard and look out for his human family. They are dogs that get on well with children and other pets in the home, being wary of strangers.

They’re not recommended for life in small properties in the city as he requires a large garden at least.

The Wheaten is a medium sized dog standing at between 43 and 50cm and weighing between 13 and 20kg both male and female. The coat of the dog is soft, silky and wavy to even curly and is a wheaten to ginger color.

The coat of the puppy is dark but as he grows up it changes into the wheaten color although the ears may be a dark brown color. Pet owners like that the Wheaten is a very low shedding dog.

Temperament:

Playful, social and friendly, the Wheaten has always been put to good use on the farm. These days he is pet and companion. He is energetic and playful so children love having him around.

He is slightly more hyper and energetic than other Terrier breeds so will require a good dose of exercise.

He is smart and strong willed, and training and socialization turns him into an amicable pet to have around, so much so that he is sought after as a therapy-dog.

They’re easy-going dogs with no aggression issues but they still make great watch dogs and want to do whatever it takes to look after- and protect their human family.

The Rafeiro do Alentejo is a quiet dog, but intelligent and strong-willed. Training and socialization will make him easy to get on with.

He will become an excellent companion, and can come indoors because he is well mannered and considerate. He was bred to be a guard dog, and the responsibilities he had taking care of livestock has been transferred to looking out for- and protecting his human family.

He makes a wonderful pet and companion, even with children and other pets, more so when brought up correctly by loving, firm, consistent dog owners.

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier has always made an excellent farm dog, but today he is more suited as pet and companion.

He adapts easily to life in the city or the countryside. Wherever he is, he will need his exercise. He also longs to be an active part of his human family, and then he’s happy, lively, social and friendly and is a great playmate for children.

He also gets on well with other dogs and will make you a fantastic family pet.

The Rafeiro do Alentejo is a generally healthy dog breed, and with good care can get to 11, 12 or 13 years of age.

Of course with a large dog like this, it is always a good idea to be aware of canine hip dysplasia, particularly because this is a large dog with a deep chest.

This makes him also vulnerable to bloat, a condition where the stomach swells with gas and which can be life threatening. Other things to watch for are ear infections and parasites.

When you bring a Wheaten Terrier into your home, you’re not likely to have too many vet fees as he tends to be a healthy dog breed, being able to reach 13, 14 or 15 years of age with good care.

Look out for a dog ailment known as Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). This is a condition where the dog isn’t able to properly absorb protein in the digestive tract, so that it is passed in their stools.

It can be fatal, but if caught early, some dietary changes can keep it under control.

Also, look out for inflammatory bowel disease. This disease occurs when the stomach of the dog has a large number of inflammatory cells which can change the lining of the digestive tract, preventing the normal absorption of food.

Grooming:

Make your grooming time with this serious, calm canine friend of yours a special bonding time. His coat simply requires a brush twice a week to keep it healthy and shiny.

While bushing him, run your hands over him to make sure there aren’t any unusual lumps. Check inside the floppy ears to make sure they’re not red which could be the start of a painful ear infection.

Look a his nails and trim them if they’ve become too long. Check inside his mouth and make sure there aren’t any black, rotten teeth as this can seriously impact the health of your pet.

Exercise:

Options for exercise will include long walks and a chance to run off his leash. In the back yard it will be to his benefit to throw balls for him to fetch. You can even bring him indoors and play some calm games with him. He should have exercise every single day.

Diet:

Good food is needed for good health. It is always convenient to make use of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are on the market.

You don’t want to feed this to your dog day after day so provide your pet with some tasty home-made food too. Dogs want simplicity and consistency with their diets so they don’t battle with upset stomachs and an unnecessary trip to the vet.

Some home-cooked food twice a week and added to the dry kibble can keep him healthy and happy. Boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him. Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week.

Some people even cook it in bulk, refrigerate it and warm up small portions to add to the kibble. Raw meat added in occasionally can also be a good treat. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

Brush your pet’s silky coat twice a week. Such a silky coat can get all tangled and matted. If you prefer, many people opt to rather have the Wheaten’s coat professionally clipped as then it is easier to handle. They like to have the hair clipped that hangs over the dog’s eyes.

Other grooming tasks require you to check inside his ears for redness which could indicate an infection. Trim his nails and check him over for ticks and fleas.

Training:

Have your Wheatie trained and socialized as he is a stubborn dog breed and you want him to be well mannered and obedient.

Exercise:

Terriers like this are energetic dogs and he is going to need exercise every day. A walk for a dog is always a welcome experience as it gives him the opportunity to sniff around and pick up new smells. Play ball- or frisbee games with him as this can tire him out a bit.

Veterinary Care:

If your dog shows signs of illness, get him to the vet. He is such a feisty dog that it can be unbearable to see him out of sorts.

Diet:

Terriers are energetic dogs so if you feed your dog one of the commercial dog foods, make sure the label indicates what food it is. This is because the foods are manufactured according to the type of dog it is, its age, size and energy levels.

Always try and go for the high quality foods which don’t have all those unhealthy ingredients in them. Try to include some home-made food – nothing exotic and spicy – just plain, wholesome food that won’t upset his stomach.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. You can chop it up and add it to your pet’s kibble twice a week.

Try and include a little bit of raw meat to his diet occasionally as this can go towards ensuring he doesn’t get skin diseases. Always ensure he has a constant supply of fresh, cool water available.