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Dating
back to prehistoric times, Irish legend and folklore are
filled with references to the native dogs of the island.
The ancient Romans prized canines from the Emerald Isle
and reproduced them on coins, musicals instruments, and
tapestries. The dogs so admired were the hounds and
hunting dogs of the nobility. Early travelers also spoke
of the "cotters' dogs." These were smaller, all-purpose,
easy-to-keep animals and, no doubt, included early
terriers. This division remained for centuries. As
quoted in The Dogs of Ireland by Anna Redlich, the law
of William III in 1698 stated that "only persons owning
an estate of freehold of the yearly value of 40 pounds,
at least, or a personal estate of 1,000 pounds shall
keep any hound, beagle, greyhound, or land-spaniel other
than whelps under the age of twelve months." The
sporting or hunting dogs were reserved for the gentry;
the terrier was the poor man's dog.
The farmers of the counties of
Munster--Tipperary, Cork, Waterford, Limerick and
Kerry--used terriers as general farm dogs. They
protected people and property, worked cattle, kept down
vermin, hunted badgers and foxes, and were even used as
gun dogs. While the exact history is unknown, it seems
clear that the three long-legged terriers of
Ireland--the Soft Coated Wheaten, the Irish, and the
Kerry Blue---all share a common background. The Wheaten
was also probably involved in the development of the
short-legged Glen of Imaal Terrier. The Wheaten was late
in being recognized by as a distinct breed. The breed
was recognized by the Irish Kennel Club in 1937.
Lydia Vogel of Massachusetts brought
the first Wheatens to the United States in the 1940s,
but real activity in the breed in this country did not
begin until the late 1950s when the O'Connors and
Arnolds imported their dogs. Wheatens were exhibited in
the AKC Miscellaneous Class until October, 1973 when
they became recognized and exhibited in regular classes. |
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