Key traits:
| 📏 Size | medium |
| 🐕 Temperament | friendly, lively |
| 🏃 Activity | medium |
| ✂️ Coat | medium |
| 👶 With children | yes |
| 🛡️ Guarding | good |
| 🎓 Trainability | medium |
Description
The Welsh Terrier is one of the oldest terrier breeds, with origins in Wales dating back centuries. Known in the Middle Ages as "Daergi," it is regarded as a forerunner of many British terriers. The first systematic breeding records date from around 1750, and the Welsh Terrier Club was established in 1885.
A medium-sized, active, and courageous dog, the Welsh Terrier has a dominant character. It was traditionally used for hunting fox and badger and is generally friendly with people, including children. While well-suited for dog sports like agility, it requires ample daily exercise and regular coat maintenance.
Health-wise, the breed can be prone to kidney issues, so constant access to fresh water is essential. Consistent, responsive training is important. Welsh Terriers thrive on attention from their owners, though their strong hunting instincts can make off-leash control challenging.
This website is an independent and free project. I would like to gradually replace illustrative photos with real dogs from breeders.
If you send me a photo of your dog, I can include:
- the dog’s name or your kennel name
- a link to your website
What I need:
- a good-quality photo (ideally landscape)
- confirmation that you own the photo
- permission to publish it on this site
- a link on your website pointing to www.choosedog.info (I will also include a link to your website on this breed page)
Please email me at
info@vyberpsa.cz
(the breed name will be added to the subject line)
Or contact me via Facebook Messenger: m.me/choosetherightdog
FCI standard
FCI-Standard N° 78
WELSH TERRIER
ORIGIN: Great Britain.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD: 13.10.2010.
UTILIZATION: Terrier.
FCI-CLASSIFICATION: Group 3 Terriers.
Section 1 Large- and medium sized
Terriers.
Without working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The Welsh Terrier is a breed with a truly working background, he is perhaps rather less exuberant than some of the other members of his group. Like so many of his cousins, he was originally used in hunting the fox, badger and even otter. The Welsh and Lakeland Terriers, which have considerable similarity, may well have had a common origin prior to the Roman invasion of Britain when their Celtic owners retreated to the Welsh mountains and the Lake District.
He is a neat, workmanlike dog with a tight wiry coat normally of black and tan.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Smart, workmanlike, well-balanced and compact.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT: Affectionate, obedient and easily controlled. Happy and volatile, rarely of shy nature. Game and fearless but definitely not aggressive although at all times able to hold his own when necessary
HEAD
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Flat, of moderate width between ears.
Stop: Not too defined.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Black.
Muzzle: Medium length from stop to end of nose.
Jaws / Teeth: Jaws powerful, clean cut, rather deep and punishing; strong with perfect, regular scissor bite, i. e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes: Relatively small, dark, expression indicative of temperament. A round, full eye undesirable.
Ears: V-shaped, small, leathers not too thin, set on fairly high, carried forward and close to cheek.
NECK: Moderate length and thickness, slightly arched and sloping gracefully into shoulders.
BODY:
Back: Short.
Loin: Strong.
Chest: Good depth and moderate width. Well ribbed up.
TAIL: Previously customarily docked.
Docked: Well set on. Carried erect but not too gaily.
Undocked: Well set on. Carried erect but not too gaily. In overall balance with the rest of dog.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS:
Shoulder: Long, sloping and well set back.
Elbow: Perpendicular to body, working free of sides.
Forearm: Legs straight and muscular, possessing ample bone.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Upright and powerful.
Forefeet: Small, round and cat-like.
HINDQUARTERS:
General appearance: Strong.
Thigh: Muscular, of good length.
Metatarsus (Rear pastern): Hocks well bent, well let down and with ample bone.
Hind feet: Small, round and cat-like.
GAIT / MOVEMENT: Fore-and hindlegs carried straight forward and parallel. Elbows move perpendicular to body, working free of sides, stifles turning neither in nor out.
COAT:
Hair: Wiry, hard, very close and abundant. Single coat undesirable.
Colour: Black and tan for preference, or black grizzle and tan, free from black pencilling on toes. Black below hocks most undesirable.
SIZE AND WEIGHT:
Height at the withers: Not exceeding 39 cms.
Weight: 9 – 9,5 kgs.
FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on its ability to perform its traditional work.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities
shall be disqualified.
N.B: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
The latest amendments are in bold characters.
