Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier vs Miniature Australian Shepherd

Compare the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier to the Miniature Australian Shepherd. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers and Miniature Australian Shepherds.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is an excellent choice for new/inexperienced owners. The Miniature Australian Shepherd is okay for new owners, but may not be as easy as the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.
Children - Both the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and Miniature Australian Shepherd are great with children.
Grooming - The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is easy to groom. The Miniature Australian Shepherd has high grooming requirements.
Barking - Both breeds will bark frequently, but the Miniature Australian Shepherd has the highest tendency to bark between the two.

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Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier vs Miniature Australian Shepherd

Breed Name	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	Miniature Australian Shepherd
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	Yes	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	13-15 yrs.
Height	17-20 in.	13-18 in.
Weight	30-45 lb	30-40 lb
Intelligence	Average	High
History
Origin Country	Ireland	United States
Origin Year	1937 AD	1978 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Good
Personality
	Affectionate Loving Likes To Snuggle Willing To Please	Affectionate Loving Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	Yes
Large Yard	Yes	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	35°F to 80°F	30°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Often	Very Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Medium	High-Very High
Exercise Required	Medium	High
Top Running Speed	22 mph	20 mph
Strength	Medium	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Medium
Shedding	Low	Medium
Dander	Low	Medium
Drool Amount	Low	Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	Miniature Australian Shepherd
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	Yes
Family/Pack	Yes	No
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	Yes	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Below Average
Chasing	Average	Below Average
Follow Commands	Average	Average
Fighting	Below Average	Very Low
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Average	High
Hunting	Below Average	Below Average
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Very Low
Sledding	Below Average	Below Average
Watch	Below Average	Below Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	Miniature Australian Shepherd
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	13-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Addison's Disease	Yes	No
Allergies	Yes	No
Cancer	Yes	No
Drug Sensitivity	No	Yes
Glaucoma	No	Yes
Iris Coloboma	No	Yes
Juvenile Cataracts	No	Yes
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	No	Yes
Renal Dysplasia	Yes	No
Retinal Dysplasia	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	Miniature Australian Shepherd
Coat
Hair	Yes	No
Fur	No	Yes
Coat Type
Single Coat	Yes	No
Double Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Shaggy	Yes	No
Wavy	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Medium	Yes	Yes
Long	No	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Wheaten	Yes	No
Black	No	Yes
Blue Merle	No	Yes
Liver	No	Yes
Red Merle	No	Yes
White & Black	No	Yes