Welsh Terrier
The Welsh Terrier is one of the oldest British terrier breeds, worked in Wales on fox, otter and badger long before dog shows existed, and it descends from the old black and tan…
About the Welsh Terrier
The Welsh Terrier is one of the oldest British terrier breeds, worked in Wales on fox, otter and badger long before dog shows existed, and it descends from the old black and tan terrier stock that also stands behind the Lakeland and the fox terriers. It is more level in temper than most of the group and has always been kept for company as much as for work.
Height is about 39 cm, with a hard, wiry, close-fitting jacket in black and tan or black grizzle and tan, and a rectangular head with a neat folded ear and a good beard. The dog should look workmanlike rather than exaggerated. A stud with a genuinely harsh coat, a sound front and a bold but friendly manner is the type to look for, and hand-stripping is what keeps colour and texture right.
Primary lens luxation appears in this breed and has a DNA test that an owner should be able to show, since the alternative is finding out when a dog is already in pain. An annual eye examination is worth doing regardless of the DNA result. A patella assessment and a question about thyroid function are sensible, and so is a direct question about allergic skin disease, which is easy to hide beneath a stripped coat.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Welsh Terrier
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Good Practice — the Royal Kennel Club’s minimum before breeding
The tests the Royal Kennel Club says breeders should, at a minimum, complete before breeding.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA test — PLL (Primary Lens Luxation) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
Breed hip median
Too few dogs of this breed have been scored (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years: 1 dog) to give a meaningful breed median. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Welsh Terrier stud dogs
No Welsh Terrier studs are listed right now
When a Welsh Terrier on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Welsh Terrier litters
No Welsh Terrier litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
