What question characterizes the motivation of the Wheaten Terrier during training?

"What's in it for me?"

The inherent terrier mentality dictates a different motivational structure in training compared to breeds developed primarily for biddability. While Wheaten Terriers are intelligent and respond positively to rewards like praise, treats, and play, their willful nature means they often evaluate commands based on personal gain. This is encapsulated by the internal question, "What's in it for me?" Consequently, successful training hinges on treating the process not as a rigid command-and-obey sequence, but as a collaborative problem-solving endeavor where the owner consistently provides a worthwhile payoff for desired behaviors. Relying solely on repetition will lead to boredom, boundary testing, and the dog actively searching for compliance loopholes.