Irish Wolfhound

Large, beautiful, Irish wolfhound attracts the eye with its size and article. At the first meeting, the dog may scare with impressive dimensions and a harsh view, but when meeting him he will surely win over with a good-natured, calm disposition. Irish wolfhounds are one of the most loyal creatures, the separation of a pet from its owner can lead to tragic consequences - a disease and even the death of an animal. What are these amazing dogs that came to us from Ireland?

How did the breed

In Ireland, Irish wolfhounds are deservedly considered the main property of the country, and in England these dogs serve the royal family. But in fact, the history of the breed began long before the appearance of Ireland, and there is evidence that dogs existed back in the 400s BC.

Then the giant hunting dogs accompanied the Celtic tribes who roamed the territory of the modern central part of Europe. Dogs are called Celtic greyhounds.

Researchers believe that these dogs, having penetrated the British Isles, became the founders of the Irish Wolfhound breed. The very first written confirmation of the existence of borzoi with beards belongs to the ancient Roman emperor. In his letter, he gives a description of the huge dogs with bristly wool, which were brought to Rome in iron cages.

Then the giants were used for bloody amusement - hounding dogs. Despite all the rigidity, the positive side of dog fighting is the active selection of hardy and strong dog breeds. Many ancestors of modern breeds once fought in the rings.

It was also found that at that time the puppies of the Irish Wolfhound were presented to the imperial family as a gift. Of course, at the beginning of the era one cannot speak of professional breeding of the breed, however, even then there was a selection of representatives based on their working qualities. Valued strong, large, fast individuals.

When animal baiting was outlawed, the Irish wolfhounds were on the verge of extinction. Then they began to be used for large game pens and military patrols, thereby reviving the fading breed.

The second crisis the breed experienced at the turn of the 18-19 centuries. Then the hunt lost its relevance, the number of Irish wolfhounds decreased significantly, and then they almost disappeared. The next revival of the breed was due to the admirer of these dogs - Mr. Richardson. Finding an old-type dog, he began to independently restore the lost gene pool.

The work of Richardson gave fruit by the end of the 19th century, in 1885 the first standard of the Irish wolfhounds appeared, and then the first breed club appeared, maintaining the qualities of dogs and their breeding. This event contributed to another fan of the Irish wolfhounds - Agustus Graham. In addition, he so accurately described the breed that its descriptions are used to this day. In our days, the best representative of the breed is awarded the Graham Prize.

Breed description Irish Wolfhound

Today, the standard adopted back in 2001. According to him, the Irish wolfhounds belong to the group of hard-haired greyhounds. These are large, muscular dogs, but without undue severity. The height of males at the withers is approximately 79 cm, and the weight is about 54.5 cm, the bough is no more than 71 cm, and the body weight is 40.5 kg. With such growth, pedigree representatives belong to the highest breeds.

Dog breed Irish Wolfhound photo

They are elegant and attractive. From dogs blows a kind of nobility. Irish wolfhounds move energetically, gracefully, at ease. During movement, the head of the dogs is slightly raised, the tail is high.

The standard describes the breed as follows:

The head is of decent length, the frontal bones are weakly convex, there is a barely noticeable hollow between the eyes. The cranium is rather narrow, the muzzle has a moderate taper. The teeth are small in size, with a straight or scissor bite. The lips have a black edging, are dry and tight. The muzzle ends with a large, wide lobe of the nose, pigmented by black.
The eyes are medium, oval in shape, the iris can be black and dark brown. Eyelids with black edging, tight fit. The look of the wolfhounds is kind, calm. In excited dogs, he becomes shrill, attentive. Ears are small, set high.
The neck is long, with a pronounced relief of the muscles, it becomes wider closer to the shoulders. The back is wide, the loin is wide. The croup is slightly sloping, with muscles. Dogs chest is powerful, deep, with an oval cross-section. The belly is neatly picked up.
The tail is long, thick, with a raised tip, has a low fit and is abundantly covered with hair - on top of a more rigid hair, on the bottom - soft.
The fore and hind limbs are long, straight, with developed muscles and oblique metacarpals. Paws are rounded, collected in a lump, with clenched, vaulted fingers. The claws are large, black.
Irish wolfhounds covered with coarse, tough coat . In the area of the superciliary arches, it is longer and eyebrows are formed from it, and in the area of the chin, the same elongated hairs form a beard. On the body the coat is short, wavy, the density is average.

It will be interesting:

Colors of the Irish Wolfhound

There are many colors of Irish wolfhounds:

gray (different shades);
gray-blue dark;
golden;
sand red;
tiger;
whites;
black.

Strict restrictions do not exist, the standard allows various other shades.

Irish Wolfhound Character

These giants from Ireland are very affectionate, intelligent animals, capable of making their own decisions. It is possible to cause fury of a wolfhound in two cases - attacking a dog, or threatening the life and health of its owners.

Representatives of this breed differ phlegmatic character, the pet quietly stays at home alone or even with children. And this is despite the fact that wolfhounds are very sociable and are not too happy about loneliness, but they will not harm and harm. The dog is so patient that it never hurts a child who hurts him. But to avoid this, it is better not to leave the pet with the kids.

When the family is assembled, it is vital for the dog to be with everyone, but it’s not going to spin under its feet, it won't fade. In his character - it is delicate to sit on the sidelines and wait for his help. These formidable giants are very sensitive, they can be very offended by rough treatment, cruelty, indifference.

Positive quality is the silence of dogs, they rarely bark, without causing discomfort to family members and neighbors. In addition, they are very quiet, delicate.

Irish can be kept with other animals, but only if the dog puppy enters the company of pets. Otherwise, you should take into account the hunting past and strong instincts of wolfhounds. A lively mind and quick wit of a pet make it easy to train him, even for difficult teams.

Education and training of the Irish Wolfhound

To bring up dogs of this breed is a real pleasure. They understand and grasp everything on the fly. However, some peculiarities should be taken into account in order for the process to be most productive:

You can not raise your voice when giving the command. Many researchers believe that the high notes of the voice are perceived by dogs as screeching, and such sounds are made only by weak individuals. To maintain leadership, you need to talk to your pet calmly, evenly, with confidence.
It is necessary to prohibit the puppy to do what is not allowed for an adult dog. Moreover, it must comply with all family members.
Wolfhound puppies are very curious and tender, but strangers should not be allowed to stroke it.
From a very young age, the use of physical force from the processes of education and training should be excluded.
For full-fledged socialization, you should more often bring your pet to places with a lot of irritants. This is a sure way to make the dog confident and calm in the conditions of city fuss.

Terms of care and maintenance

The original wool of the Irish Wolfhound requires special care. To make the dog look tidy, you need to brush it once a day for 1-2 days with a brush for hard wool. After walking, it is recommended to inspect the skin for the presence of parasitic insects.

Considering the size of an adult individual, it is necessary to teach a dog to hygienic procedures - washing , combing, trimming claws , etc. from puppyhood. Otherwise, later to do something with the giant, against his will, will be very difficult.

Irish Wolfhound photo

Claws trimmed on a mandatory basis, otherwise they may interfere with movement. A couple of times a year it is recommended that the dog trimming - removal of dead hair. For exhibition dogs, this procedure is mandatory.

Do not think that since the dog is so huge, he needs to run a lot and for a long time. In fact, Irish people need the same amount of exercise as medium-sized dogs. But it is extremely important to allow the pet to run in open areas.

How and what to feed

It does not matter what the owner chooses - natural food or dry food, as long as the diet is balanced and provides the large animal with everything necessary. If we are talking about food, it is better to give your pet a premium or premium product. This is a great option for people who do not have free time for cooking pet food.

With natural feeding should avoid foods that can cause an allergic reaction. The pet's diet should contain meat - beef, chicken. Also needed are fresh and boiled vegetables, herbs, cottage cheese products, rice, buckwheat, oatmeal.

Immediately you should stop begging at the table, not by the status of such majestic dogs to be beggars, and human food can cause significant harm.

Important about feeding:

Video about the Irish Wolfhound

For how much you can buy a puppy Irish Wolfhound

Given that we are talking about the most famous and ancient breed, it can be assumed that the price of the Irish Wolfhound cannot be low. A puppy with a pedigree costs from 35,000 rubles. The cost of the representative of the breed of the show class varies from 60,000 to 100,000 rubles.

Irish wolfhounds are dogs "for life", you can not cruelly joke with them and give in other hands. They really can be compared with equal members of the family. They are loyal, affectionate and intelligent, and therefore require an appropriate attitude. Only with the attentive and affectionate attitude on the part of the owners will the dogs always reciprocate.