The Irish Wolfhound
Pre-dating the Christian Era
This giant dog breed was held in such high esteem
that for a long time, its ownership was restricted to kings,
nobles and poets. The dog's great prowess as a hunter of the
immense Irish elk, wolves, and wild boar are legend. When
the numbers of large game fell however, the Irish Wolfhounds
nearly disappeared. In 1862, a Scottish officer, in the British
army, named Captain George A. Graham endeavored to collect
what few remaining specimens he could find and over the next
20 plus years of selective breeding, tried to restore the breed.
In 1885, Captain Graham guided the writing of the first breed
standard. While early attempts were not wholly favorable, by
the end of the century both size and type had been restored.
The Irish Wolfhound is a rough coated Greyhound-like
breed, the tallest of the coursing hounds and remarkable in
combining power and swiftness. Having great intelligence,
this dog breed is highly trainable, considered very gentle, and
excellent with children. Although very courageous, they are
so gentle natured, much too friendly and non-aggressive to be
considered excellent as watchdogs or guard dogs. The Irish
Wolfhound needs large accommodation and lots of exercise,
with plenty of room to run, several times per day. They are average in shedding and so should be groomed about once
a week. They make a wonderful family addition and
thrive best on human companionship. |
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Young Adult Irish Wolfhound
Dog - Min. Height at withers: 32 in. (81.3 cm)
Dog - Min. Weight: 120 lb. (54.5 kg)
Bitch - Min. Height at withers: 30 in. (76 cm)
Bitch - Min. Weight: 105 lb. (47.7 kg)
Applies to specimens over 18 months old.
Average Height: 32 - 34 in. (81.3 - 86.4 cm) |
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