Dogs

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - Ireland.

MOST SUITED AS - Hunter by sight of large game and family pet.

SIZE
The shoulder-height is a minimum of 79cm (311/tin) for dogs and 71cm (28in) for bitches.

COAT
The coat consists of rough, coarse, hard, and rather unkempt-looking hair. They can be grey, grey roan, red, black, roe deer coloured, and plain white. Grey is the most common colour.

CARE REQUIRED
Regular and thorough grooming with brush and comb will keep the coat in good condition. About once or twice a year the coat will need to be plucked to remove excess hair.

CHARACTER
These are friendly, gentle-natured, dogs that are kind to children, unconditionally loyal to their owner and family, pliable though not slavishly so, calm, and not yappy.

TRAINING
The Irish Wolfhound is relatively easy to train. A gentle approach with plenty of understan­ding will go a long way, because this dog quickly grasps what you intend. Ensure that the young dog is given as much self-confidence as possible and make sure you are always consistent with it, so that it can develop into an equable, confident dog. Do not forget to teach it not to pull on its lead - preferably before it gets big and strong. These dogs grow rapidly and during this stage high-quality food is essential. During this time let the dog decide for itself how much exercise it wants.

Forced exercise and long distance walks are too taxing for their bodies during this time. It takes two whole years before they are fully grown

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
This breed normally gets on well with children and there should be no difficulty with other dogs. This is also true for other animals if the dog has got to know them when it was young. They need to be at the centre of a family and will pine away in a kennel. They are not usually vigilant, giving a friendly greeting to allcomers.

EXERCISE
These dogs adapt to your family circumstances and will not misbehave if the odd week passes with fewer chances to enjoy exercise. But that does not mean they do not adore being taken for a lengthy trek in the country side.