Origin

The Irish Wolfhound are the descendants of the dog which was used for hunt wolves, wild boar etc. They popularity of this breed reached great heights and it was not allowed to export this dog all the way from England. In 1766 this breed became totally obsolete in Ireland. The Romans brought this breed to Ireland afterwards and there Captain George Graham bred this dog in the19th century.

General Description

This is a large breed. It is more or less like a giant dog. It has a large stout and tight body. The Irish Wolfhound has a large head and a broad muzzle rectangular shape with a big black nose at the tip. They have small ears folded backwards and their tail is long and straight almost touching the ground. This breed has a broad muscular neck and also a muscular body. They have a sort of beard in their muzzle and look as if aged. Their eyes are hazel and round in shape. The Irish Wolfhound has a broad and wide chest that touches its shoulders. Their limbs and legs are muscular and broad. They are just the symbol of power. They are not fat but they have a tight body. They have a very rough wire like coat all over their body mainly found in red, brindle, grey, black etc.

Character

Irish Wolfhounds prove to be very good companions of human beings. Just don’t go by their size. They are really well to children and other pets. They are very sweet in nature and love to be attended by their family members. The Irish Wolfhounds are very powerful and strong but they are not that great guard dogs. Generally they are not aggressive but they may be bad towards the same group dogs. They would not deliberately knock someone down but as they are large in size they might do this mistake so they should be trained properly. They should never be challenged otherwise they can become dangerous and they are also great hunters.

Temperament

If you go by the size then they are monsters but to tell the truth they are one of the most gentle dogs. The Irish Wolfhound is very sweet by nature and they are too much devoted to their family. Sometimes they can become a bit stubborn so they are not recommended for novice owners. Early socialization and training is required. The Irish Wolfhound is large in size so it people may get knocked down. In that case training is really required. They are excellent to children and other pet but sometimes they may be too aggressive to dogs of the same breed. They love to be with the family and should not be left alone. An eye should always be kept on them as they can be very mischievous when they are young. If challenged they can be dangerous.

Training

As The Irish Wolfhounds are large sized dogs and can be stubborn at point of times a strict training is required for them.

Health

Like many other breed these dogs can suffer from hip dysplasia, bone cancer, heart problems, PRA etc. Some may also be affected by bloat. Their life span is very short about 6-8 years.