Should you get an Irish Wolfhound?
Do you know the Irish Wolfhound? This ancient breed is one of the largest dog breeds in existence. They are known for their strength, size, and gentle temperament. If you’re thinking about adding an Irish Wolfhound to your family, there are a few things you should know about these dogs. In this post, we’ll share 11 interesting facts about the Irish Wolfhound dog breed. Keep reading to learn more!
The Irish Wolfhound is one of
the oldest dog breeds in existence today. They are generally accepted as being the oldest Irish breed with mentions in Irish literature dating back to the 5th century.
Wolfhounds were originally
bred to hunt wolves and other large prey. They were also used as war dogs and it was said they would drag men from horseback and chariots in battle. While much of this early history may be surrounded in folklore, one thing is for certain, the Irish Wolfhound has been a cherished canine throughout Irish history.
An adult male Wolfhound may be up
to seven feet tall standing on their hind legs and females slightly smaller. On average, they weigh upwards of 120 pounds. They are considered the tallest dog breed in the world.
In Landmark Research on Modern Dog Breed
development, the Basenji has been shown to share the most DNA with an ancestor of the following breeds:
Scottish Deerhound
Great Dane
Greyhound
As with other sighthounds
the Irish Wolfhound is sensitive to certain types of anesthesia. In particular, they tend to be VERY sensitive to anything in the class of barbiturates.
According to FCI Breed Standard
the Irish Wolfhound can reach up to 34 inches in height and over 120 pounds in weight. Accepted coat colors are:
“grey, brindle, red, black, pure white, fawn or any colour that appears in the Deerhound”
Growing Up Wolfhound
Get a FREE Video of your dog HERE!
The AKC Conducts Dog Racing Trials
each December in Orlando, FL. called the Fast CAT Invitational. This is a 100 yard race where dogs run individually chasing a lure. The average running speed by Irish Wolfhound’s is almost 22 mph. The fastest recorded speed by a Wolfhound was by a dog named Lions Heart Queen Isabeau at 28.96 mph!
The CBARQ Dog Temperament Research
study, conducted at the University of Pennsylvania, is a giant study of over 300 dog breeds and 60,000 individual dogs. In this study, the Wolfhound ranks 122 out of 124 breeds in aggression towards strangers. They also rank very low in aggression towards other dogs-121 out of 124 breeds. Wolfhounds generally get along with almost all humans and canines they meet!
In this Same Research
the Irish Wolfhound ranks very low (123 out of 124 breeds) in fear of strangers. They will not shake, tremble or crouch when a stranger approaches.
Wolfhound Humor!
In the Landmark Book
entitled, “The Intelligence of Dogs”, professor Stanley Coren researched and documented the intelligence of over 130 different dog breeds. In his book, the Irish Wolfhound ranks 41 out of 138 breeds in working/obedience intelligence. Essentially this means they will learn new commands in 25 to 40 repetitions and obey first commands more than 50% of the time. This puts them in the “average working and obedience intelligence” category. In contrast, the most intelligent breeds will learn the same command in 5 repetitions or less!
Irish Wolfhound’s Have an Average
lifespan of 6-8 years. The oldest Irish Wolfhound on record kept by the Irish Wolfhound club of Ireland was named Killykeen Kildevin and lived to be 16 years and 6 months. Research shows that roughly 30% of Wolfhounds have an abnormal electrocardiogram. Not all of them will be symptomatic, but heart disease is a major issue in the breed.
Take a Fun Wolfhound Quiz!
