| The Irish Wolfhound became so popular as a gift | | | | gray, red, brindle and black are all recognized by |
| a couple of centuries ago that exportation from | | | | the AKC standard. |
| Britain was banned for several decades. They are | | | | The sheer size of these dogs makes them a |
| a very large dog, sometimes weighing in at 150 | | | | good choice for a guard dog, but it's important to |
| pounds. The Irish Wolfhound has a shaggy coat | | | | note that guarding doesn't come naturally to this |
| and a muscular body, but these dogs require | | | | breed. They do tend to be loyal to a fault and will |
| careful care and attention. | | | | usually prefer to spend time with their family |
| The popularity of the Irish Wolfhound was | | | | above and beyond all other activities. They do like |
| probably due to the fact that it was favored | | | | to play, but their size makes them clumsy - not |
| among the nobility and wealthy families. There's | | | | typically a good choice for an indoor pet, especially |
| no doubt that the large, shaggy appearance of | | | | if there's limited space. |
| these giants is what attracted the attention of so | | | | The Irish Wolfhound is usually very easy to train. |
| many people. | | | | Most who own, breed or train these dogs seem |
| The breed originated as a hunting dog, mainly for | | | | to think that these canines are very anxious to |
| big game. Elk, wolves and hogs were among the | | | | please and will try to anticipate what is wanted. |
| animals the Irish Wolfhound were trained to track | | | | Their willingness to learn makes them a good |
| - hence the selective breeding to gain the large | | | | choice for learning tricks, though what they can |
| size. This is the tallest breed of dog in existence. | | | | do will be somewhat limited by their size. |
| The popularity of the breed and the constant | | | | Remember that early training is a must, because |
| exportation combined with the fact that the fox | | | | a grown Irish Wolfhound will likely be too big to be |
| hunts in England killed out the entire fox population | | | | controlled by a normal-sized person. |
| led to the near-demise of the Irish Wolfhound. In | | | | One of the negative points of the Irish Wolfhound |
| fact, it's noted that there were probably no | | | | is this dog's tendency toward a short life. They |
| full-blood Irish Wolfhounds left in Ireland at some | | | | typically live only about seven or eight years, |
| point during the 17th Century. When the breed | | | | mostly due to their large size. Their size also |
| was returned to its native country, new bloodlines | | | | makes them susceptible to hip problems. Young |
| were introduced - including that of the Great Dane | | | | Irish Wolfhounds, unlike most puppies, need limited |
| - in an effort to revitalize the breed. | | | | exercise. Long walks are not a good idea until the |
| As a rule, the Irish Wolfhound tends toward light | | | | muscle mass catches up to the rapidly growing |
| colors - gray or white. Some have darker | | | | frame of the Irish Wolfhound pup. |
| markings, including black or red overcoats. White, | | | | |