Irish Wolfhound: Graceful Giants

 Description

The Irish Wolfhound is one of the largest breeds of dog in the world. Despite this, it is very gentle. It features a coat that is shaggy, and it also has fluffy eyebrows. While it will commonly have a coat that is gray in color, it may also be white, red, or black. It has massive paws, strong shoulders, and a muscular frame.

Despite the size of the Irish Wolfhound, it is very graceful. These dogs are a very old breed that originated in the United Kingdom. It is the descendant of the Cu, a large dog that was used for hunting wolves and other animals. The typical Irish Wolfhound has a maximum height of 38 inches and can weigh up to 150 pounds.

Country of Origin

Ireland

Temperament

Despite their size, Irish Wolfhounds are peaceful dogs that are highly intelligent. They can be used as family dogs and will behave well with children. These dogs are also very loyal. Even though Irish Wolfhounds are not typically used as guard dogs, their massive size is enough to scare off intruders.

These dogs also take at least two years to become fully mature. As you can imagine, their great size requires them to eat ample amounts of food. The Irish Wolfhound is also easy to train, and you will want to train it to not pull on the leash before it matures. This dog has a good disposition and can work well with other animals. The size of this breed does not allow them to be kept indoors. You will need to have a large yard.

Health Problems

Irish Wolfhounds live relatively short lifespans compared to other dogs. A healthy Irish Wolfhound will generally not live longer than 8 years. Diseases that are specific to this breed are bone cancer, hip dysplasia, and bloat.

Exercise

Owners must pay attention to how they exercise their Irish Wolfhounds. A puppy should be allowed to choose when it wants to exercise. Forcing the dog to exercise while it is young can cause it to have a number of health problems. They will also need a large amount of space.

Special Grooming Needs

Irish Wolfhounds have coats that are rough. Because of this, they need to be brushed on a regular basis. You will need to pluck the coat at least once a year to take away dead hair. These dogs shed a standard amount of hair, and you will need to care for it regularly.