Irish Wolfhound

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Irish Wolfhound

Irish Wolfhound Characteristics

Size:
Grooming Needs:
Exercise Needs:
Good With Dogs:
Watchdog Ability:

Irish Wolfhound Breed Information

Breed Group: Hound

Weight: Male: 120; Female: 105 lbs

Height: Male: 32; Female: 30 inches

Color(s): gray, brindle, red, black, white, or fawn

AKC Irish Wolfhound Puppies

Irish Wolfhound

$1,200.00

AKC Irish Wolfhound Puppies

Irish Wolfhound

$1,200.00

AKC Irish Wolfound Puppies

Irish Wolfhound

$1,200.00

Overview

The Irish Wolfhound is generally even tempered, patient, and intelligent. This breed is loyal and good with most people. Due to his size, this breed should not be left with infants unsupervised as he is so large, he could easily knock a child over.

Character

The Irish Wolfhound can be somewhat intimidating because of his size, but is very affectionate and gentle and usually greets everyone as a friend. This breed does not make a good guard or watchdog. The Irish Wolfhound has average intelligence, but is eager to learn and can prove easy to train.

Temperament

Affectionate, sweet natured, and well mannered, this breed makes a great companion. The Irish Wolfhound is very loyal and dignified. He quickly bonds with his family and does very well with other dogs and cats if he is properly socialized around them.

Care

Brushing and combing this dog regularly is a must. The Irish Wolfhound is an average shedder and the coat responds well to rubber brushing. Professional plucking of the coat may be necessary to remove dead hair. The beard of this breed must be cleaned regularly.

Coat

The Irish Wolfhound is a large breed with a medium length coat. The coat should always be rough and hard on the body, legs and top of the head. The hair around the eyes and muzzle should be wiry and slightly longer.

Training

The Irish Wolfhound proves to be a fast learner and will quickly grasp what you want him to do making him very obedient. This breed requires firm but gentle training. He should be taught as a puppy not to pull on the leash at this breed is very powerful and it can prove to be a problem in the future.

Activity

A large yard is best for this giant breed. This is a sighthound giving him the tendency to chase, so he should never be let off lead unless in a fenced in area. This dog enjoys long walks with his family and a nice chase.

Ask a Question Irish Wolfhound Questions & Answers

QUESTION: Are Ireland-Bred Irish Wolfhounds sold in the usa?

Anonymous - 11/1/2011 3:38:24 PM

Respond to Question

yes you can find them online

Anonymous - 1/5/2012 7:22:41 PM

QUESTION: How much do Irish Wolfhounds weigh?

Anonymous - 7/10/2011 2:57:05 PM

Respond to Question

Irish Wolfhounds weights: male 120 lbs female 105 lbs

Anonymous - 1/5/2012 7:32:57 PM

Irish Wolfhounds are fairly big. They weigh usually 110 but can be up to 120

Anonymous - 8/8/2011 1:07:07 PM

QUESTION: Do Irish Wolfhounds Shed alot? Would they be considered hypoallergenic?

Anonymous - 4/7/2011 4:47:40 PM

Respond to Question

They are considered average shedders, although with the wiry fur, it tends to stick to everything. I should know - I have a wolfhound. And the warmer it is, the more he is likely to shed. I actually have my Irish Wolfhound trimmed down every summer and that seems to help, although it doesn't stop the shedding. Hypoallergenic I doubt, since they do shed year round. Also, the fact that they are one of the largest dogs in the world, they have a much larger body area than a smaller dog, and therefore have the ability to produce more allergens than a smaller dog would do. Hope that helps!

Anonymous - 6/15/2011 1:41:50 AM

QUESTION: My 7 months Irish wolfhound seems to have some food allergy recently. She gets red spot on her tummy or inside her ears and get itchy on her eyes. We are feeding her "Eukanuba" right now as our breeder recommended, but thinking to try other dry food. Any recommendations??

Anonymous - 3/6/2011 3:57:11 PM

Respond to Question

HI there! My Irish Wolfhound had a similar problem when we brought him home, although his did not result in skin irritations. His reaction was much messier than that.. Anyway, we switched him to Blue Buffalo dry dog food and he hasn't had any problem since. We started him on teh puppy formula at 10 mos. and switched him over to the adult food at about 2 years. You can get it at most PetSmart and Petco stores, and it's not that much different in price, although it runs a bit more than the Eukanuba does. Many independant dealers sell it as well. It seems to be pretty popular around here. Every dog is different, and breeders recommend what works well for them most of the time, but that doesn't mean their recommendation is always the best for each individual dog. Hope this helps.

Anonymous - 6/15/2011 2:01:43 AM

QUESTION: I live in Charlotte North Carolina. Where could I purchase Gentle Giants World Class Cuisine?

Anonymous - 2/17/2011 8:09:24 AM

Respond to Question

QUESTION: It says Irish Wolfhounds are 32inches tall. Is that at the shoulders or top of the head?

Anonymous - 12/21/2010 5:05:16 PM

Respond to Question

It refers to the withers ( very top of the sholders ). The only thing thats true about Irish Wolfhounds profile is the color. I know this because I'm getting one next year. The height of this breed is 30-40 inches at the withers and the weight is 120-175 lbs. I hope this answers your question. 8 )

akpowrdgbs - 1/22/2011 12:09:16 PM

Generally when measuring a dog's size it refers to the top of the shoulders.

Anonymous - 1/2/2011 1:45:05 AM

QUESTION: My dad doesnt like indoor dogs. Would an irish wolf hound do good in cold weather like in northern alberta canada?

Anonymous - 12/20/2010 3:56:25 PM

Respond to Question

Technically, humans used to live outside too. I'd be willing to bet that you don't want to be outside in the cold rain and snow.

Anonymous - 11/12/2011 5:02:45 AM

You are aware that all dogs did originally come from the outdoors, and while you may think its mean, its what they are genetically wired for.... As long as you are putting them in the same climate as they originated, they will do just fine.

Anonymous - 6/15/2011 11:20:45 AM

Do you really think ANY dog enjoys outdoor living, especially in Canada? The only exception I can think of is a Husky, but you must provide good shelter against wet/cold/winds etc.....

Anonymous - 3/5/2011 1:07:45 PM

my wolfhound (5-years old male) lives outdoor for all his life in cold weather, rain or snow...and he is maximally happy.

Anonymous - 1/15/2011 7:44:43 PM

QUESTION: I'm doing a project for school and I have the Irish Wolfhound so is there anything really important or any cool facts I could use?

Anonymous - 12/4/2010 1:44:14 PM

Respond to Question

The tallest dog on record is a Great Dane. On average though Irish Wolfhounds are taller. You must say taller and not bigger b/c there are other breads that weigh in a lot heavier.

Anonymous - 4/20/2011 6:25:46 PM

The tallest dog in the world was a Great Dane, but the tallest dog breed in general is the Irish Wolf Hound.

Anonymous - 4/3/2011 9:55:40 PM

That last comment is not true at all. The average male irish wolfhound is 37" at the shoulder. The average great dane male is 34" at the shoulder. Female great danes ares somewhere between 28 and 30 inches at the shoulder while irish wolfhound females are 32-34 inches at the shoulder.

Anonymous - 2/10/2011 5:58:15 AM

Irish wolfhounds aren't the tallset dog breed - great danes are - they grow up to be 36''!!

Anonymous - 1/30/2011 7:03:21 AM

QUESTION: Are Irish Wolfhound's pure breed?

Anonymous - 9/27/2010 4:44:14 PM

Respond to Question

close but no actually irish wolf hounds were extinct for a long time but were indeed brought back through the crossbreeding of the deerhound and some form of mastiff im not 100%sure which one though. my family has had them since they became as great as they had once been.

Anonymous - 4/24/2011 4:19:27 PM

That last comment/answer is absolutly FALSE! The original and modern are both PURE BREED dogs! I'm getting one next year and I've done a lot of research. IRISH WOLFHOUNDS ARE PURE BREED DOGS!

akpowrdgbs - 1/22/2011 1:31:26 PM

no. modern irish wolfhounds are a cross breed between the original irish wolfhound breed and a scottish deerhound. it saved the breed from extinction.

Anonymous - 1/6/2011 4:14:50 PM

Yes Irish Wolfhound's are.They are sight hounds.

Anonymous - 11/6/2010 5:36:51 PM

QUESTION: What is the life expectancy of Irish Wolfhounds, and what health issues do they have later in their life?

Anonymous - 9/22/2010 9:02:25 PM

Respond to Question

If you feed your Irish Wolfhound gentle giants dog food it will guarantee to double the life span of your dog *(which would be 12-16 years).

Anonymous - 2/17/2011 8:12:35 AM

I read a lot of dog books and dog profiles online. Most of the books I've read say any dog, including the irish wolfhound, can live to be 15 years old. A great brand of dog food is timberwolf organics. Also, dont feed your dog any " people food ". Fresh fruits like strawberries, blue berries, and bananas are some fruits you can give your dog that are healthy, just NEVER give any dog chocolate, grapes or any dried out fruit. To find more foods your dog can eat look it up on the internet.

akpowrdgbs - 1/22/2011 12:22:14 PM

Generally, irish wolfhounds dont live past 7 years, but certain dog food brands claim that they can double the life expectency of giant breeds and have healthy dogs as old as 15 years. We give ours vitamins for bone, joint and hip health, as well as feed him Gentle Giants brand dog food, in hopes that he will live a longer and healthier life.

Anonymous - 1/6/2011 4:17:02 PM

Irish wolfhounds have a lot of health issues. The #1 cause of death in them is osteosarcoma ( tumer of the bone) and heart disease. They can also suffer from bloat.

Anonymous - 11/6/2010 5:43:28 PM

QUESTION: Do Irish Wolfhounds do good with cats and other dogs?

Anonymous - 9/15/2010 8:51:26 PM

Respond to Question

My Irish Wolfhounds gets along great with other animals, but sometimes gets too playful and the other pets get upset. She even chases rabbits, but whines if she ever hurts them.

Anonymous - 1/2/2011 1:47:08 AM

My irish wolfhound does not get along with my cats who are mostly outdoor. One cat is indoor only and they have to stay separated, she won't leave the cat alone and sort of goes into attack mode. She has never broken the cats skin and seems as though she would never turn on me when i get in the middle but it sure isn't pretty and it's hard to snap her out of it when she gets in the zone.

Anonymous - 11/7/2010 4:18:58 AM

yes they get along fine

Anonymous - 10/12/2010 9:25:58 AM

Our 8-year-old alpha female, does better alone, than with other IW's. As far as cats, she chases them. But, I'm sure if she grew up with them it would be a different story.

rachael@iamgroupinc.com - 9/26/2010 8:32:01 PM

If you are looking for Irish Wolfhound puppies for sale from reputable Irish Wolfhound breeders or to adopt an Irish Wolfhound from an Irish Wolfhound rescue then make sure you understand as much about the dog breeds you are interested in as you can. Every puppy breed is different. Begin your research by reading the breed information about the Irish Wolfhound puppy above. Search our dog breeds section to find Irish Wolfhound puppies, dogs and puppies that make great pets.

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