Easily recognizable as the tallest breed of dog in the world, the Irish Wolfhound has been respected and cherished for centuries.  While intimidating to behold, the Great Hound of Ireland is actually known for being extremely gentle, loyal, and friendly.  While he is known to be a very courageous dog, the Irish Wolfhound is anything but aggressive. 

Irish Wolfhound History

Like many old breeds of dog, the origins of the Irish Wolfhound have long been obscured by the sands of time. An ancient breed, the “Great dogs of Ireland”” are known to have predated Christianity (ancient Irish laws referred to them as cú) and that they were spoken of, and admired, by the ancient Roman people. Only kings and the Irish nobility were allowed to own one of the great Irish hounds, and the number of dogs allowed was in direct relation to said person’s rank or position.

During the ancient times, the Irish Wolfhound was used to hunt the great Irish stag, known to stand 6 feet high at the shoulder, as well as boar and wolves. Fiercely loyal, these beautiful animals were recorded in tales as also having been used as war dogs and as guard animals. In fact, it was said that many a battle was fought over these noble canines. According to Irish legend, the greatest of the Irish chiefs, known as Fionn mac Cumhall, owned 300 adult hounds and 200 Irish Wolfhound puppies. His favorite of the hounds was one named Bran who supposedly “killed more men or beasts,” than his owner. If one is to believe the old tales, the original “Great Irish hounds” were ferocious creatures, quite different from the modern day variety. For this, there is a very good reason:

As modern times approached, the Great Stag of Ireland became extinct and as more people spread across the beautiful Emerald Isle, the wild boar and wolf also became a thing of the past. This large and ferocious hound was no longer needed to go to war and, by 1877, the Encyclopaedia Britannica declared that the “Irish greyhound or wolfdog” was now extinct. Major H.D. Richardson, a Scotsman who had made his home in Ireland, sought to save this magnificent breed; when no one followed his attempts to rally support for the breed, he took it upon himself to gather what dogs he could find that seemed to carry traces or characteristics of the old bloodlines and, from there, he attempted to save this magnificent breed of dog.

Today, there is still much controversy as to whether or not the Irish Wolfhound is a reliable representative of the Great Irish hounds. It is known that other breeds, such as the Scottish Deerhound and Great Dane have been used as outcrosses in the restoration attempts, and this raises much speculation. Is today’s Irish Wolfhound a reliable representation or merely one man’s concept on how the Wolfhounds should look. The world may never know. 

Irish Wolfhound Appearance

The Irish Wolfhound is known as the world’s tallest dog and with good reason. With some specimens standing well over 32 inches tall at the shoulder, they are large enough to rest their front legs over the shoulders of a grown man and can easily steal food off the kitchen counters. But just because the Irish Wolfhound is tall, don’t think he’s a flimsy, reedy dog. Quite the opposite actually.

While he was once known as the Irish Greyhound, the Irish Wolfhound is similar in appearance, but not as slightly built as those sleek racing dogs. Powerfully muscled, he is not only built for speed, but he was also used to hunt large and dangerous game. For this, the Irish Wolfhound had to not only possess speed but endurance, allowing him to follow his prey and hunt it down. Then, once he had brought the prey to a standstill, he had to be hardy enough to withstand being trampled, gored and slashed, while using his own brute force to bring the prey down. The modern representation of the breed appears to be a dog capable of doing just that.

The Irish Wolfhound’s coat is tough and wiry, providing him with protection from the elements as well as from the brambles and briar that he may have to chase the prey through. Their recognized colors include brindle, black, grey, fawn, red, white, wheaten or any other color that appears in the Scottish Deerhound breed standard.

Irish Wolfhound Temperament

The Irish Wolfhound is known for his extremely loyal and gentle temperament. Born with a very strong desire to please his owner, he is an excellent companion animal and, while not suited for employ as a guard or attack dog, he is very willing to help you hold down the sofa or hog the bed. Important to note, however, is that the Irish Wolfhound is notorious for remaining a puppy, well into his first to second year and, considering these puppies can easily reach 100 pounds, obedience training is essential. They don’t mean to be so destructive or clumsy, but they are just very gangly and energetic young dogs, and it’s important to take this into consideration.

Irish Wolfhound Exercise Needs

Irish Wolfhound Grooming Requirements

Training Your Irish Wolfhound

It is essential that the owner of a new Irish Wolfhound puppy enroll him in at least one obedience course. These incredible Irish Greyhounds are notorious for being slow to mature, not only physically, but mentally as well. For them to retain puppy-like antics into their second year is not unheard of and, when you’re dealing with a puppy that tips the scales at 100 pounds, it’s easy to understand why obedience is such an issue.

The Irish Wolfhound, while very large and gangly in his youth, is still very intelligent and has a natural born desire to please. Because of this, when shown proper direction, they can mature into very well-behaved adults and make you the envy of all the dog owners. Starting early is the key.

Irish Wolfhound Health Issues

Irish Wolfhounds can be prone to a number of hereditary health problems. That is why choosing a responsible breeder from which to purchase your Irish Wolfhound puppy is very important. Responsible Irish Wolfhound breeders will be well educated about the breed and carefully screen their breeding dogs for disorders that can affect these dogs.

Due to the limited gene pool of the Irish Wolfhound, and the sheer size of this massive dog, they are not long-lived dogs and sadly, are often prone to a wide variety of health problems. Potential problems that can affect the Irish Wolfhound include:

Health concerns in the Irish Wolfhound dog breed include, but are not limited to:

• Bloat or gastric torsion

• Cancer

• Elbow dysplasia

• Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCE)

• Heart disease

• Hip dysplasia

• Hypothyroidism

• Liver shunts

• Megaesophagus

• Osteochondrosis and osteochondrosis dissecans

• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)

• Seizures

• Von Willebrands Disease

Again, a responsible breeder will be well educated about these problems that can occur in the Irish Wolfhound breed and have their breeding dogs undergo rigorous testing to help ensure that their puppies will not have these disorders. It is extremely important that you educate yourself about health conditions affecting the Irish Wolfhound so that you can be sure you are dealing with a breeder from whom you will acquire a healthy, well socialized puppy.

For further reading, here is a very informative web site dedicated to education about health concerns in the Irish Wolfhound dog breed:

http://www.iwclubofamerica.org/faq.htm#health

Is the Irish Wolfhound The Right Breed For You?

The Irish Wolfhound is a noble, courageous and romantic breed of dog. Well-known as a gentle giant, they are wonderful family animals, but it does not mean that every family is right for an Irish Wolfhound. With their huge size, not only do they need a lot of room (a yard, yes, but also a lot of room in your house to move around) and they do eat an enormous amount of food. Additionally, while excellent with children, it is not advised that you mix young children with young Wolfhounds - an overly excited puppy can easily knock a child down and injure them without meaning to do so.

Irish Wolfhounds are also prone to a host of health problems and do not generally live as long as other breeds of dog. However, many Wolfhound breeders will tell you that a few years with these magnificent canines is worth far more than scores with other breeds. If you have the room, the money, and the love that it takes to own one of these Great dogs of Ireland, then perhaps the Irish Wolfhound is the right dog for you.  

Finding Irish Wolfhound Puppies For Sale By Reputable Breeders

If you are ready to add an adorable Irish Wolfhound puppy to your family, check out Dogs and Puppies Central's directory of Irish Wolfhound Puppies For Sale, where you will find photos and information posted by reputable Irish Wolfhound breeders. We actively screen Irish Wolfhound breeders who wish to advertise on our service by asking that they meet and follow our Guidelines For Responsible Dog Breeders. We also ask - and check - three references from each breeder.

By performing an initial dog breeder screening, it is our hope that we can help put you in touch with a caring, responsible Irish Wolfhound breeder near you. We cannot physically inspect the premises and dogs owned by breeders advertising with us, so you need to be responsible for doing the final inspection and interview.

Let's stop the cruelty of puppy mills. Please help us keep money out of the hands of puppy mills, back yard breeders and pet stores. Buy your Irish Wolfhound puppy only from a responsible, caring hobby breeder that raises their dogs and puppies in a loving home environment.

When you locate that perfect Irish Wolfhound puppy - please be sure to send us some photos to be included in our growing gallery of Irish Wolfhound dog and puppy pictures!

Shawna L. Krautheim & Debbie Moore
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