This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008)

Irish Wolfhound

An Irish Wolfhound
Other names	Cú Faoil
Country of origin	Ireland
Traits
Classification & standards FCI Group 10 Section 2 #160 standard AKC Hound standard ANKC Group 4 (Hound) standard CKC Group 2 (Hound) standard KC (UK) Hound standard NZKC Hound standard UKC Sighthounds and Pariahs standard

The Irish Wolfhound (Irish: Cú Faoil) is a breed of domestic dog (canis lupus familiaris), specifically a sighthound. The name originates from its purpose (wolf hunting) rather than from its appearance. Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest dog breed, even though some individual Great Danes have recently been acclaimed "tallest dog".

Appearance

A female wolfhound

The most distinguishing physical feature of the Irish Wolfhound is its great size. Generally breeders aim for a height range of 85 to 90 centimeters (33 to 36 inches) in males, 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) less for females. Generally acceptable weight 46–70kg (101–154lbs).

Temperament

Irish Wolfhounds are sweet-tempered, patient, generous, thoughtful and can be trusted with children. Dignified and willing, they are unconditionally loyal to their owner and family. Not a guard dog by nature, but may be a deterrent simply due to his/her size. They tend to greet everyone as a friend, so use of them as watch dogs is not recommended.^[1]

Health

A puppy

Irish Wolfhounds do not live long lives. Published lifespan estimations vary between 4.95 and 8.75 years. Dilated cardiomyopathy and bone cancer are the leading cause of death and like all deep-chested dogs, gastric torsion (bloat) is also common; the breed is also affected by hereditary intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.^[2][3]

By the age of 8 months, Irish Wolfhounds appear adult, and many owners start stressing them too much. Outstretched limbs and irreparable damage are the result. Wolfhounds need at least 18 months to be ready for lure coursing, running as a sport, and other strenuous activities.

Wolfhounds should not receive additional supplements when a good dog food is used. It is generally accepted that they should be fed a large breed puppy food until 18 months old and then change to a large breed adult food. Most breeders today recommend that they not be supplemented in order to slow their rapid growth. They will eventually reach the same height, but at a slower, and safer, rate.^{[citation needed]} Wolfhound puppies around 10 weeks old grow approximately one inch a week and put on one pound a day.

Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest of dog breeds so they are well suited to rural life; but their medium energy profile allows them to adjust fairly well to suburban and urban life as well, provided they receive appropriate excercise.

History

Irish Wolfhound running

The breed is very old, possibly from the 1st century BC or earlier, bred as war dogs by the ancient Celts, who called them Cú Faoil. The Irish continued to breed them for this purpose, as well as to guard their homes and protect their stock. Regular references of Irish Wolfhounds being used in dog fights are found in many historical sagas—Cuchulain's favourite dog, Luath, was slain by a southern chief's hound, Phorp.

Irish Guards mascot in parade dress

While many modern texts state Irish Wolfhounds were used for coursing deer, contemporary pre-revival accounts such as Animated Nature (1796) by Oliver Goldsmith are explicit that the original animal was a very poor coursing dog. Their astonishing size, speed, and intelligence made them ideal animals for both boar hunting and wolf hunting, and many were exported for this purpose. They were perhaps too ideal, as the boar and wolf are now extinct in Ireland. The Irish Wolfhound has been recorded as being exhibited in ancient Rome to some excitement, and mention is made that they so amazed and terrified the Romans that it was seen fit to only transport them in cages. There exist stories that in the arena, the original Wolfhound was the equal of a lion. It has also been shown that when hunting animals, the wolfhound would bite the neck and crush the spine, killing the creature. We cannot know exactly the attendibility of these stories as today the Irish Wolfhound is not trained to kill. However, there are reports of Irish Wolfhounds chasing off lions in Africa.^[4]

During times of conflict with England, it was not uncommon for Wolfhounds to be trained to take armoured knights off of their horses, thus allowing an infantry man to move in and finish the kill. However, the dogs were almost all killed, even by knights taken off of their horse.

Due to a massive export into various countries as a gift for royalty and a ban that allowed only royalty to own such a dog, the breed almost vanished in the middle of the 19th century. Captain Graham rebred the Irish Wolfhound with the Deerhound, Great Dane, Borzoi and other breeds; this saved the breed, but had the inevitable effect of altering its appearance, most noticeably leaving the Irish Wolfhound with alternative colours such as brindle (inherited from the Great Dane) as before they were mainly grey in colour.

The ancient breed (often referred to as the Irish Wolfdogge in contemporary accounts) was available in both a smooth and rough coated variety. Descriptions of its appearance and demeanor, as well as the method of its use place it closer to the flock guardians in appearance than the modern breed. It is clear that the dog was not always the giant of today; skulls kept at the museum of the Royal Dublin Society have been interpreted to indicate a height of 30-32 in.^[5] It has also been suggested that the Wolfhound was part of the make up of the Kerry Blue Terrier. The historical variety (which may have been quite similar to a now-extinct sighthound, the Old Serbian greyhound) was famed for its loyalty, discernment, grave nature and aggression. In terms of temperament the modern breed has been greatly mellowed.^{[citation needed]} Wolfhounds are often referred to as "Gentle Giants", and a historic motto of the breed is "Gentle when stroked. Fierce when provoked."

The Wolfhound is sometimes regarded as the national dog breed of Ireland but in fact no breed has ever been officially adopted as such. The Wolfhound was historically a dog that only nobles could own and was taken up by the British during their rule in Ireland. This made it unpopular as a national symbol and the Kerry Blue Terrier was adopted by Irish Nationalists such as Michael Collins.

Notes

Further reading

• McBryde, M. (1998). The Magnificent Irish Wolfhound, Ringpress Books, Dorking. ISBN 1860540937, ISBN 978-1860540936.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Irish Wolfhound

• Irish Wolfhound Club of Ireland