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Irish Wolfhound
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The Irish Wolfhound 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".
most distinguishing physical feature of the Irish Wolfhound is its great size.
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Encyclopedia
The Irish Wolfhound 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
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, 50 to 100 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) for females. Generally acceptable weight 46–70 kg (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; although when they or their owners are put in real danger, they display a fearless nature.
Health
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.
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. Wolfhound puppies around 10 weeks old grow about 2 cm 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 exercise.
History
The breed is very old; there are suggestions it may have developed alongside the Irish wolf circa 8000bc or arrived in Ireland around 3500bc during the arrival of early settlers,further genetic testing may help clarify a point of origin. Bred as war dogs by the ancients, 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.
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 accuracy of these stories as today the Irish Wolfhound is not trained to kill, but the accounts of Irish Wolfhounds rivalling lions goes against common sense, as lone male lions have exterminated entire clans of hyenas. However, there are reports of Irish Wolfhounds chasing away lions in Africa. In that case, the dogs were greater in number and the lions were most likely shy exemplars, afraid of men.
During times of conflict with England, it was not uncommon for Wolfhounds to be trained to take armoured knights off their horses, thus allowing an infantry man to move in and finish the kill. However, the dogs were almost all killed, even by knights knocked off their horses.
Due to a massive export into various countries as a gift for royalty and a ban on all but royalty owning the 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 around 75 cm. It has also been suggested that the Wolfhound was part of the make up of the Kerry Blue Terrier. The historical variety has similarities to both the Circassian wolfhound and 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. 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.
Further reading
- McBryde, M. (1998). The Magnificent Irish Wolfhound, Ringpress Books, Dorking. ISBN 1860540937, ISBN 978-1860540936.
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