The Irish Wolfhound: History and features

The Irish Wolfhound is one of the oldest and most imposing breeds in the world. Famous for its elegant stature and gentle temperament, this dog has a history rich in myths and legends that date back over two thousand years.

The first records of the Irish Wolfhounddate back to the Celtic era, around 400 BC. The Celts used irish wolfhound to hunt wolves and large size game, such as deer and elk. Irish Wolfhound were considered symbols of nobility and they were often given as gifts to kings and emperors.

In ancient Ireland, Irish Wolfhoundswere known as “Cu Faoil”, or “great hounds”. The irish wolfhound used in battle to take down enemy knights and protect noble families. In the Middle Ages, they became a distinctive sign of nobility and their ownership was reserved for kings. In the 17th century, their population decreased dramatically due to the disappearance of wolves in Ireland.

The Rebirth of the Breed

In the 19th century, Scottish Captain George Augustus Graham began a program to recover the Irish Wolfhound: he crossed the last specimens with other breeds such as the Deerhound, occasionally with Borzoi, Great Dane and Mastiff. Thanks to these efforts, the Irish Wolfhound was saved and officially recognized in 1879.

All You Need to Know About the Irish Wolfhound

The Irish Wolfhoundis large dog, with an average height of 80-90 cm at the withers. The body of Irish Wolfhound is muscular but elegant, with a rough and hard coat.

The Irish Wolfhoundis famous for his sweet temperament, loyal and attached to the family. Despite its size, it is a calm dog and perfect for domestic life. The Irish Wolfhound is excellent companion and guardian, but never aggressive without reason. TheIrish Wolfhound is a breed that combines strength and nobility with sweetness and loyalty. From wolf hunting to royal courts to modern homes, its appeal crossed the centuries. Even today, it is appreciated for its beauty, its amiable nature and its incredible history.

The Irish Wolfhound and Hunting

Up to the end of the17th century, Irish Wolfhound were used for hunting wolves and deer in Ireland. They were also used for hunting the wolves that infested large areas of Europe before the forests were cleared.

The Irish Wolfhound in History

We know the continental Celts kept a greyhound probably descended from the greyhound first depicted in Egyptian paintings. Like their continental cousins, the Irish Celts were interested in breeding large hounds. These large Irish hounds could have had smooth or rough coats, but in later times, the rough coat predominated possibly because of the Irish climate. The first written account of irish wolfhound was by a Roman Consul 391 A.D. but they were already established in Ireland in the first century A.D. when Setanta changed his name to Cu-Chulainn (the hound of Culann). Mention of Irish Wolfhound is made of the Uisneach (1st century) taking 150 hounds with them in their flight to Scotland. Irish Wolfhound undoubtedly formed the basis of the Scottish Deerhound. Pairs of Irish wolfhounds were prized as gifts by the Royal houses of Europe, Scandinavia and elsewhere from the Middle ages to the 17th century. They were sent to England, Spain, France, Sweden, Denmark, Persia, India and Poland. In the15th century each county in Ireland was required to keep 24 wolfdogs to protect farmers' flocks from the ravages of wolves. The Cromwellian prohibition (1652) on the export of Irish Wolfhound helped preserve their number for a time but the gradual disappearance of the wolf and continued demand abroad reduced their numbers almost to the point of extinction by the end of the 17th century. The revival of interest in the Irish Wolfhoundbreed accompanied the growth of Irish nationalism in the late 19th century. The Irish Wolfhound became a living symbol of Irish culture and of the Celtic past. At this time, one determined enthusiast of the Irish Wolfhound breed, Capt. G A Graham, set about obtaining some of the few remaining hounds of the Wolfhound type that could still be found in Ireland, and with the use of Deerhound blood and the occasional outcross of Borzoi and Great Dane, he eventually achieved a type of dog that bred true in every generation. The results were ultimately accepted as a legitimate revival of the breed. The Irish Kennel Club scheduled a class for Irish Wolfhounds at their show in April 1879, and a club was formed in 1885. The Irish Wolfhound now enjoys once again something of the reputation that it had in the Middle Ages. The Irish Wolfhound are now owned and bred in fairly large numbers outside of Ireland.

The irish wolfhound: general appearance

The Irish Wolfhound should not be quite so heavy or massive as the Great Dane, but more so than the Deerhound, which in general type he should otherwise resemble. The irish wolfhound is great size dog and commanding appearance, very muscular, strongly though gracefully built, movements easy and active; head and neck carried high; the tail carried with an upward sweep with a slight curve towards the extremity. Great size, including height at shoulder and proportionate length of body, is the desideratum to be aimed at, and it is desired to firmly establish a race that shall average 32 inches (81cm) to 34 inches (86cm) in dogs, showing the requisite power, activity, courage and symmetry.

BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT

When evaluating an Irish Wolfhound the saying goes: “Lambs at home, lions in the chase”.

FAULTS

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

• Too light or too heavy a head;
• Too highly arched frontal bone;
• Crooked forelegs; weak pasterns;
• Weak hindquarters and a general want of muscle;
• Too short in body;
• Back sunken or hollow or quite straight;
• Large ears and hanging flat to the face;
• Twisted feet;
• Spreading toes;
• Short neck; full dewlap;
• Chest too narrow or too broad;;
• Tail excessively curled;
• Lips of any colour other than black;
• Very light eyes. Pink or liver coloured eyelids.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS

• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
• Any dog clearly showing physical of behavioural abnormalities.

N.B.
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.