Uniqueness in the Irish Wolfhound Dog Breed
The origins of the Irish Wolfhound dog breed are highly controversial; some findings suggest that this breed may have come to Ireland as early as 700 BC. Historical sources testify to the Celts' use of large hunting dogs, which were called Cù in the Celtic vocabulary, which can be translated to hound, war dog, or wolfhound.
There is a legend concerning this name, namely Cù; in fact, it is said that the hero of Irish mythology, Cu Chulainn was named after the Irish Wolfhound himself, as it was considered a real honor to be of his affection. These tall dogs were also taken to war, and another legend tells of the warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill who is said to have always been accompanied by his two dogs Bran and Sciolan. His stories and mythology are very fascinating and we often find him in Irish epic poems.
After this period the name is changed to Wolfhound which literally means “wolfhound.” This dog was also known in ancient Rome, it seems that even Julius Caesar was attracted to this breed, and the Roman Consul Quintus Aurelius, in 391 A.D. owned 7 of them, and in his accounts he wrote that all of Rome watched them with wonder. Despite this great admiration unfortunately these dogs were taken to fight and die for fun in the Circus Maximus.
The earliest record of the Irish Wolfhound's arrival on the island that is considered its true homeland dates back to the fifth century, and is found in the best-known masterpiece of Icelandic literature of the Middle Ages, where it was written of this dog, “I will give you a dog that I got in Ireland, it has huge limbs and will bark at your enemies, but never at your friends. He will see from the face of each one whether he is ill or well disposed toward you. He will be willing to give his life for you.
The Celts always adored them, because these dogs were extremely loyal, elegant and protective, able to hunt bravely and doggedly even in the coldest and most hostile climates, always following the directions of humans. They were called “gentle giants” and became coveted gifts for emperors, nobility and kings, who decorated them with collars made of precious stones and precious metals.
There is another beautiful story concerning the Irish Wolfhound. The story goes that in the thirteenth century, the prince of North Wales, Llewelyn, killed his own Irish Wolfhound, convinced that it had attacked his still swaddling son, when in fact soon afterwards he found his little son unharmed and a dead wolf beside him. His dog had defended the baby from the wolves. According to legend from that day on, the prince never smiled again, wracked with remorse for not trusting his dog. He had a monument erected in Wales in honor of the valor of this dog named Gelert. Even today going to Beddgelert one can visit Gelert's gravestone.
In the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries, these dogs constituted prized gifts for the royal families of Europe and were sent to all the states. Under Cromwell, the export of Irish Wolfhounds was banned, and this helped to preserve numbers for a time, but the gradual disappearance of wolves and the constant demand from abroad reduced their numbers to near extinction towards the end of the seventeenth century, mainly also due to the famine of 1845.
We come now to the nineteenth century, when not only was the Irish Wolfhound almost extinct, but it had become much smaller than its original size. It was Scottish Captain George Augustus Graham who, in the mid-nineteenth century, collected the remaining specimens and for a full 23 years worked to restore the breed to its original standards. The surviving specimens were crossed with other breeds such as the Scottish Greyhound, Great Dane, Russian Greyhound and Tibetan Greyhound. And it is because of him that today we can admire in all its splendor and grandeur, this magnificent dog.
In Ireland this dog is so beloved that it appears as a symbol, on pottery, on Whiskey and on national stamps. It has also inspired the names of famous Irish rugby teams, such as Ireland's Wolfhounds, which is the national A team in rugby 15. It is also the mascot of the Irish Guards battalion of the British Army.
Character of the Irish Wolfhound dog breed
The Irish Wolfhound is a good, gentle, calm and easy to train dog. It becomes especially attached to one person, but is always very sweet and loving with all family members, including animals. In fact, he gets along well with both dogs and other animals in the house. He is not afraid of anything and is a great barker, unlike other Greyhounds who are generally very quiet.
He loves to play with children with whom he has a very good relationship and whom he will tend to protect. They are dogs that suffer a lot from loneliness and like to live within family and social life; if left alone a lot they can easily fall into depression. They have a natural instinct to understand and recognize the emotions of the people they live with, showing great empathy for them.
It does not like to be teased and might seem like an independent dog, instead it has a great need for the affection of family members. Today that wolf hunting is no longer its occupation, it is also used as protection and control of livestock, but above all it is considered an excellent companion dog. Considering that it was used to hunt bears and wolves, it is understood that it is a brave and powerful dog. It is a valuable defense dog, and defends its family to the bitter end if necessary, and if there is a real need it does not hesitate to attack, warning with barking first, however.
Because of its structure and origins, it is the ideal dog to live in families living in the countryside or in places where there are large open spaces available, so it can get plenty of exercise and keep fit at all times. It can adapt to urban life as well, as long as it can be offered enough outdoor space and allowed to take long walks daily.
Appearance of the Irish Wolfhound dog breed
The Irish Wolfhound is a giant dog breed; it can reach a height at the withers of 80 centimeters, weighing from 40 kilograms in females to 54 to 60 in males.
It has an imposing appearance, very muscular and strong built, but graceful with a loose and active movement and very elegant. It is considered one of the largest purebred dogs in existence.
Its legs are muscular, long and strong, and its tail is long, slightly curved and covered with thick fur. Morphologically it is classified as a Graioid type. Compared to the build, the skull appears small, elongated and proud. This also contributes to its slender, tapered appearance. The muzzle is pointed, the truffle is black, and on the muzzle the hair forms a beard, hirsute whiskers and eyebrows.
The ears are small and pink and resemble those of Greyhounds, and the eyes are also small, dark and particularly communicative.
The coat coat of the Irish Wolfhound is hard, short and rough to the touch, giving it a very rustic and always bachelor-like appearance. Colors are generally gray, grizzled, red, black, fawn, tiger and white.
Health and care of the Irish Wolfhound dog breed
Unfortunately, like all giant dogs, Irish Wolfhounds have a very low life expectancy. They are usually no more than eight years old, although selected from longer-lived families they can reach up to 10 years.
There are several diseases that affect Irish Wolfhounds. First are osteosarcomas and dilated cardiomyopathy. They are also very prone to stomach torsion, which is one of the most common causes of death for these specimens. It is therefore necessary to pay close attention to feeding and to know how to recognize the symptoms of stomach torsion early on. Therefore, dividing them into three portions per day and with water away from meals is ideal.
They may also suffer from Wobbler's syndrome, also called Caudal Cervical Spondylomyelopathy, which causes them to have a disheveled gait and potential deficits in their body perception. Constant movement is essential to the health of Irish Wolfhounds.
As for coat care, brushing once a week is sufficient, but it is recommended that they be taken to a professional at least once a year to perform a deeper grooming of the hard coat.
