As early as
2000 years ago, the Celts living in Ireland bred a big and
probably rough-haired hound for hunting purposes. During centuries
these remarkable hounds were given as valuable presents for
noble families of the European continent and even as far as
Persia and India. The Irish Wolfhound stands out by his extraordinary
size and his ancient origins. The bitches measure around 80cm,
the dogs can reach over 90cm shoulder height. In spite of
his great appearance and a minimum weight of 54 kg in the
dogs, the Irish Wolfhound belongs to the sighthound breeds.
Thanks to the strong musculation, his movement is powerful
yet effortless and active. He must not look heavy and clumsy. To get a sound Irish Wolfhound,
the upbringing of a puppy must be conducted very carefully
and expertly as the growing is so fast, around 9cm / month
and up to 10kg / month. Not only the adequate food is important
but also the amount of exercice adapted to each individual
hound. The gigantic height and commanding appearance are
proportionate to his docile and friendly character. Being a true gentleman he does’nt bark unnecessarily. He is quiet, adaptable, tolerant and sociable. The best description of his character
is given by the English „Gentle Giant“. |
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