Irish Wolfhound - National dog of Ireland

Discover the characteristics of the Irish Wolfhound - the world's tallest dog breed from Ireland, known for its majestic appearance, gentle, loyal and intelligent temperament.

Irish Wolfhound - an ancient giant dog breed from Ireland, not only stands out with its tallest stature in the world but also fascinates pet lovers with its loyal, gentle and noble temperament.

In today's article, let's explore dog breed all the information about the Irish Wolfhound to better understand this "gentle giant"!

Origin of Irish Wolfhound

Learn about the origins of the Irish Wolfhound.

The Irish Wolfhound is one of the oldest dog breeds in the world with a history of over 2000 years, having appeared since the Celtic period in Ireland.

The name “Wolfhound” is based on the main role of this breed of dog, which is to hunt and destroy wild wolves that have harmed humans and livestock since the Middle Ages. In addition, they can also hunt red deer, wild boar or guard castles.

The development process of this breed is as follows:

• During the Middle Ages, the Irish Wolfhound was considered a symbol of power and prestige and only the nobility could own and raise them.
• By the 18th century, wild wolves in Ireland were almost completely exterminated, putting this breed of dog in danger of extinction due to crossbreeding and loss of purebred lines.
• By the 19th century, Colonel George Augustus Graham had resurrected the breed by crossbreeding the surviving individuals with Scottish Deerhounds, German Mastiffs, and Russian Wolfhounds (Borzol).
• Today, the Irish Wolfhound has become the national dog of Ireland, and is kept as a high-class pet or therapy dog thanks to its calm temperament.

What does an Irish Wolfhound look like?

The Irish Wolfhound is a large dog.

The Irish Wolfhound is one of the tallest dog breeds in the world with a majestic, noble and powerful appearance. Let's learn more about the appearance of this dog breed below.

Overall shape :

• Height: Male minimum 81 - 86 cm, female minimum 71 - 76 cm
• Average weight: Male from 55 - 70 kg, female from 40 - 55 kg
• Body structure: Long, muscular body, deep chest, balanced body proportions, graceful despite being very large
• Gait: Soft, elegant, not heavy at all

Head & face :

• Long head, slightly flat, flat forehead
• Medium sized, oval shaped eyes, dark brown or black in color, very gentle looking
• Small, thin ears, folded close to the head in the style of “rose ears” - classic hunting dog
• Long snout, big nose, strong, sharp, even teeth

Legs & Tail :

• Long, slightly curved and hairy tail
• Long, straight legs, large bones, strongly developed hind legs

Fur and color :

• The hair is coarse, medium length, slightly stiff and shaggy, the hair around the chin and eyebrows is thicker, looking "old and majestic"
• Popular coat colors: Gray, brown, black, striped, red, white,...

Irish Wolfhound Temperament and Behavior

Despite being a giant hunting dog, the Irish Wolfhound has a gentle temperament - dubbed the "gentle giant". Let's learn more about this dog's habits and behavior.

Gentle and calm

The Irish Wolfhound is a very gentle, mild-mannered and friendly dog - in stark contrast to its massive appearance. They are not aggressive or quarrelsome by nature, but are very patient, especially with children and other pets if socialized early.

Unlike many other hunting dog breeds, the Irish Wolfhound rarely barks, only barking to warn when absolutely necessary.

Loyalty and affection

Irish Wolfhounds are very loyal and attached to their owners and family members, often following their primary caregivers around. Although they are not 24/7 “cuddle dogs”, they like to be quietly present by their owners’ side.

Strong hunting instinct

Because of their hunting nature, Irish Wolfhounds still retain strong hunting instincts, preferring to chase fast-moving animals such as cats, rabbits, etc. However, they are not too aggressive and are easy to control if trained and socialized from a young age.

Like quiet

Irish Wolfhounds love quiet and hate noisy and bustling environments. If they are raised in a house with frequent loud noises, arguments or screaming children, they will feel stressed and tense.

Need to move but not too much

Although they are hunting dogs, Irish Wolfhounds are not overly active, nor do they tend to be constantly active, preferring long, gentle walks every day.

However, you need to pay attention to let them exercise regularly if they do not want to be overweight or have a reduced lifespan.

Intelligent & Trainable

Irish Wolfhounds are very intelligent and can learn basic commands very quickly if taught gently and patiently. However, if you do not force them to learn, they can be a bit "lazy".

Why Irish Wolfhounds are not popular in Vietnam

Up to now, Irish Wolfhound dogs are not popular and very rare in Vietnam, below are some of the main reasons, let's find out more.

• Oversized: Irish Wolfhound is the tallest dog breed in the world and adult males can be over 90 cm tall and weigh up to 80 kg, so they have difficulty adapting to the conditions of townhouses and apartments in Vietnam.
• Very high price: The price of this dog is very high, up to 170 million VND (not including shipping costs)
• Expensive maintenance costs: With a large body size, this breed of dog also needs a large amount of food, a large space requirement, and health care costs are many times more expensive than those of regular pet dogs.
• Short lifespan: The average lifespan of the Irish Wolfhound is quite short, only 6 - 8 years, shorter than many other breeds of dogs.

How much does an Irish Wolfhound cost?

As shared above, Irish Wolfhound is one of the most expensive dog breeds. You can refer to the following price list for more accurate information.

Note: When buying an imported Irish Wolfhound, in addition to the main price, you need to pay additional costs such as shipping fees, quarantine fees, vaccinations, customs procedures, etc., which can be up to 100 - 200 million VND.

Questions and answers about Irish Wolfhound?

Are Irish Wolfhounds aggressive?

No, despite its large size and hunting dog origins, the Irish Wolfhound has a gentle, calm and friendly temperament.

Are Irish Wolfhounds easy to care for?

They are quite easy to care for as they do not require much exercise, shed little and do not have a bad smell. However, the cost of raising them is very high - including medicine, food, living space.

Is the Irish Wolfhound suitable for children?

Very suitable, because they are very patient and gentle with small children. However, because of their large size, you need to supervise them to avoid accidentally pushing or crushing children.

Beautiful Irish Wolfhound Pictures

We invite you to admire the collection of beautiful and impressive Irish wolfhound images that we share below. Guaranteed with its majestic giant stature and gentle eyes, this dog breed will make you "open your mouth" in amazement.

The Irish wolfhound puppy was running around on the grass.

Two dogs are chasing each other.

The Irish Wolfhound has a super unique patchy coat.

The giant Irish Wolfhound next to its "tiny" friend.

Two Irish wolfhounds standing next to each other.

Irish wolfhounds in training.

Irish wolfhounds standing in the cold snow.

Through the above article, dogbreed.wiki has shared detailed information about the Irish wolfhound - the tallest dog breed in the world. Although this breed is not popular in Vietnam today, they are still a majestic and elegant symbol of the land of Ireland.

If you want to learn more about other breeds of dogs and hunting dogs, please read more articles in our Blog section.