post image

Irish Wolfhound Puppies

About Irish Wolfhound Puppies
Irish Wolfhound puppies are quite large, which should come as no surprise considering the breed is one of the tallest that exists. Adult Irish Wolfhounds can reach heights of 7 feet when they stand on their hind legs. An old and established breed, the Irish Wolfhound is named after its original intended purpose: to hunt wolves. Despite their origin, however, they are often referred to as gentle giants because of their mellow, if not outright sweet, temperament.

The Irish Wolfhound has a long and storied history. It has been considered the National Dog of Ireland for more than 2,000 years. During their very early history, only members of the royal family were allowed to own them as pets.

Irish Wolfhound puppies are lean and muscular and grow to be very powerful dogs. They bear a similarity to greyhounds, so much so that they have been referred to as Irish greyhounds. Irish Wolfhounds, however, have wiry hair that distinguishes them from greyhounds. An elegant dog with a very graceful demeanor, it is, like the greyhound, an excellent runner.

Though many years removed from their wolf-hunting days, Irish Wolfhound puppies cannot resist a good chase. Since they are sight hounds and do retain some of that predatory instinct, you can expect an Irish Wolfhound to happily chase neighborhood squirrels and other small critters.

Potential owners of Irish Wolfhound puppies should look beyond how adorable they are as puppies and make sure they have the space necessary to accommodate such a large dog before getting one. Ideally, Irish Wolfhound owners will have large, fenced-in yards, so the dog can run as it so desires without getting loose. The Irish Wolfhound is a very loyal breed with a life expectancy of between 5 and 10 years. They make excellent companions, as long as owners are ready to cope with their size and their need for brisk exercise.

Irish Wolfhound puppies can grow up to weigh between 90 and 150 pounds. They have long heads with pointed muzzles, black noses, triangle-shaped ears that hang downward and dark, medium-size eyes. Their coat is rough and wiry and they tend to have long hair under their eyes and jaws. Be sure to comb them often between groomings to keep knots from forming. Knots pull on a dog’s skin and can be very painful, not to mention difficult for a groomer to do his work without stressing the dog out or having to simply shave it down. Irish Wolfhounds are typically gray, but there are also brindle, pure white, fawn, wheaten and steel blue wolfhounds. Talk to a licensed, qualified groomer about how often your Irish Wolfhound should get groomed, and keep in mind that the longer hair under its eyes and jaws needs to be trimmed from time to time.

The Irish Wolfhound breed is prone to hereditary portosystemic shunt, which means they can be born with a condition that causes blood to bypass the liver. When blood bypasses the liver in this manner it means that the blood’s toxic components are not detoxified by the liver as they should, which creates blood flow around the liver. Be vigilant if your puppy or adult dog begins to show signs of illness and take it to the veterinarian immediately. Some of those signs include the following:

Since the shunt is a congenital issue, you may see symptoms manifest as early as six months, which should afford you enough time to get your puppy surgical intervention.

Irish Wolfhound puppies are very intelligent, and although they are certainly an active breed, they are known for being quiet. Indeed, Irish Wolfhounds are considered to be so great with children because they are slow to anger. While Irish Wolfhound owners need not fear that the dog will snap at children, smaller children and children who brusquely handle dogs should be supervised at all times, especially as the puppy grows to be a full-size adult.

Irish Wolfhounds also get along with other household pets, provided you train them not to chase them. It is easier to get them used to other pets when they are still puppies. Take advantage of how smart they are. Gentle giants notwithstanding, they tend to be reserved with strangers. It takes some coaxing for an Irish Wolfhound to trust someone new to its household. Irish Wolfhound puppies require socialization and you should begin to teach it basic commands as soon as possible. Consider obedience classes if you are having trouble training your puppy. They need affection, but they also need discipline. An obedience trainer can help you adjust your behavior with and around your puppy, which in turn will prompt your puppy to behave better.