Irish Wolfhound - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
This is an ancient dog breed, with the first written evidence from the year 391 in a letter from a Roman consul to his brother. They were serving as war dogs and hunters, they were especially famous for being able to hunt down wolves and elks.

2) Aibe
One Irish Wolfhound started a war in 12th century. His name was Aibe and the reason why he started a war was, that his owner refused an offer from the King of Ulster. The King wanted to trade Aibe with 4 000 cows, but Aibes owner said no to this offer.

3) Almost extinct
In the 19th century, Irish Wolfhounds almost went extinct. The reason was, that the number of wolves and elks decreased, so the Irish Wolfhounds were not needed that much anymore. Luckily, Captain George Graham made an expedition to find remaining Irish Wolfhounds and when he found them, he used them to save and revive the breed.

4) Tallest dog
Irish Wolfhound and Great Dane. These two breeds are the tallest dogs in the world. Currently the Guiness world record is held by Great Dane Zeus, but many Irish Wolfhounds are bigger than Great Danes. The 36 inches tall Irish Wolfhounds are not uncommon and there are many who are even taller than that.

5) Fast and lazy
Just like all sighthounds, the Irish Wolfhound is capable of running very very fast. And they love to run, so you should let them to stretch their long large legs every day. But other than that, especially when they are inside the house, this is pretty calm down, relaxed and lazy dog.

6) Not a Guard
Irish Wolfhounds might be extraordinary hunters, but they are not the best guards. The reason is its friendly temperament, they are just not alert, agressive or suspicious towards strangers. They will probably welcome the burglar to your house. But their large size might be enough to scare away intruders.

7) Gentle giant
Big dog with big heart, that is how you can describe the Irish Wolfhound. They are the typical gentle giant. Gentle, sensitive, friendly, patient and easygoing. But dont forget their hunting side, when you are outside, you must be pretty careful, because Irish Wolfhounds are dogs with higher prey drive and they will love to chase after other animals.

8) Health
Sadly, the Irish Wolfhound is not the healthies breed. Big problem is bloating, which is a life threatening digestive syndrome. They also have problems with joints, bones and heart. The average lifespan is 6-10 years.

9) Coat
Grooming of Irish Wolfhound is pretty simple and easy. The coat should be combed at least once a week. They are not big shedders. The coat is rough and hard and they have longer fur around the eyes and under the jaw. By the way, their beard can easily become dirty from eating, so prepare for washing it quite often. You can find Irish Wolfhounds in many colors, including red, brindle, fawn or gray.

10) With kids
As i already said, the Irish Wolfhound is a gentle giant, which means, he is making good companion for kids. But because of their large size they can accidentally knock younger children down and injure them. That is why they are better companions for older kids and if they are with smaller ones, you should never leave them unsupervised.