Kerry Blue Terrier - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
This breed originated in Ireland and it got its name from the County Kerry where it originated probably in 1700s. The first written evidence about Kerry Blue Terrier like dog is from 1847. We do not know what are the ancestors of this breed, but experts are mentioning old Black Terrier, Portuguese Water dog, Bedlington Terrier, and Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. They might also be distant relatives of Irish Terriers and Wolfhounds.

2) True Terrier
The Kerry Blue Terrier has all the typical terrier characteristics. It is strong, agile and alert dog that is always ready for an action. They are also very smart and if they want they learn new commands very quickly. But they are definitely not pushovers to train, due to their independent personality, which is also very typical for most of the terriers.

3) Black puppies
It is true, that the Kerry Blue Terrier is, well blue. But the puppies are born all black and their color usually fades over time into its final color around 18 months of age. And they can be find in more shades of blue, starting from very dark almost blackish blue, to light grey, as you can see on this photo.

4) Coat
The Kerry Blue Terriers coat is one of the most distinctive feature of this breed. It does not shed, but it is very high maintenance, because it continues growing all year and if not clipped can become a problem with matting. The coat feels more like a human hair or wool, rather than typical dogs fur. They are best known for the longer hair on their face. This breed needs regular, at least weekly brushing and you should clip the coat every 6 weeks.

5) Exercise
Just like most of the dog breeds that were developed as workers, this is very energetic and athletic dog breed that needs a lot of daily exercise to stay healthy and happy. He will enjoy every outdoor activity with you, for example jogging, hiking or biking. Because of their high intelligence, they also excell at dog sports like agility, obedience trials or tracking.

6) Police dogs

This is one of the most versatile dog breed in the world. In their past they were succesfully used for hunting game, vermin and birds, as guards and watchdogs and even as sheep herders. In their homeland, Ireland, they were even used for police work!

7) Other animals

Kerry Blue Terrier is very friendly towards people, especially towards their family, but they do not have the best reputation with other animals, even with other dogs. Of course, this can be vastly influenced by proper socialization, but often, Kerry Blue Terriers show agression towards other dogs and they sometimes try to hunt other smaller animals. Early socialization is extremely important with this breed.

8) Size

This is athletic and muscular breed with average height between 17-19 inches, which is 44-48 cm and weight between 22-33 pounds which is 10-15 kg. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

9) Bad behaviour

I already said that this is a typical terrier, so you should not be surprised that they love digging, chasing, chewing and that sometimes they can bark a lot. Of course, this is mostly a problem if the dog is bored and when its exercise needs are not met. To prevent this behaviour, you should not only exercise their body but also a mind. Regular training sessions or task oriented playtimes are great way how to achieve that.

10) Health

This is pretty healthy dog breed with great lifespan between 13-15 years. Just like all dog breeds they do suffer from some health issues, most commonly from entropion, hypothyroidism, cataracts and hip dysplasia.