The Kerry Blue Terrier is the quintessential working dog.
There are TOP 10 interesting facts about Kerry Blue Terrier.
1) Origin
The origin of the Kerry Blue Terrier has been the subject of many theories but its true ancestors will probably never be known. The Kerry is one of three long-legged terrier breeds developed in Ireland by crofters who needed all-purpose farm dogs, capable of herding, guarding, hunting, retrieving, and vermin control. Many people consider that one of these breeds, the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, is an ancestor of the Kerry Blue Terrier. It is also believed the Irish Wolfhound contributed to the development of this breed. Notwithstanding the romantic tales of this breed’s origin, the Kerry was first known as a distinct breed by the end of the 19th century. 2) Family Dog You cannot leave a Kerry Blue Terrier alone all day, or stick him in the back yard and expect him to be passive and content. These intelligent dogs insist on being a full-fledged member of your family and cannot just be shunted aside. When bored or ignored, Kerries (like many other breeds, by the way) are likely to get into a world of mischief. 3) Temperament Most terrier breeds are remarkably similar. The same words are used over and over -- quick to bark, quick to chase, lively, bossy, feisty, scrappy, clever, independent, stubborn, persistent, impulsive, intense. 4) Watchdog This dog will bark and alert its owners when an intruder is present. It exhibits very protective behavior, acts fearless toward any aggressor, and will do what it takes to guard and protect its family. 5) Dominant Dogs Most Kerry Blue Terriers are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs. Most have strong instincts to chase and seize small fleeing creatures. This can make for conflict if you own a cat. It may be much worse than that if you own a pet rabbit or hamster! 6) Puppy Ears One thing that many people think is weird or interesting is that when the Kerry Blue Terriers are puppies, they must have their ears pasted/glued in order for them to be in the proper place/shape. Not only are they pasted, but it is actually glued for up to a couple weeks and also possibly a couple of different times. When their ears get pasted, part of their ears and heads are shaved, and then the tip of the ear is glued to their heads by the eyes. 7) Around Strangers Toward strangers, the Kerry Blue Terrier may be friendly or reserved, and even the friendly ones are sensibly protective. Some lines and individuals are more wary, and some are overprotective. Socialization is imperative to develop a stable attitude. 8) Fence Security Many terriers are clever escape artists who will go over or under fences in search of adventure. Kerry Blue Terriers are athletic jumpers; you need higher fences than you might imagine for their size. You may also need to sink wire into the ground along the fence line to thwart digging. 9) Grooming Kerry Blue Terriers have a very high maintenance coat. But the looks of them, many people would assume that they have an ordinary coat; however, they do not. In fact, in order for them to have a nice coat they have to be brushed on a daily basis. If they are not groomed on a daily basis their coats will start matting, or getting knotted up; which would result in them being cut off. 10) Health Kerries are fairly healthy, but there are some genetic disorders that are prevalent in the breed. They are prone to eye problems such as Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes), cataracts, and entropion. They sometimes get cysts or tumorous growths in their skin, but these are rarely malignant. Hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, cryptorchidism have also been reported occasionally. Source: http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102197465.asp http://www.dogbreedslist.info/all-dog-breeds/Kerry-Blue-Terrier.html#.WZR1FukzXIU
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