Irish Terrier Profile

Other Names: Irish Red Terrier

Country of origin: Ireland

Dog Group Kennel Club: Terrier

General appearance:

The Irish Terrier is a double coat breed. The outer coat is wiry and dense, fits closely to the body, and has a broken appearance. The under coat is fine and soft in texture. The color of the coat comes in solid wheaten, red wheaten, bright red, and golden red. This breed sheds little to no hair. The graceful, racy outline of the Irish Terrier is unmistakable. Head held high on a long, graceful neck, this breed stands out in a crowd. They are small to medium sized dogs, once ranging greatly in size and appearance, but now a consistent square looking, bushy and bearded. They have short, small drop ears, and fiery brown eyes.

Colours: Red, golden red, red wheaten, or wheaten

Size:

Bitch     46cm (18") 46cm (18") 

Dog       48cm (19") 48cm (19")

Weight:

Bitch      11kg (24lbs) 11kg (24lbs)

Dog         12kg (26lbs) 12kg (26lbs)

Temperament:

Courageous and feisty little dogs who have truly earned the nickname 'The Daredevil'. Affectionate and friendly with people – particularly children – this breed will be loyal and devoted to the family. However, that said, great care should be taken in the presence of other dogs as the males of the breed are known to be fearless and will, if antagonised, fight to win. Irish Terrier's are very playful and is best suited for homes with older considerate children. Irish Terriers are combative with other dogs and do not do well with other household pets. They are extremely protective of their family, home, and territory and make excellent guard dogs.

Movement: Fore- and hindlegs carried straight forward and parallel. Elbows move perpendicular to body, working free of sides, stifles neither turning in nor out.

Care and training:

Hand plucking is required 2 or 3 times a year. The hair between the pads of the feet should be regularly trimmed and the ears must be kept clean. The Irish Terrier requires regular brushing with a stiff bristle brush to minimize shedding and remove dead hair. Bathing should only be done when absolutely necessary using a mild shampoo to preserve the integrity of the coat. The more they are groomed, the more beautiful the coat will be.

Irish Terriers respond well to training, but require firm handling with consistent, tactful training. They tend to get into trouble if not trained. Having a good memory and wanting to please, this breed is easy to train as long as training is done in a consistent manner. Plenty of variety should
be given during the training routine. They excel in hunting, retrieving, guarding and tracking as well as police and military work.

Overall Exercise: 40 - 60 minutes per day.
Irish Terriers can be boisterous and very energetic, therefore plenty of exercise is a must. However, due to their over-boisterous natures with other dogs, care must be taken when allowed off the lead. They are prone to digging.

Feeding requirements: The average cost of feeding will be around £4.00 per week

Exercise: Med

Grooming: High

Noise: Low 

Personal Protection: High

Suitability As Guard Dog: High

Level of Aggression: Medium

Compatibility With Other Animals: Medium

Suitablity for Children: High

Often docked? Yes

Average litter: 4 - 6

Life expectancy (yrs): 13 - 16

Health issues: Kidney or bladder stones, corns on the feet, and hereditary urinary problems.

History: Irish Terriers are possibly the oldest of the terrier breeds to have come from Ireland. Not much has been documented of their past. We do know, however, that they were used as a working farm dog and guard dog in Ireland for centuries. Their history is only revealed in a few writings of old Irish literature. The first Irish legal code of medieval times referred to this breed as the “dog of the dungheap”, referring to their pillaging of mice living in manure piles in the farmlands of Ireland. Later, dog expert Stonehenge (J.H. Walsh) was recorded to adamantly deny that the Irish Terrier was related to the “old Scotch Terrier” of Scotland. The first official record of the breed was recorded in 1875. These few writings provided a backdrop of where the breed has come from. The rest of the breed’s history before that is lost in time. From appearance, the Irish Terrier appears closely related to the Airedale Terrier, as well as the smaller Wire Fox Terrier. It is thought that the Black and Tan Terrier of the time added to the mix of the breed and helped create the Irish Terrier we have today.