The Irish Wolfhound is an Irish breed selected for wolf and bear hunting. Its very ancient origins and selection made it famous in all the noble houses of Europe in the Middle Ages. Strength, courage and speed make it an excellent auxiliary in big game.
The origins of the Irish Wolfhound are very ancient, even a few centuries after the birth of Jesus Christ. For sure it is known that the Celts of continental Europe had a greyhound that was probably descended from the greyhounds immortalized in the Egyptian temples and pyramids. The Celtic population was interested in selecting large greyhounds for wolf and bear hunting.
A writing by a Roman consul dating back to 391 AD testifies to the presence of this breed at that time, even if some sources assert that it was already present in Ireland from the first century. A.D
Irish dogs were certainly the base breed from which the selection for today's Irish Wolfhound began. This breed was so successful in bear and wolf hunting that pairs of Irish Wolfhounds were donated to European, Scandinavian and other royal houses from the Middle Ages to the XNUMXth century. They were also sent to England, Spain, France, Sweden, Denmark, India and Poland for the same purpose: extreme hunting trips, in which no other dog could compete.
In the fifteenth century. every county in England was required to have at least 24 "wolfhounds" to protect peasant flocks from wolf raids. The prohibition by Cromwell in 1652 to export wolfhounds outside the national borders, allowed the preservation of the number of specimens, but the gradual disappearance of the wolf and the continuous demand abroad fueled the danger of extinction of this breed to the end of the seventeenth century.
To give new life to the breeding of the Irish Wolfhound was the rise of Irish nationalism in the late XNUMXth century. This breed soon became the living symbol of Irish culture and the Celtic past. The one who contributed most to the rebirth of the Irish "wolfhound" was Captain GA Graham, who began to procure some of the few Wolfhound-type greyhounds that could still be found in Ireland and, with crosses of deerhound, borzoi and great dane, obtained a type of dog that reproduced homogeneously in every generation.
The results thus achieved were finally accepted as a legitimate return of the breed, to the point that the Irish Kennel Club established a class for the breed at their show in April 1879 and the breed club was founded shortly thereafter.
The Irish Wolfhound is not a heavy or massive dog like the Great Dane, although it is very large in size and imposing in appearance, having powerful musculature, strong but graceful build, flowing and effective movement, head and neck carried high and the tail carried with an upward fold with a slight curve towards the tip.
This breed was used for wolf and bear hunting for its courage and power. He is a very good-natured dog, but fearful if provoked. Very attached to the family, especially to children, the Irish Wolfhound has a great character balance. It is a breed that does not require particular attention, apart from the care of the coat, being quite rustic and robust.
Let's now see its truly impressive measurements.
The height for the males is minimum 78,5 cm at the withers, while for the females minimum 71 cm at the withers. The weight is around 55 kg for males and 40 for females. The trunk is elongated and imposing, while the head is long and flat, with the skull not too broad, the muzzle long and slightly pointed.
The correct and complete dentition has a scissor bite with very strong jaws.
The eyes are small, dark and express a lot of goodness and tranquility. The ears are small and carried like those of the "Greyhound".
The limbs have long bony rays and a strong bone structure, with straight legs and with excellent muscular masses, which allow the Irish Wolfhound to reach very high speeds. The coat is coarse, hard and rather short, which gives excellent protection at low temperatures. The color of the coat can be gray, brindle, red, black, white or deer.
The Irish Wolfhound is a breed born for hunting big wolves and bears. It adapts very well to all types of terrain and to very low temperatures.
Despite his size, the Irish Wolfhound is a very sweet, calm and balanced dog with people. In the hunting field this breed is hardly used anymore, but in its blood it still retains its instinct for big game hunting.