Breed Standard and History Page

Keller Irish Wolfhounds

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Breed Standard

The Irish Wolfhound Standard

General Appearance--Of great size and commanding appearance, the Irish Wolfhound is remarkable in combining power and swiftness with keen sight. The largest and tallest of the galloping hounds, in general type he is a rough-coated, Greyhoundlike breed; very muscular, strong though gracefully built; movements easy and active; head and neck carried high, the tail carried with an upward sweep with a slight curve towards the extremity. The minimum height and weight of dogs should be 32 inches and 120 pounds; of bitches, 30 inches and 105 pounds; these to apply only to hounds over 18 months of age. Anything below this should be debarred from competition. Great size, including height at shoulder and proportionate length of body, is the desideratum to be aimed at, and it is desired to firmly establish a race that shall average from 32 to 34 inches in dogs, showing the requisite power, activity, courage and symmetry.
Head--Long, the frontal bones of the forehead very slightly raised and very little indentation between the eyes. Skull, not too broad. Muzzle, long and moderately pointed. Ears, small and Greyhoundlike in carriage.
Neck--Rather long, very strong and muscular, well arched, without dewlap or loose skin about the throat.
Chest--Very deep. Breast wide.
Back--Rather long than short. Loins arched.
Tail-Long and slightly curved, of moderate thickness, and well covered with hair.
Belly--Well drawn up.
Forequarters--Shoulders, muscular, giving breadth of chest, set sloping. Elbows well under, neither turned inwards nor outwards.
Hindquarters--Muscular thighs and second thigh long and strong as in the Greyhound, and hocks well let down and turning neither in nor out.
Feet--Moderately large and round, neither turned inwards nor outwards. Toes, well-arched and closed. Nails, very strong and curved.
Hair--Rough and hard on body, legs and head; especially wiry and long over eyes and underjaw.
Color and Markings--The recognized colors are gray, brindle, red, black, pure white, fawn, or any other color that appears in the Deerhound.
FAULTS--Too light or heavy a head, too highly arched frontal bone; large ears and hanging flat to the face; short neck; full dewlap; too narrow or too broad a chest; sunken or hollow or quite straight back; bent forelegs; overbent fetlocks; twisted feet; spreading toes; too curly a tail; weak hindquarters and a general want of muscle; too short in body. Lips or nose liver-colored or lacking pigmentation.

List Of Points In Order Of Merit

(1) Typical. The Irish Wolfhound is a rough-coated Greyhoundlike breed, the tallest of the coursing hounds and remarkable in combining power and swiftness.
(2) Great size and commanding appearance.
(3) Movements easy and active.
(4) Head, long and level, carried high.
(5) Forelegs, heavily boned, quite straight; elbows well set under.
(6) Thighs long and muscular; second thighs, well muscled, stifles nicely bent.
(7) Coat, rough and hard, especially wiry and long over eyes and under jaw.
(8) Body, long, well-ribbed up, with ribs well sprung, and great breadth across hips.
(9) Loins arched, belly well drawn up.
(10) Ears, small, with Greyhoundlike carriage.
(11) Feet, moderately large and round; toes, close, well arched.
(12) Neck, long, well arched and very strong.
(13) Chest, very deep, moderately broad.
(14) Shoulders, muscular, set sloping.
(15) Tail, long and slightly curved.
(16) Eyes, dark.
NOTE: The above in no way alters the Standard of Excellence, which must in all cases be rigidly adhered to; they simply give the various points in order of merit. If in any case they appear at variance with the Standard of Excellence, it is the latter which is correct.

A Brief History of the Irish Wolfhound:

The Irish Wolfhound is a breed of hound (a sighthound), bred to hunt. The name originates from its purpose rather than from its appearance: To hunt wolves. These dogs are the tallest breed of dog in the world.

The breed is very old, possibly from the 16th century BC or earlier, bred as war dogs by the ancient Celts, who called them Cú Faoil. The Irish continued to breed them for this purpose, as well as to guard their homes and protect their stock. Regular references of Irish Wolfhounds being used in dog fights are found in many historical sagas - Cuchulain's favourite, Luath was slain by a southern chief's hound, Phorp.

While many modern texts state Irish wolfhounds were used for coursing deer, contemporary pre-revival accounts such as Animated Nature (1796) by Oliver Goldsmith are explicit that the original animal was a very poor coursing dog. Their astonishing size, speed, and intelligence made them ideal hunting animals for both wild boar and wolves, and many were exported for this purpose. They were perhaps too ideal, as the wolf is now extinct in Ireland. The Irish Wolfhound has been recorded as being exhibited in Ancient Rome to some excitement, and mention is made that they so amazed and terrified the Romans that it was seen fit to only transport them in cages. There exists stories that in the arena, the original Wolfhound was the equal of a lion.

During times of conflict with England, it was not uncommon for Wolfhounds to be trained to take armored knights off of their horses. Thus allowing an infantry man to move in and finish the kill if the Wolfhound has not done so already.

Due to a massive export into various countries as a gift for royalty and a ban that allowed only royalty to own such a dog, the breed almost vanished in the middle of the 19th century. Captain Graham rebred the Irish Wolfhound with the Deerhound, Great Dane, Borzoi and other breeds; this saved the breed, but had the inevitable effect of altering its appearance.

The ancient breed (often referred to as the Irish Wolfdogge in contemporary accounts) was available in both a smooth and rough coated variety. Descriptions of its appearance and demeanor, as well as the method of its use place it closer to the flock guardians in appearance than the modern breed. The historical variety was famed for its loyalty, discernment, grave nature and aggression. In terms of temperament the modern breed has been greatly mellowed.

The Judging "Format" can be found at www.Sunstag.org