The Irish Terrier

Appearance

A medium sized dog with plenty of substance yet remaining racy and elegant in outline. Built for speed and endurance, the Irish Terrier is very sound.

You would expect Irish Terriers to grow to between 18 and 20 inches these days (usually the top of their shoulder is knee high to an adult). They come in all shades of red, from a wheaten colour through to a deep red. They have a rough coat which resembles that of a Wire Fox Terrier or an Airedale Terrier but it is much less profuse and much easier to maintain. They do not shed hair, so no tumble weeds in the house or yard.

This is a very handsome breed that can look scruffy which in it’s own way is very cute and quite endearing.

History

Originally bred by Irish farmers to protect their small holdings this dog quickly proved his worth as an all round useful dog. Be it baby sitting the kids, guarding the property, dealing with foxes, providing rabbits for dinner or retrieving game from water this little red head simply excelled.

He earned his stripes during WW1 running as a messenger dog. His efforts and bravery were legendary, he was an asset to the troops. He certainly proved he is a trainable and reliable mate.

In more recent years the Irish Terrier has wormed his way into the comforts of family life. His enchanting personality easily wins over the hearts and minds of those who are lucky enough to share their home with one. They have a mischievous sense of humour, some of them even grin or smile.

With only a handful of enthusiastic and dedicated breeders throughout the world the breed has remained extremely healthy, partly because it has never suffered from being ‘fashionable’ but mostly because breeders hold them so dearly and protect them well.

While not being vast in numbers you will often see Irish Terriers at dog shows in most states of Australia and more recently there has been an increase in them competing in Agility, Jumping and Obedience.

Temperament

The breed is reasonably active and can enjoy running after a ball as much as it can sleeping on the outdoor furniture if permitted. A clown with a great sense of humour and a constantly ticking mind.

Terriers are not for everyone but for people who put in the ground work on shaping behaviour and habits they find that Irish terriers are indeed a trainable dog that will prove to be lovely with children, gentle with the elderly and accepting of invited guests.

Much is written about these dogs being aggressive towards other dogs. This is an injustice to the breed. The truth is that entire males (and sometimes females) at times show same sex aggression but this seems to be limited to situations where there is active breeding occurring and therefore quite a bit of rivalry in regards to who had puppies and who will get stud duties!! (all fairly understandable behaviour). Away from that environment and with the correct socialisation this is a very amiable breed and will only show aggressive behaviour in response to an unprovoked attack from another dog.

Care / Grooming

One of the easiest of the double coated breeds to look after. This breed has a double coat but is nowhere near as thick in coat as an Airedale or Wire Foxie. If you like the look but not the constant combing and grooming then this breed will please you. They don’t shed much hair, so no tumble weeds around the house and yard.

Can be kept tidy by visiting the groomer two to three times a year for clipping. If you decide you like the scruffy dog look you will need to comb the dog once a week or fortnight to stop the coat from matting and to collect dead hair in the comb.

Most breeders will give advice on how to hand strip the coat if you want to learn.

Health

Blessed with good health. This is a vigorous dog that usually just gets on with living. The only known hereditary condition is hyperkeratosis (corny feet) which has not been seen in Australia for some time but is still present in the breed with some cases being reported in other countries.

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