# Know anyone with an irish wolfhound?



## WhiteChristmas (Dec 13, 2006)

Looking for anyone with experiences with a irish wolfhound. I'm buying some land on time in New Brunswick,Canada and I'm really thinking of getting a big dog since I'm going to be alone for while. I won't be moving or starting to build for another year. So I've got time. Where I'm currently in Brunswick,Maine there's not too many breeders or dog shows I can actually see a real one. I want a breed that's good with kids of all ages, not bad with cats. Looks scary but not. Will have a 8 foot fenced in back lot and a pretty large converted pole barn to live in.


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Very short lived breed, 6 is an old dog and few get past 8. Nice enough dogs other wise, they can still run but they are not built like they used to be. I'd pass as a farm dog. My god son's family usually has one, sorry they usually have a new one.


----------



## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

Most a not great with small animals either once they start to run.


----------



## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

I trained dogs with a woman who bred them many years ago. They are very slow to mature, act like puppies until they're 2-3 years old, and if they live to 7 or 8 it's a miracle. But between 3 and 6 they were fantastic dogs.

You'd do better finding a well-bred Rottie/Dobie/GSD simply because they mature faster and live longer, IMO. If you don't want one of those, get a good Rhodesian Ridgeback - they are very good guard dogs.


----------



## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

They have a very short lifespan. But they are very friendly.
It is not a breed I would want to have just due to the short life, but they are beautiful. They are friendly, but not good with other dogs in most cases. And they are tall.


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Our dog Brawn was an Irish Wolfhound mix. He was WONDERFUL with children...very gentle and playful. Everyone loved Brawn. Like bluemoonluck said, he was still acting like a puppy at two years old. Unfortunately, Brawn was shot and killed before he was three years old.

Brawn did NOT look scary...he looked like a huge goofball (which he was). He was good with the cats, but not much of a guard dog...he liked people to much!

One thing to take into consideration is their coat...Brawn's long hair caught everything...cockle burrs, briars, etc. Grooming him was a nightmare and we ended up having his hair cut short in the summertime.

I would strongly urge you to consider adopting a mutt from the shelter. They make great farm dogs (and pets) and the black (scary) ones usually don't get adopted.


----------



## Gritty (Nov 26, 2012)

We have a wolfhound mutt. Woman said he was a mastiff mix, but he's on the smaller side. He's still huge, kind of scary looking until you look in his eyes. I swear it's like looking into the face of a really kind man. He's a big oaf, but eager to please. I can put a dog treat in front of him, walk around the house and open/close doors and he won't touch it until I give the okay. He barks and whispers on command (I was teaching him to "speak" and my husband looked at me like I was crazy and said "you're teaching our dog to bark inside the house?!?" so I taught him to whisper too!). 
Our small breed mutt girl walks all over him (literally) and chews on his face. He breathes heavy, cause he learned quick that she can be squeaked easily. I love him dearly and he's fair (not good) around the sheep and chickens. He's mostly scared of the chickens (bad experience with our dog that killed one and wore it on her neck for a week), wants to play with the sheep. They're a horned breed so they stand him off and don't run. If they did, I have no doubt he'd chase. He kind of bark a lot. We have a bike path that is on the edge of property and the dogs can see/hear people walking on it. I watch their "scare the stupid people" game. They'll wait til the person just passes their yard and then let out a ruckus. The person/people jump, look over nervously and continue walking. I swear the dogs are chuckling afterwards. I'll tell 'em "no" sometimes, but I kind of like the folks knowing there's some big dogs around. (we had a brutal attack on the bike path last year and our neighbor has found numerous "hobo camps carved out into the blackberry brambles). 

I just hope he lasts longer than eight years, cause he's an absolute peach!


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Gritty...he sounds like our dog Brawn! Big loveable oaf. Brawn was the sweetest dog and we miss him terribly.

One thing to note is that these dogs eat a LOT of dog food and are prone to health issues due to their large size. Are you prepared for big feeding bills and vet expenses?

Again, I'd urge you to go to the local shelter and adopt a dog that needs a good home.


----------



## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Not a Wolfhound, but I've had Deerhounds. Deerhounds were the main breed used to recreate the Wolfhound, so they have many similarities. Both breeds are gentle and sensitive. Don't expect a guard dog, because they have very little protective instinct.

They will run and chase, so need a good fenced yard. They can be trained to ignore livestock quite easily because they can be targeted to hunt the game that you want them to hunt. My deerhounds ran coyotes but ignored ducks, horses, sheep, and cattle, because they were trained to leave the livestock alone.

Deerhounds are much healthier and have about twice the lifespan. The mastiff blood used in the wolfhound recreation brought in all sorts of issues like hip dysplasia and genetic eye disease that Deerhounds don't have the genes for.

Both breeds are susceptible to torsion and cardiomyopathy.

Both breeds will comply with polite requests and ignore you rather pointedly if you try to give orders.

Some Deerhounds are taller than Wolfhounds, but will weigh about 1/2 as much.

That nice tight crisp coat you see on wolfhounds in the show ring has often been plucked. They can get pretty shaggy if the coat is left to its own devices. Teeth must be cleaned because they will not chew enough to keep their own teeth clean.


----------



## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

A friend of mine was raised with them and for some reason says they were nasty, mean dogs.

The ones I have seen at shows always seem calm and polite. Only other experience I have is from a friend in high school who lived on a large historical estate. They always had a Wolfhound lounging in the front yard, calmly. It was a really pretty scene that reminded me of the old estate hounds from history.

This is a breed I would never spay or neuter, due to their already increased risk of bone cancer and growth problems. S/N will only add to this.


----------



## BlueCollarBelle (Oct 26, 2011)

Haven said:


> This is a breed I would never spay or neuter, due to their already increased risk of bone cancer and growth problems. S/N will only add to this.


As with all giant breeds, spaying or neutering is recommend after 8 months of age. It IS recommended. Due to the longer growth period, the dogs body needs the hormones provided by the sex organs for a longer time. Altering the animal after the bulk of the growth period has passed will not affect lifespan or disease development in any way.


----------



## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

BlueCollarBelle said:


> As with all giant breeds, spaying or neutering is recommend after 8 months of age. It IS recommended. Due to the longer growth period, the dogs body needs the hormones provided by the sex organs for a longer time. Altering the animal after the bulk of the growth period has passed will not affect lifespan or disease development in any way.


Dogs shouldn't be spayed/neutered until after their bones finish growing. The age for this depends on the breed. 

In large breed dogs, this means waiting until they are closer to 18 months of age or so. S/N before the bone plates close in any dog, but particularly large breed dogs, can lead to severe orthopedic issues. It's worse in large breed dogs because they're already prone to ortho issues.


----------



## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

We will have to dissagree on that, BCB. Most of that info comes from vets who profit from S/N and rescue people. Real word experience with dogs and seeing the negative affect on their health tells me otherwise.


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Brawn was spayed at eight months and had no problems, but then, he was killed before he reached three years old.


----------



## SageLady (Jun 10, 2008)

OT - how are you?

You've had lots of folks worried about you since your last thread in Countryside Families about losing your home, husband, and kids last year... This is the first time you've posted since then.

Folks were asking about you just a few days ago. I hope you are doing ok. Would be nice if you update everyone. So many are concerned about you!


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I would also vote for a Scottish Deerhound. They are not as massive as the Irish, but are similar. They are coursers and will run, run, run, so if you have a large estate they will be very happy. As guard dogs, they work well simply by being big, but like the Irish, not likely to defend you well. Any dog will bite, of course.

Any dog over 60 pounds is a deterrent to most people. A standard poodle in full winter coat looks huge and muscular. A Dobermann is really a better deterrent than a wolfhound because a dobie has a common reputation as being a protection dog. Beautiful New Brunswick does not have the extreme winters of other Canadian provinces and a dobie should do fine, perhaps the occasional use of a jacket.


----------



## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

Our Irish Wolfhound was protective, polite, calm, intelligent, and adored his boy, my son. He lived to be 9, even after starting out abandoned in central Alaska with his littermates, and being rescued. He couldn't stand when we got him at about 4 months. He was only 36 inches at the shoulder, so not a huge dog, but a wonderful family dog. We didn't have farm animals when we had him, but he got along well with the cats and another dog, and he and the moose had a mutual agreement to ignore each other.
Kit


----------



## Kwings (Dec 21, 2010)

I've always wanted one but i'll never have one. I wouldn't be able to own a dog that only lived around 6 years. It would rip my heart out.


----------



## Wolf Flower (Dec 21, 2005)

I knew a breeder of Wolfhounds. They were calm, friendly dogs, most were quite dignified once mature, and wow what a sight to see a pack of them running across an open field! They aren't good guard dogs, though their size makes them intimidating. I like them, but I wouldn't want to own one--too short a lifespan.


----------



## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

IW are not eant to be guard dogs they are hunters. They can be territorial about their kills though! Had a client years ago who picked up a "GSD mix" at a flea market..it grew up to be an IW!! She was totally breed perfect but she loved to run down deer and bring them home to eat on their front stoop! A very expensive house too! It was a hoot I would get th ecall to wash her after another of her escapades which occured about twice a year. They tend to be a little standoffish to strangers but they were bred more for hunting.


----------



## Jayfl77 (Jan 12, 2008)

If you want a large breed guard dog, I would have to recommend a great dane. I've had them in the past and they are great with kids and animals. They love people and generally like to be lazy. Both of the ones I had didn't like to exercise more than 20 or 30 minutes before they would just quit playing and go lay down. Unfortunately, they also suffer from the short life span of giant breeds.


----------

