IS AN IRISH WOLFHOUND THE RIGHT DOG FOR YOU?
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Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest and heaviest members of the hound group and are classed as a giant breed. Adult male Wolfhounds can grow to around 3 feet at the shoulder and weigh up to 14 stones.
They are most definitely "people" dogs". They do not enjoy being left alone for long periods and, despite their giant size, are much better suited to living in the house as part of the family than in an outside kennel. They are extremely faithful dogs, who have a need to be with their owners as often as possible. Leaving a Wolfhound at home all day whilst his owners are out at work is not ideal. The mournful howls of lonely hound will disturb the entire parish, not just next door neighbours, and may make you most unpopular!
When you welcome a Wolfhound into your life everything will change. Your house, your car, your lifestyle, will be totally re-arranged around him. Coffee tables become pointless items of furniture - from which everything will be wagged off. Food cannot be left on kitchen worktops and needs to be placed at picture rail level. Even then, nothing is sacred to a hound hell-bent on self-service, who stands well over 6 feet on his hind legs!
The ordinary family car is often not large enough to accommodate him comfortably - especially on long journeys.
The mature hound will take up a considerable amount of your time every single day, to exercise him properly and keep him in good condition. 'Once round the block' every day, with a ten-mile hike Sunday morning, is not the answer.
Wolfhounds are kindly, tolerant dogs, gentle by nature, but do not be misled by the Gentle Giant image. Young hounds can be very boisterous and great care must be taken, particularly with small children who can easily be knocked over, albeit unintentionally, and badly hurt. Wolfhounds do not realize just how big they are and that welcoming tail can catch both child and adult a tidy wallop!
As for 'trainability' - don't expect too much from the Irish Wolfhound. He is a hunter, not a working dog. However, he should be perfectly capable of understanding the basic commands essential to ensure that he is well mannered and manageable. He should come to you when called, stop when told, sit and lie down on command and walk well on a lead. As they usually form a very strong bond with their owners they are eager to please and quick to learn. They are quite sensitive by nature, so rarely need to be shouted at unless they have done something really bad (or dangerous) and they should never be physically chastised. Wolfhounds can be trained in obedience, but you must bear in mind that it can take a little longer for the brain to communicate with the rest of that giant body!
As a general rule, Wolfhounds do not make good guard dogs. Their great size and deep bark may prove an effective deterrent to the uninitiated, but as most Wolfhounds are friendly sorts, they will likely welcome any intruder with a wag and a lick! Wolfhounds are certainly not suitable candidates for patrolling and protecting business premises.
Wolfhounds are usually friendly towards other dogs, although because of their great size this is not always reciprocated! They enjoy companionship of other animals and can be disarmingly gentle with the tiniest of creatures. However, you must remember, he is a hunting sighthound and his instincts to chase are likely to be strong. Great care should be taken to ensure that he is not given the opportunity to 'hunt' livestock.
Wolfhounds are considered one of the healthier giant breeds, however from time to time he will obviously require some veterinary attention. Because of his size, most treatments will be more expensive, so a good insurance policy is worth considering.
Wolfhounds can be very athletic, so you will need fencing of an adequate height to keep them confined within the boundaries of your property. Many Wolfhounds can easily clear three foot, so you will need fencing which is at least four feet high to safely contain an Irish Wolfhound.
WARNING!
Wolfhounds can be addictive! Once you have shared your life with one, it is almost inevitable that you will want another and will never want to be without a Wolfhound again . . .
