Irish wolf, an immense good -natured

The Lebrel or Irish lion (Irish Wolfhound) is considered the highest dog among all known races. Is A hard -fledd with hard fur giant, that he loves running in open spaces and with a story that goes back to very old times.

• Size: Giant.
• Weight: Between 45kg and 100kg.
• Hair type: Long, thick and hard.
• Character: Balanced, sociable, intelligent, affectionate and active.
• Health: Prone to health problems.
• Life expectancy: Between 8 and 10 years.

This breed belongs to the group of wishes, canines specialized in the persecution of other mammals. The Irish Lebrel is of the type of hound that uses the view and not the smell during hunting. Perfectly complements his great vision with the rapidity and power he displays to gallop after his prey.

He owes his name to which he looks like a wolf, but that in the past he served the human being in his native Ireland as a wolf hunter and other great animals such as elce and wild boar.

History of the Irish wolves

The history of the Irish woltern goes back thousands of years. There is evidence that the race existed in 273 B.C., but even before, in 600 B.C., when the Celtas Tecosages and Tolistobogii tribes looted Delphi, fighting with huge dogs by their side, according to the survivors of the attack.

In the legends and stories of Celtic mythology it is mentioned as Cú Faoil, which has been translated as "hunting dog", "wolf dog" or "war dog." He Cú It is a prefix that was reserved to accompany the names of the brave and loyal warriors.

Julio César referred to the Irish woltern in his book "The Gallic War", in the year 391 A.D., while fifth Aurelio Sumaco received seven gift dogs to use them in fights against wolves and bears in the Roman forums. The wolves caused great shock. "All Rome saw them in amazement," Sumaco wrote in his letter of thanks for the gift.

San Edmundo Campion, in his "History of Ireland" (1571), said that The nobility used the Irish lebrel to hunt wolves In the mountains of Dublin and Wicklow.

For a while, only the nobles were allowed have them Irish Wolfhounds. The number of copies they could possess was determined by the level of importance of the noble. Later, in Dublin, possession was restricted to only two copies per person.

The popularity of the Irish woltern almost costs him the extinction of the race. The dog was subject to greed, and already in the seventeenth century it was a frequent practice to give it to the royal houses and celebrities from all over Europe, which contributed to the decline of its specimens. The mass export of these dogs caused Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, issued a decree to ensure that the number of dogs sufficient to combat the wolves was maintained.

Even so, the population continued in descent, to the point that in the 19th century the Irish woltern had almost become extinct. To this contributed the decrease in the number of wolves, so that the breeding and use of the lebr was no longer necessary, and the famine that hit Ireland in 1845.

Captain George Augustus Graham was due to have saved the breed in 1869. He did it crossing the few specimens that survived with the Deerhound Scottish, the great Danish and the mastin to obtain the canid we know today. In 1870, the reborn dog was presented for the first time in a contest, and in 1885 Graham and other breeders founded The Irish Lobber Club.

Physical characteristics of the Irish wolves

It is so high that, if you put on two legs, it exceeds the height of a person. But, despite its large size, the Irish woltern It is a slender animal. The male measures at least 80 centimeters to the cross, reaching up to 100 centimeters, while its minimum weight is 54 kilograms. The female has a minimum height to the 75 centimeter cross, and a minimum weight of 47 kilograms.

The fur of this animal is short to medium, hard and strong. Black, gray, white, beige, tied and reddish specimens are found.

The ears of this dog are small and folded to both sides of the head. It has a long, slightly pointed snout, and a long head and neck.

The Irish Lebel has small and dark eyes, especially blacks, although there are also dark brown eyes. The legs are long and robust and the feet are large and round. The back is quite long with the slightly arched back and tail. As for the chest, this race is characterized by having a deep and muscular thorax, while the belly is narrow.

All these traits make The Irish wolves apparent to be longer than high, even that it is perceived as smaller than the specimens of other large races. But it is only a matter of perception, due to the constitution of its body, because it is actually a giant among giants.

Irish wolf behavior

The adjective that best describes is Belomon. It is a cheerful, sweet, quiet, docile and capable dog capable of showing enough affection to its owners. It is usually an independent dog, and that is due to its hunter instinct, still present in the race today, which dictates that you do not need to wait for orders and that you must make quick decisions.

It can socialize with other dogs, other pets and is tolerant with children. However, small dogs and cats can emerge in the Irish Wolfhound their ancestral hunter instinct, and this will cause them to pursue them when they move when they consider them as prey. That is why it is advised that the wolver and small dogs and cats socialize since they are small.

Although He is patient and friendly with children, it is recommended to supervise it when they play, especially if children are very young, because an Irish woltern could, unintentionally and due to its large size, be abrupt and harm.

For his big heart, The Irish Lebrel is an ideal dog to accompany families that live in the field or in places where there are large spaces available. Hunting wolves is not today its main occupation. Their tasks are limited to shepherd, alert about the presence of a threatening predator and, of course, do company and give love to his family. It adapts very well to rural life, but also to urban life, provided it has enough space at your disposal.

This dog tends to create a very strong attachment link with its owners, and it is possible that it causes damage if it is left only for long periods of time. While accompanied, it is not a destructive can.

Guardian dog work is not entirely compatible with the Irish woltern, even though His appearance is imposing and intimidating. He does not shy away from strangers, but he does not confront them either, since he is too kind to do so. It is not a dog that demonstrates too much interest in the tasks of defending spaces or properties. This means that Guardian's qualities are not among their strengths. Another thing is when their owners or himself are attacked, then his courage and ferocity emerges.

Irish wolf care

The Irish wolf is a quiet dogNot exceeding energy, it does not need to run every day, but it does require a certain level of exercise, at least two hours a day, and above all demand space.

Long walks will be enough to burn your energy and keep your physical form in good condition. Among the games that most enjoy the Irish woltern are to sniff, track and pursue.

Fur

The Irish lebrel fur is hard and rough, so it will be enough to brush the mantle twice a week to remove dead hair and prevent knots from forming.

Feeding

For its large size It is a dog with a huge appetite, more expensive to maintain than dogs of smaller breeds. It is recommended to provide 900 grams of dry feed per day, which is low protein content. Due to its tendency to develop stomach problems, food should be given in several portions throughout the day. Food and water bowls should never be placed on the ground, they must be at an adequate height, and if possible very subject, so that it can reach them without problem. The effort to reach low height could cause stomach torsion, a condition to which it is prone, and that could endanger the life of the animal. It is not advisable to include cereals (corn, wheat, rice) in their diet or flours derived from them, due to the risk of causing allergies. Nor does it need food supplements, and it is not a dog that tends to suffer overweight.

Space

Irish Wolfhound requires space to function. The lack of space could turn it into a destructive and even aggressive dog. It must be available at the home of padded sites so that it is necessary, due to its thin complexion, you can develop calluses, if a lot of time is thrown on hard surfaces.

Training

It is a very smart dog, that's why It is relatively easy to train. With him the positive reinforcement works well through a congratulation or a cookie. Firmness and affection are key to showing who is the leader of the pack.

Irish wolf health

The Irish lion is a dog prone to serious diseases such as gastric torsion -with all deep thorax dogs -bone cancer, elbow and hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy and heart problems. The most frequent causes of death are heart conditions and bone cancer.

The periodic reviews of the veterinarian are fundamental To prevent and detect any health problem that can be controlled. It is necessary to meet vaccine programming and the deworming scheme recommended by the doctor.

With good nutrition, physical activity and care you can extend the life expectancy of the furry, since like all large dogs, the Irish woltern does not live so many years, just 6 to 8 years on average.

Irish wolf curiosities

A dog so old that has a lot of history to tell.

• One of the most popular legends is the one that counts the birth of the race. Legend has it that an Irish princess was transformed into a dog through a spell. His nephew Fionn Mac Cumhaill managed to break the enchantment, but before that happened, the princess gave birth to two puppies: Bran and Sceolan, the first Irish wolves, who even have a statue in the Irish population of Kildare.
• Another legend tells that King John of England gave a dog to his son Llewellyn, Prince of Wales. Gelert called it. One day, the prince went hunting and commissioned the Wolfhound to take care of his son. When he returned he found the dog covered with blood, he feared the worst and killed him. Shortly after, he realized his mistake when he saw that his son played near the body of a wolf that Gelert had killed to protect the child.
• The Irish wolf reached the rocky mountains of the United States, it is said that a single specimen was able to eliminate forty wolves during a winter.
• Illustrations of the seventeenth century show that the Irish Lebel then was very similar to the one we know today.
• The Scottish novelist Walter Scott warned a friend that his dog, an Irish Wolfhound, of course, would have no problem eating from his dish without having to rise on his legs or getting on a chair or table.

Having one of these specimens is a wonderful experience, although this does not mean it is easy. If you have decided have an Irish wolf at home Be sure to be able to cover all your needs and meet it as this breed merits, the effort and affection will be highly paid.

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