Irish Terrier Dog Breed Profile
The Irish Terrier is a wonderful medium size dog that
can live in an apartment as long as she is allowed frequent
long walks. A properly fenced in yard would be ideal
for this dog to get her exercise but pay attention to
possibly burying a part of the fence into the ground
as she is a digger. She wants to sleep inside with her+
family as she is a serious people protector. She is
often called a daredevil because when it comes to protecting
her family, she is unconcerned with her own well being.
Keep her under control when outside as she may leave
to experience an adventure. She is good with kids in
general but may fight with other dogs. She can not be
trusted with other smaller pets. She will require early
socializing and obedience training should be started
early. She can be a handful but once she is trained,
you should have a long lived, healthy, protective dog.
*Good With Children? They are generally good with
children, especially older considerate ones. As a reminder,
never leave a young child unsupervised with a puppy
or dog.
*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size
(two years old or older) of the Irish Terrier is 18
to 19 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder)
and 25 to 27 pounds.
*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds
have certain inherited health problems associated with
that specific breed and the Irish Terrier is no exception.
Although considered to be a very healthy breed, be on
the look out for hypothyroidism (sluggish thyroid gland
which can result in weight gain), and urinary problems.
This disease list is an informative guideline only.
Other diseases may also be significant threats, please
contact your veterinarian for a complete list.
She should visit the veterinarian several times in the
first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as
an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for
shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and
on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for
check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog
sweets.
*Grooming. The Irish Terrier has a dense and wiry
coat which is hard. She rarely sheds and needs to be
brushed regularly to delete dead hair. Brushing will
also help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen
your emotional bond with her.
Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with
toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing
removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which
can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease.
Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth,
bad breath and other serious disease.
Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and
clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow
slower than the toenails of the front feet. Generally
a guillotine type trimmer is the best for this chore
and competent instructions to accomplish this can be
found on the net.
*Life Span. The Irish Terrier can live between 13
and 16 years with proper nutrition, medical care and
excellent living conditions.
*History. The Irish Terrier comes from Ireland where
they were used on the farm to guard possessions, people
and livestock. They were utilized in both World Wars
as messengers and served bravely. They were recognized
by the American Kennel Association in 1885.
Some Registries:
*Irish Terrier Club of America
*UKC United Kennel Club
*NKC National Kennel Club
*CKC Continental Kennel Club
*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.
*AKC American Kennel Club
*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale
*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club
*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club
*ACR = American Canine Registry
Litter Size: 4 to 6 Irish Terrier puppies
Category: Terrier
Terms To Describe: Muscular, good tempered, animated,
daredevil, loyal, guarding, rugged, affectionate, courageous,
bold,
*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS
Makes a good watch dog.
Makes a good guard dog.
Rarely sheds.
A well mannered dog.
A very healthy breed.
*SPECIAL BAD POINTS
Can be very stubborn.
Can be a chore to housebreak.
May fight with other dogs.
She is a digger.
May take off to explore if not controlled.
She needs obedience training.
*Other Names Known By: Irish Red Terrier, Red Devil,
Daredevil
*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this
information may be correct for your dog. This information
is meant as a good faith guideline only.
About the Author
Mitch Endick is a short article writer, editor and website
developer for the popular pet site petpages.com.
www.petpages.com
is a pet information site with free pet ads, dog classifieds,
and puppy for sale info Petpages.com also offers
information on cats, fish, reptiles, birds, ferrets,
rabbits, mice and even pet bugs.
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