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Living with an Irish Wolfhound


Sharing your life with an Irish Wolfhound can be a truly rewarding experience, but it is not for everyone.  There are many considerations to think about before welcoming this breed into your life. 

The sheer size of the breed is the first and foremost factor to consider.  Although they do not require huge amounts of food once mature, they do need to eat substantially while they are growing into giants.  The cost of all veterinary care will be higher than an average sized dog – a course of antibiotics alone can easily cost a few hundred dollars.  Housing is another big consideration, as these guys take up a lot of real estate.  Our dogs live in the house with us and they do take up a substantial amount of space, usually on the couches – Wolfhounds are not “floor” dogs, they prefer to be on the comfortable furniture.  They require a safe, fenced in space to stretch their legs and to relieve themselves.  Such an area for a Wolfhound needs to be much larger than for a Shih Tzu or even a lab.  They need space to run, and places to explore on a daily basis.  A Wolfhound can cover significant ground once they get moving!  Although they can adapt to life as a couch potato, they need free running exercise to keep them in proper muscle tone.  Due to their size, one also needs to have a large vehicle to transport an Irish Wolfhound – and the back of a pick up truck will NOT do!

Health concerns are another factor to consider before getting an Irish Wolfhound.  This breed has been referred to time and again as the “heartbreak breed”.  It can be true.  Unfortunately, our breed is prone to serious health issues, and any prospective owner needs to be aware of that.  Cardiac disease, osteosarcoma and bloat are all present within the breed.  However, some breeders are working hard to breed healthier, longer lived dogs and are having great success.  The average lifespan of a Wolfhound is around 6-7 years, with some living on to 9, 10 and beyond.  We lost our first Wolfhound at only 3 years.  As hard as it was losing her, the 3 years we had with her were more than reward enough for that pain.  This breed can have tremendous highs and lows. 

Irish Wolfhounds are loving, loyal, amusing souls with a great sense of humour!  Although not typically outgoing with strangers, these dogs can be lap dogs with their closest  of friends!  This is a smart breed that will not do repetitive tasks for the sake of pleasing you.  “What’s in it for me?” is something the Wolfhound wants to know!  They are intuitive with their people, and often stoic about their own problems.  They can be hunters one minute, and clowns the next.    Life with a Wolfhound is never dull – relaxed, yes, but just when you think you’ve got them figured out, they amaze you!  I can’t imagine ever being without 2 or 3 of them.  And did I mention that they are like potato chips?  It’s hard to have just one!

I would encourage anyone new to the Irish Wolfhound to attend a Specialty show if they have the chance.  It is a fantastic opportunity to see and meet many different hounds and their owners/breeders.  Barring that, many all breed clubs will often have a good turnout of Irish Wolfhounds at their shows.  I would also encourage anyone wanting a Wolfhound to talk with and visit as many breeders as they can.  Breeders are always open to visitors and love to talk about their dogs!  It is a great opportunity to learn more about the breed, and to see how they live.  It’s also an excellent chance to get a ‘feel’ for what it’s like to be around such giant dogs.  We take it for granted and don’t see our dogs as being particularly large, but it can take some getting used to.  Finding a good breeder match is important, as you want to have a good friendship over the course of your hound’s life with this person.  They will be there at all hours of the day or night to support you, so make sure that the fit is right.