IrishWolfhounds.org
Title
Irish wolfhounds
Description
The Irish wolfhound was originally a war dog, used to drag men out of chariots or off horseback, but was also used as a hunting hound and as a guard. There are numerous references in Irish mythology to its prowess in all these fields. It was used to hunt the Irish elk and the wolf and was used singly or in pairs rather than in a pack, hence the need for great size. When the last of the wolves in Ireland was killed (the elk had become extinct long before), the breed dwindled and almost died out. The process was not helped by the demand for this magnificent hound around the world. It was given as a gift to kings and princes, but this was eventually stopped by Oliver Cromwell who brought out a law banning its export
In the middle of the Nineteenth century, Capt. George Augustus Graham undertook the resuscitation of the breed, which he did by collecting what he considered to be the last specimens of the breed and breeding them with Deerhounds, Great Danes, and a Borzoi and Tibetan Mastiff in order to regain the size and type of the original hound. Click here for more on Capt. Graham and the resuscitation of the breed. It was Capt. Graham who founded the Irish Wolfhound Club in 1885, and a later doyenne of the breed, Mrs. Florence Nagle, who founded the Irish Wolfhound Society in 1981. Club and Society both hold an Open and a Championship show each year, and a Rally.
The Irish wolfhound comes in various colours, from cream to black. Wheatens, reds of various shades, and greys from pale silver to slate are included, either with or without brindling. White on tip of tail and feet (and legs) is acceptable, but excess white spotting (blaze or collar) is not.
Contact
- StarFields
-
- Eastbourne East Sussex
- GB BN22 8SJ
-
- +44.441323729214
