With the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday it seems only appropriate that Purebred Breeders should highlight some dog breeds that have derived from the great land of Ireland!
Irish Setter
A hunting dog in the sporting group has a distinctive red, mahogany coat of full, silky hair. It was created from a combination between the English Setter, the Pointer, the Irish Terrier and the Irish Water Spaniel. Purebred Breeders found that the Irish Setter actually began as a red and white breed, known as the Irish Red and White Terrier that dates back to the 17th century, however, the dog began to be favored in a full red coat, thus creating two different breeds. It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century when this breed was introduced to the United States and then recognized by the AKC in 1878.
Irish Terrier
The Irish Terrier is a long-legged terrier thought to be one of the first terrier breeds, holds innate terrier characteristics such as loyalty, adaptability and spunk. It has a wiry coat that needs brushing twice a week. Due to physical similarities between the Irish Terrier and the Irish Wolfhound, they are thought to share a common ancestry. Although, this breed had different colors originally, by the end of the 19th century, the red color became standard.
Irish Wolfhound
Known as the world’s largest dog breed, this strong and sturdy giant has a gentle temperament and needs lots of space to roam. The breed was mentioned for the first time in 391 A.D., was respected for its bravery and ability to fight with other wild animals and was given as gifts around 1500 B.C.
Irish Water Spaniel
This is one of the oldest spaniels and is now very rare. It has a unique dark curly liver-colored coat. The non-shedding quality of its coat helps it to be hypoallergenic or less so for person who may suffer from allergic reactions. These dogs love water and are the largest of the Spaniel group. The Irish Water Spaniel is native to Ireland for over 1,000 years and the modern breed as we now know it was developed in the 1830s.
Glen of Imaal
The Glen of Imaal is a working terrier originally used to dig out badgers from their holes underground. It differs from other breeds in the terrier family in that it is not a barker. This terrier originated from mountainous areas in Ireland, it tracked and fought badgers and foxes during the day with its owner and by night protected the home and hunted rats. It is known as a relatively rare breed and was recognized for registration by the AKC in 2004.
Kerry Blue Terrier
The Kerry Blue Terrier was bred as a farm dog in western and southern mountainous areas of Ireland as a show dog and a house pet. It is a very active dog and loves to play, run and explore its surroundings. It has a soft, wavy coat similar to fine human hair and it does not shed. It is now an uncommon breed though not as rare as some of the other Irish dog breeds.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate Irish pride this weekend!!!
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Purebred Breeders provides loving homes for healthy, happy puppies. Visit us at Purebredbreeders.com for more information.
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