One of the oldest terrier breeds, the Irish Terrier is considered the best watchdog among his kind.
Origin
Though the breed’s origin is not officially confirmed, these pooches are believed to have descended from the black and tan terrier-type dogs of Britain and Ireland.
The proper selection process of the breed started in the latter 19th century, while the first breed club was set up in Dublin in 1879.
Description
F. M. Jowett wrote in “The Irish Terrier, Our Dogs” published in Manchester, 1947: “They are described by an old Irish writer as being the poor man’s sentinel, the farmer’s friend, and the gentleman’s favourite… These dogs were originally bred not so much for their looks as for their working qualities and gameness, the Irish Terrier being by instinct a thorough vermin killer.”
The average height is around 18 inches (46 cm), and they typically weight from 25 to 27 pounds (11 – 12.5 kg).
The Irish Terrier comes in golden red, red wheaten, or wheaten, and double-coated.
The outer coat should be straight and wiry in texture, never soft, silky, curly, or woolly, while the main coat should lie flat against the skin.
Pros
- excellent watchdog
- great with kids
- intelligent
- trainable
- adaptable
- hypo-allergenic
Cons
- not too cat friendly
Should I adopt/buy an Irish Terrier?
If you are looking for a breed that will be great with the little ones, but also an excellent guardian dog as well, the Irish Terrier is the breed to consider.