Frequently Asked Questions About 
The Irish Wolfhound

Health Concerns

Please refer to "To Breed Or Not To Breed" for a list of recommended books for more in-depth reading and research. And of course, always discuss medical concerns with your veterinarian.

1.   How big do they get?
2.   How much (and what) do they eat?
3.   How long do they live?
4.   How much do they cost?
5.   Do they shed? How much grooming is necessary?
6.   What kind of health problems does this breed have?
7.   Do they need a fenced yard? What about an overhead trolley or invisible fence?
8.   Can I keep an IW outside?
9.   How much exercise do they need?
10. Are IW puppies very destructive? What about housebreaking?
11. Are IWs easy to train? What kind of training do they need?
12. What about those "rare" colors?
13. Do they get along with other animals - other dogs, cats, horses, etc?
14. Are they good with children?
15. They're big enough for a child to ride, right? What about pulling a cart?
16. Do they make good watch dogs?
17. What are hygromas/bursas?

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1. How big do they get?

As noted in the breed standard, males should be at least 32 inches tall at the shoulder and at least 120 pounds; bitches should be at least 30 inches and 105 pounds. These minimum height and weights apply only to adult hounds over 18 months of age. Males usually "average" around 34-35 inches and 140-180 pounds, bitches around 32-34 inches and 115-140 lbs.

Bigger is NOT necessarily better!  An IW should be much, much more than "XX inches" or "XXX" pounds. 

A tall hound might be tall due only to incorrect straight bone structure and may well develop corresponding problems later on - arthritic changes due to excessive wear and tear on the joints, for instance.

In the same vein, do not encourage your hound to stand on his/her hind legs - this especially applies to young puppies. Aside from behavior problems later on (no one wants to be jumped on by a 100-plus pound dog), it can also cause stress on bones and muscles and possible injury.

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2. How much (and what) do they eat?

Puppies can eat quite a lot while growing up, in several daily meals. Some are picky eaters, others are chow hounds. It is important not to overfeed, which might cause loose bowels and stomach upsets. Follow the diet recommended by your breeder (this assumes you will purchase a puppy from a responsible breeder, who will know proper diet and feeding methods).

Adult hounds usually are fed two meals a day. Most breeders recommend feeding from an elevated (shoulder height) stand - this is thought to aid in digestion, and is especially recommended for deep-chested breeds.

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3. How long do they live?

The average lifespan of an Irish Wolfhound is 6-8 years.

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4. How much do they cost?

For the average purchase price of an IW puppy, check with a contact person(s) in your area. Be wary of prices far above or far below the average.

On average, the IW is a fairly expensive dog to properly maintain. Any medications required (including heartworm preventative) will be two to three times as much in quantity as for the average dog, and the diet should be a quality one (what you think you would save buying cheap kibble you'll pay over and over again with an unhealthy hound and vet bills). And of course there will be the bigger vehicle, the oversized sofa ....

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5. Do they shed? How much grooming is necessary?

IWs have a dual coat - a harsh wiry outercoat and a softer undercoat. They shed year-round, but do not "blow coat" as do longer-coated breeds. Weekly or bi-weekly brushing and combing will keep the coat in good shape.

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6. What kind of health problems does the breed have?

Note: If your veterinarian hasn't much sighthound or IW experience, most experienced IW veterinarians are happy to share their knowledge. Ask your breeder and/or the regional club for a reference to such a veterinarian.

 Experienced IW people are also a valuable resource for breed-related health information.

While the internet can be a good source of information, it can also provide a great deal of mis-information - whether outdated, anecdotal, hysterical, misinterpreted, or just plain wrong. Always discuss medical concerns with your veterinarian.

Heart Disease - Heart failure is one of the major causes of death in the IW. Studies on both sides of the ocean are ongoing; in the US, Neil Harpster VMD, Diplomate ACVIM, Chief of Cardiology at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, Boston, MA, has been collecting data at IWCA National Specialties for the past several years - see "Electrocardiographic Screening Statistics at the 1997 IWCA Specialty, Lake Placid, NY". Also see the OFA Cardiac Database.

Bloat and Gastric Torsion - A Dog Owner's Guide To Bloat ,  Bloat (Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus) , Gastric Torsion In Dogs, Bloat: Is Nutrition A Factor?. Also see these links.

Cancer - Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) is one of the most common cancers in the IW. It most often occurs in the leg bones, but can occur elsewhere. Another cancer seen in the IW is lymphosarcoma (lymphoma), which is the third most common cancer diagnosed in dogs.

For more on different types of canine cancer, see the Veterinary Oncology Menu at OncoLink, at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center website. Also see Managing the Cancer Patient.

Liver shunt - Liver shunts are abnormal blood vessels which cause the blood supply to bypass the liver. They are usually present at birth. Also see Portal Caval Shunts, Portosystemic Shunt (PSS) In the Irish Wolfhound, Portosystemic Shunt (PEI University) and the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine liver shunt information.

Hypothyroidism - Low circulating thyroid level, which can result in skin, coat and weight abnormalities, behavior changes, and fertility problems. More links: Hypothyroidism , the OFA's Canine Thyroid Registry, and Canine Autoimmune Thyroid Disease.  Also see Autoimmune Thyroid Disease in Irish Wolfhounds. See more links here.

Von Willebrands Disease - A bleeding disorder which is an inherited blood coagulation/platelet function disorder. See Von Willebrands Disease
 

Less common medical problems in the breed can include:

Osteochondrosis and osteochondrosis dissecans - Osteochondrosis is a painful malformation of the joint cartilage which can affect puppies of rapidly growing large breeds. Osteochondrosis dissecans occurs when the affected area is further traumatized and a cartilage "flap" develops, resulting in acute pain.

Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD) - a frustrating and painful disease. Hyper- means excessive, and
 -trophy or -trophic refers to growth, so the name describes an abnormal and excessive growth of bone (os-) in certain locations.  Also see Let's Talk About HOD and Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy.

Hip dysplasia - affects the hip joints - one or both (usually both) become loose, partially dislocated and become subject to severe arthritic changes. Symptoms can vary from no outward signs to a total inability to function.

Elbow dysplasia - a malformation of the elbow joint, usually affecting both elbows, leading to pain and lameness of varying degrees. As in hip dysplasia, severe arthritic changes usually develop.

Megaesophagus - Weakness of the esophagus, can be congenital or develop secondary to other diseases. Regurgitation (not vomiting) is usually the first symptom noticed. See Congenital Megaesophagus in the Dog and Canine Megaesophagus.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy - A hereditary, blinding disease of the retina of the eye. Also see the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF).

Fibrocartilaginous Embolic Myelopathy (FCE) - Pieces of cartilage-like material lodge in blood vessels supplying the spinal cord, causing mild to severe forms of paralysis. Most prevalent in large and giant breed dogs of 3-5 years, but can happen at any age,  even to puppies. Related subject: Lumbosacral Stenosis (Cauda Equina Syndrome)

Seizures - Seizures can be epileptic in nature or non-epileptic (organic causes, disease, trauma, toxicities). More resources:  the Canine Epilepsy Network, and the EPI Support Group.

For additional canine health information:  The Canine Health Foundation

A yearly health check is most important. When you acquire your IW, get a recommendation from your breeder or other experienced IW people who live in your area as to a good veterinarian. Be sure to find out what services are offered (24 hour emergency coverage, what surgeries are/are not performed, to whom and where does the veterinarian refer, etc.).

The Irish Wolfhound Club of America is a member of the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC).

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7. Do they need a fenced yard? 
What about an overhead trolley or invisible fence?

Irish Wolfhounds need a secure, above-ground fence. They are sighthounds, fast and strong, and accounts involving dogs going through invisible fences with tragic results are heard all too often. A sighthound looks across the horizon to see its boundaries: they should see their fence. 

In addition, an invisible fence will not keep other animals or people out of your yard and can result in your dog being attacked or stolen.

An Irish Wolfhound should never be tied or staked out, ever. They are a large, agile hound and tie-out methods are completely unsuitable, giving them only the most restricted of exercise, and can cause injury as well.

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8. Can I keep an IW outside?

Irish Wolfhounds want to be with their people. Some breeders with multiple hounds may have a kennel establishment, of course (and probably spend more time there than in their own home); but in speaking of one or two (but sometimes even more!) hounds, inside with you is where they should be. For some thoughts on outside dogs, see "Outside Dogs" by Dennis Fetko, PhD.

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9. How much exercise do they need?

IWs love to romp freely, especially when puppies. They should have a secure, above-ground fenced area for this activity. Puppies should not be subjected to forced exercise, even long walks, until at least a year or more of age.

Adults can become couch potatoes, especially if you are one yourself - they adapt quite well to your schedule! They love long walks with their people; don't let them become soft and prone to injury/illness.

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10. Are IW puppies very destructive? What about housebreaking?

Some puppies can be very destructive, some aren't. All puppies need to be watched; if a puppy must be left alone, it should be provided with a safe place to stay (perhaps a crate) and safe toys to chew.

IW puppies housebreak rather quickly; a crate can be helpful, especially overnight. However, while crating can be a useful housebreaking tool, they should never be crated routinely for long periods of time (such as during work hours), which can be detrimental to muscles and joints, and encourage formation of bursas. Long hours of crating or kenneling with little opportunity for socialization can foster timidity in a hound and leave their personalities undeveloped.

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11. Are IWs easy to train? What kind of training do they need?

IWs are fast learners. They respond best to positive training methods. 
Basic obedience and socialization are very important for a growing puppy.

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12. What about those advertised "rare" colors?

There is no such thing! "Rare" implies some sort of value placed on a particular color, but no color in the IW is valued above another (except possibly to a seller trying to provoke a sale at inflated prices to the uninformed).  Some colors appear less frequently than others, is all.

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13. Do they get along with other animals - other dogs, cats, horses, etc?

Dogs - In general, IWs get along fine with other dogs, but should not be raised with aggressive breeds.

Cats, rabbits, etc. - This is a sighthound, bred for centuries to chase, hunt and bring down game, so do not assume small animals won't be chased (which could result in the smaller animal being injured or even killed). Some IWs are fine with cats, especially if raised with them; others are not.  It is wise to evaluate each IW on an individual basis.

Horses - Hounds should be taught when small pups to respect the horse.  Do not assume the hound will not chase the horse, which can result in  grave injury to the hound.

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14. Are they good with children?

IWs are good with children, but of course, use common sense - even a puppy is large enough to knock down a small child in play. Children and dogs should always be monitored when together.

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15. They're big enough for a child to ride, right? 
       What about pulling a cart?

IWs are not horses - back injuries could result even with a seemingly light weight.

IWs are also not draft dogs; they are not structured for weight-pulling. Just because they can do it, doesn't mean they should.

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16. Do they make good watch dogs?

No. In itself, their size can be a deterrent, but by nature, they are companion dogs and do not have the "guard dog" temperament. Aggression in any form should never be encouraged.

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17. What are hygromas/bursas?

Hygromas (also called bursas) are a fluid-filled swelling over any bony prominence (elbows, hocks, etc.) which frequently comes into contact with a hard area, such as floors. Puppies, especially, often throw  themselves down with great abandon. The swelling is nature's way of protecting the joint. Unless the bursa becomes infected, it is best to treat conservatively and not invasively. Provide plenty of soft bedding areas, and you can also bandage the bursa with padding, being careful not to restrict blood flow. The majority of bursas will slowly disappear on their own with this conservative treatment.

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Copyright © The Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Inc. All rights reserved.
Revised: October 13, 2008.