Irish
Terrier Characteristics
Redloch
Kennel is happy to share the things we know about the Irish
Terrier breed so that if you take an Irish Terrier into your home, you
will have the knowledge to act as a responsible pet owner should. If you're interested in showing your
pet, we also have information on breed
standards.
Irish Terrier
puppies are intelligent and playful (see photos of Redloch's Buster to the right). Anyone can fall in love with adorable puppies of
any breed, but owning a pet, especially a dog who craves the
outdoors, is a big responsibility.
The Irish Terrier temperament may be described by an
observation: "All dogs fight, Irish seem to enjoy it more."
The breed is territorial, willful, spirited, and exceptionally
courageous. They are daredevils who will charge at large quarry with
reckless abandon. Yet Irish are the D'Artagnan of the show ring,
cheerful, gregarious, and friendly to those they know, aloof and
cautious of strangers.
Irish Terriers are exceptionally loyal companions. They
are extremely kind and affectionate with their family of humans and make
excellent playmates for active children in supervised settings. However,
never let a small child out alone with a strong willed Irish Terrier on
lead in an open space where distractions abound; their territorial and
defensive instinct can be a danger to both the child and the dog.
The Irish Terrier breed loves to run and play. Jogging
and cycling with an Irish Terrier is great fun for owner and dog alike.
They can tow bikes or old fashioned push scooters at over 20MPH for over
a mile or more on flat ground! Some Irish Terriers really take to the
water well, but water "opens" the coat which is undesirable if
the dog is
being shown, and playing in a pond, lake, or similar water
sports area can lead to odors that require bathing. Bathing, in turn,
leads to a "fluffy" or "blown" coat that masks the
natural elegance of the dog, giving it an un-groomed appearance.
Irish Terriers are not generally diggers or
yappers.
Instead, they love to chase and hunt. They're able to catch birds on the
wing that fly too close or vermin that venture into the Irish Terrier's
well planned "hunters triangle." Irish should always be kept
on lead or in an enclosed area or they will be gone in a heart beat to
explore great distances in a short time, crossing and re-crossing their
trail and so, very difficult or heartbreakingly impossible to
retrieve.
The Irish Terrier is a very adaptable breed doing well
in hot or cold climates, damp or dry. Being an active, athletic dog, a
large fenced back yard is the ideal set up for an Irish. Irish Terriers
can be kept in apartment settings, but they must be walked several times
a day to get the exercise they need. Given adequate daily exercise, they
are very well mannered, dignified, and fastidiously clean indoors. Crate
training is a must for those occasions when the dog travels or must be
left alone or constrained for a "short" (several hours to
overnight) time period.
If you think an Irish Terrier is the dog for your
family, you should continue reading about Irish Terrier characteristics
at our Redloch Kennel website. We've
provided links to
the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Irish Terrier Club of America
(ITCA)
for Irish Terrier further information. If you're
convinced an Irish Terrier is the best dog for your family, we've also
provided and extensive list of Irish Terrier breeders in the United States and
other parts of the world so that you can find the perfect pet for your
family.
We hope you will bookmark this website
as the starting point for Irish Terrier breed information. If you have
any questions, you can email us at irishterrier@redloch.com.
We always enjoy talking about Irish Terriers.
