Dog breed
The Irish Wolfhound (Irish: Cú Faoil) is a breed of large sighthound that has, by its presence and substantial size, inspired literature, poetry and mythology. One of the largest of all breeds of dog, the breed is used by coursing hunters who have prized it for its ability to dispatch game caught by other, swifter sighthounds. In 1902, the Irish Wolfhound was declared the regimental mascot of the Irish Guards.
Characteristics: The Irish Wolfhound is characterised by its large size. According to the FCI standard, the expected range of heights at the withers is 81–86 centimetres (32–34 inches); minimum heights and weights are 79 cm (31 in)/[dose — ask your vet] (120 lb) and 71 cm (28 in)/[dose — ask your vet] (89 lb) for dogs and bitches respectively. It is more massively built than the Scottish Deerhound, but less so than the Great Dane.
The coat is hard and rough on the head, body and legs, with the beard and the hair over the eyes particularly wiry. It may be black, brindle, fawn, grey, red, pure white, or any colour seen in the Deerhound.
The Irish Wolfhound is a sighthound, and hunts by visual perception alone. The neck is muscular and fairly long, and the head is carried high. It should appear to be longer than it is tall,
and to be capable of catching and killing a wolf.
Characteristics: The Irish Wolfhound is characterised by its large size. According to the FCI standard, the expected range of heights at the withers is 81–86 centimetres (32–34 inches); minimum heights and weights are 79 cm (31 in)/[dose — ask your vet] (120 lb) and 71 cm (28 in)/[dose — ask your vet] (89 lb) for dogs and bitches respectively. It is more massively built than the Scottish Deerhound, but less so than the Great Dane.
The coat is hard and rough on the head, body and legs, with the beard and the hair over the eyes particularly wiry. It may be black, brindle, fawn, grey, red, pure white, or any colour seen in the Deerhound.
The Irish Wolfhound is a sighthound, and hunts by visual perception alone. The neck is muscular and fairly long, and the head is carried high. It should appear to be longer than it is tall,
and to be capable of catching and killing a wolf.
Health: Like many large dog breeds, Irish Wolfhounds have a relatively short lifespan. Published lifespan estimations vary between 4.95 and 8.75 years. More recently a 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 9.9 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds. A 2005 Swedish study of insurance data found 91% of Irish Wolfhounds died by the age of 10, higher than the overall rate of 35% of dogs dying by the age of 10.
The most frequently reported diseases are dilated cardiomyopathy, bone cancer, gastric dilatation volvulus, and osteochondrosis. Different studies have reported a rate of dilated cardiomyopathy in the breed between 12.1% and 44.7% of Irish Wolfhounds. In a study that compared multiple breeds the Irish Wolfhound had a 3.4 odds ratio of the condition compared to overall. The condition is likely hereditary in the breed.
One study found the Irish Wolfhound to be 27.5 times more likely to contract osteogenic sarcoma than the overall dog population.
