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| Irish Terrier; Written by RJL | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 14 2006, 10:39 AM (441 Views) | |
| zandd | Aug 14 2006, 10:39 AM Post #1 |
Moderator
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Irish Terriers The Irish Terrier is an amazing breed; but it is not the breed for everyone. You do not need a huge garden, a large car and a big house. You do need a sense of humour and more importantly, common sense and the ability to think quickly and above all, to ‘think dog’. Posted Image Once in your home – your Irish WILL make himself comfortable! Your full attention will be required… Posted Image Outdoors it is a different matter – nose down, ears forward. You must establish a fool-proof WAIT command – and he must know you mean it! If your main reason for wanting an Irish Terrier is that you want something unique, appealing and that little bit different; a dog that will make people stop in the street and ask where he came from, then visit you nearest dogs’ home, because every dog is unique and EVERY DAY, potentially fantastic pet dogs are killed because nobody wants them. When you take possession of an Irish Terrier, you become an ambassador for the breed and this is not optional! An Irish Terrier is a long commitment; anything from 10 to 15 years (usually 12). Puppies are born thinking your possessions fall into two camps – things to chew and things to urinate on. Adults remain alert, active and extremely agile for many years and old dogs can develop all the usual problems associated with old age, such as arthritic joints, failing eyesight and deafness. Posted Image Thirteen years old – still enjoying the great outdoors Irish terriers have a tremendous capacity for learning, for having fun and for life in general and a typical Irish will thrive on human companionship and mental stimulation. Coats are easy to maintain, feeding costs are low and working with an Irish Terrier in any discipline, whether it be agility, flyball, gun-work or ratting is a pleasure (if a little like driving a red Ferrari with no brakes at times). Posted Image How much fun can you have with a staircase and some dummies? Irish Terriers like to be occupied. Bad weather should never prevent exercise and training! However, training must be fun and in short, exciting bursts. These dogs have a low boredom threshold (unless, of course, whatever they are doing was their idea in the first place) But….before you get carried away, dreaming of your perfect life together, please note the word ‘typical’. Remember, dogs (and much as we owners like to think our bred is a bit more than a dog – Irish terriers are dogs) only do what they find rewarding to do and if a dog has learned from experience that interaction with humans is unpleasant and snapping is the best way to avoid it – then the dog will snap. Likewise, a dog that has learned that pulling on the lead means they get where they want to go that bit faster – the dog will pull. Irish Terrier Rescue welcomes enquiries from potential new homes. Working with a dog that has a ‘past’ is incredibly rewarding, but incredibly frustrating at times too. Posted Image Laughing in the face of discipline! If you buy a puppy, make sure you meet both parents and make sure you have done your homework on the breed: come to shows, talk to other owners and read books specifically about Irish Terriers. The Irish Terrier Association has a website, as does Lucy Jackson, who wrote the latest IT book. We are fortunate in Irish Terriers as we have some incredibly experienced and knowledgeable judges and breeders who are delighted to help newcomers – whether they are interested ultimately in showing, or happy to be pet owners. Irish terriers are high input – high output dogs: if you put in the time and energy you will be rewarded a thousand-fold. If you feel you have the experience and more importantly the time and willingness to work with a dog to fulfil its potential (whether it be as a working dog or an enjoyable, reliable family pet) then you would make a good owner. Their loyalty is legendary, made famous by the books of Jack London and by the accounts of the late Colonel Richardshon in his memories of training war dogs for active service in WW1. Irish Terriers are not typical ‘terriers’ in the sense that they were not bred to go to ground. Instead, they were developed as a multi-purpose dog; one that would live happily in the family home while also guarding (most excel as guards) controlling vermin such as rats and also being used to catch food, such as rabbits. Their distinctive colour has the advantage (or disadvantage!) of rendering the dog almost invisible at twilight – handy for poaching in days gone by, if not for the average walk. The coat should ideally be hand-stripped because this encourages a harsh, waterproof coat that is much easier to keep clean and tidy and also affords the dog some protection. However, many owners have their dogs clipped. It is a matter of personal choice. Coats vary in texture and quantity, with some much easier to look after than others. It is perhaps best to take advice from an experienced terrier-groomer to start with, but don’t be afraid to have a try and get stuck in yourself. Remember – a good dog can’t have a bad hair day and it will grow back! Posted Image My favourite summary of the Irish Terrier comes from an old dog book by Gordon Stables, “I admire the fire that is in them: the fire and the fun”. |
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| RJL | Aug 14 2006, 04:48 PM Post #2 |
Chatterbox
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:mellow: Technical hitch! Zandd very kindly agreed to post the profile on my behalf but the pictures didn't transfer. We are working on it and very soon the breed profile will all make sense! In the meantime, here is some music :strum: :strum: :strum: |
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| zandd | Aug 14 2006, 07:33 PM Post #3 |
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Apologies for the delay - had a dreadful job getting photobucket to load up.One more to come then Margarets excellent profile will be complete. All done now - and aren't those photos brilliant. :wub: |
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| JRT | Aug 15 2006, 12:30 PM Post #4 |
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Absolutely fabulous :yay: :yay: :flower: Ok to post on the main TT site too? |
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| RJL | Aug 15 2006, 02:20 PM Post #5 |
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Chatterbox
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:) Thank you Zandd - all done now! JRT - no prob putting it on the main TT site |
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| Tafia | Aug 19 2006, 09:21 PM Post #6 |
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Total Gas Bag!
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Great profile and photographs of one of my favourite breeds! |
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| JRT | Aug 24 2006, 05:36 PM Post #7 |
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Is now added to terriertalk.co.uk :flower: |
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| TerrierTops | Jan 29 2007, 01:54 PM Post #8 |
Chatterbox
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Two versions of the same dog. This is Flynn at 21 months. Mom is learning about the importance of proper coat maintanence and Flynn LOVED HIS NEW LOOK! The coats will not come right without proper and regular work, so a prospective owner must be willing to groom.
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:yes: Before Posted Image After Posted Image I will now carry on with removing undercoat on a weekly basis and he will need to be re-stripped several times a year to keep him looking like I would like him to. |
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| RJL | Aug 31 2009, 06:19 PM Post #9 |
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Chatterbox
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:yay: The Irish Terrier Association has updated its website If you haven't looked recently - take a look - it's fantastic! |
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