- The only recognized colours are Grey, Brindle, Red, Black, Pure White, Fawn, and Wheaten.
- White markings are only acceptable on fore-chest, toes, (not full foot) and tip of tail
About the Irish Wolfhound
Origin: Ireland
- Typical life span
- 6-8 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 64-82 kg
- Female
- 52-64 kg
- Height
- Male
- 81-89 cm
- Female
- 76-84 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Sighthounds
- Origin
- Ireland
- Also called
- Lebrel Irlandes
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a Irish Wolfhound?
A giant-sized sighthound of imposing appearance and dignified nature, the Irish Wolfhound is the tallest of all dog breeds. Known for its wiry, rough coat and gentle giant temperament, this ancient breed combines courage with a calm, dignified demeanor.
Irish Wolfhound history and origins
Ancient breed from Ireland originally used in war and for hunting wolves and Irish elk. Nearly extinct by the 1860s but revived by Captain George Augustus Graham who standardized the breed.
Irish Wolfhound appearance and size
Males typically weigh 64-82 kg and stand 81-89 cm at the shoulder; females 52-64 kg and 76-84 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Up to the end of the 17th century Irish wolfhounds were used for hunting wolves, wild boar and deer in Ireland
- Behaviour and temperament
“A Gentle kind loyal hound with a friendly nature towards people and other dogs. “A Lamb in the Home and Lion in the Chase”. A loyal companion”
Quoted from FCI standard n°160. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Large
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Up to the end of the 17th century Irish wolfhounds were used for hunting wolves, wild boar and deer in Ireland” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- —
- Grooming needs
- 3 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- Not researched yet
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Irish Wolfhound
What you get with the Irish Wolfhound
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Up to the end of the 17th century Irish wolfhounds were used for hunting wolves, wild boar and deer in Ireland”
- The standard describes the breed as: “A Gentle kind loyal hound with a friendly nature towards people and other dogs”
What you are taking on
- Shorter-lived than a crossbred dog — median 9.9 years across 469 animals, against 12
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard; McMillan et al. 2024, median age at death. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Irish Wolfhound
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
Rough and hard on body, legs and head, hair over eyes and beard especially wiry
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°160 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the breed standard says
- Size
- “Desired minimum height: males females 79 cm 71 cm Minimum weight expected: males 54,5 kg for 79 cm of size females 40,5 kg for 71 cm of size This weight must increase proportionally with increasing size. This applies to mature hounds”
- FCI gives a bound on one side only, so there is no range to state.
Quoted from FCI standard n°160. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Irish Wolfhound in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a Irish Wolfhound
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Irish Wolfhound on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Irish Wolfhound owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No Irish Wolfhound breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.