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“Of Great Size and Commanding Appearance”

The Irish wolfhound is an ancient dog breed who’s heritage is not entirely clear. The mention of irish wolf dogs goes back as far as 600 A.D. where they are referred to as giant war dogs bred to pull enemies down off of their horses in battle. However, that purpose is long over, and the breed we know today was bred to hunt wolves in  Ireland. The dogs were bred and kept by high ranking individuals for their speed and size. A wolf could be taken down by one dog as opposed to an entire pack. This speaks for the independent and intelligent character of the breed. Today, the irish wolfhound we know is a calm, gentle and loving breed. However, the prey drive is still there, so owners should be careful to fence their backyards.  At the end of the day, the breed is no longer what it was in early Ireland and has its purpose as a wonderful and gentle companion dog.

A More Detailed History can be found here: 

Breed History