medication you will need and the more expensive it will be. In addition, surgery, x-rays, and other medical services are often more expensive for these very large dogs. Boarding large dogs is typically also more expensive. The cost of owning a Wolfhound is a definite factor you must consider carefully before you adopt one.

Irish Wolfhound Personality
Irish Wolfhounds are very strong dogs. Thus, it is advisable that all dogs be given a basic obedience class. This helps establish you, the human, as the "leader of the pack" and will help create a bond between you and your new dog. A basic obedience class should make it possible for you to take your Wolfhound for a walk and not the other way around!

Many people believe that because Wolfhounds are large, they are best kept outdoors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Wolfhounds do best when they are kept as indoor pets and when the family is the core of their existence. Wolfhounds are extremely people-oriented and need to be a part of the family. Before acquiring a Wolfhound, please be sure you have sufficient time to spend with him or her. Wolfhounds crave and need human companionship. The time requirement is far more crucial than the amount of space you have. Most Wolfhounds are usually friendly and gentle with all people, children (even babies and toddlers), and other animals.

Wolfhounds are not a very vocal breed, and do not bark often. Thus, they nay not be as desirable a "watch dog" as another breed, who will be a little noisier. However, they will be protective of their family. Wolfhounds are "gentle when stroked, fierce when provoked." Adult Wolfhounds tend to be very "laid back" and tend to be couch potatoes. They require minimal exercise, despite their large size. A good romp in a fenced yard or a nice walk twice a day is sufficient exercise for an adult Wolfhound. Thus, they do not require a very large home (if you have room for a couch, you have room for a Wolfhound) or very large amounts of property to roam. A small-to-medium sized fenced yard is sufficient. Puppies, in contrast, are usually significantly more active and require a great deal more exercise. Wolfhounds are sighthounds, which means they hunt by sight. As a result, they will often chase "furry things" they see. This has been in-bred for thousands of years, and Wolfhounds do not stop to look both ways for cars, nor will any amount of calling, yelling, or coaxing break through this instinctive behavior. Thus, a well-fenced yard is an absolute must for a Wolfhound owner.

Grooming
Wolfhounds have a medium-length, harsh coat and need minimal grooming. A good brushing twice a week in the winter months is sufficient for most Wolfhound (although a few require daily brushing to prevent matting of the hair), while you may need to give them a good brushing daily during the warmer months when they shed more. A vigorous brushing should take no more than 30 minutes (if you plan to show your Irish Wolfhound, plan to spend a great deal more time on grooming. This 30 minute estimate is for the household pet, not the dog getting ready to enter the show ring). There will be some need to clear hair around the "private parts" to prevent excrement from getting stuck in the hair. If you do not wish to do this yourself, your vet can do this for a minimal charge. This doesn't need to be done often, but is a necessary chore when you have a Wolfhound. In addition, if you have hardwood floors or linoleum in your home, you will likely need to trim the hair underneath the paws and between the toes. Otherwise, your dog can easily slip and fall and hurt themselves on a slick floor surface. Again, if you do not wish to do this yourself, your vet or a local dog groomer can do it for a minimal charge. Wolfhounds do not require baths often. If kept as a house pet, your Wolfhound should require bathing no more than once a month. You may have to wipe muddy paws in between baths, however.

Irish Wolfhound Health
Like all pure-bred dogs, Wolfhounds are susceptible to a variety of health problems. These range from the life-threatening to conditions easily controlled with daily medication.

Bloat (or gastric torsion), is a life-threatening condition in which air gets trapped in the stomach and/or intestines and the stomach (or intestines) can literally turn on its axis. Symptoms include a swollen abdomen, retching (without being able to actually throw up), restlessness, excessive salivation, and a painful abdomen. If you see any of these symptoms in your Wolfhound, get to a vet immediately. A surgical procedure, called a gastropexy, can prevent bloat in 99 percent of cases. However, this procedure is expensive (usually between $400 and $600). Cardiomyopathy is a form of heart disease. More common in older Wolfhounds, cardiomyopathy can be helped a great deal with medication. However, this is a life-threatening disease, particularly if left untreated or undiagnosed. Symptoms include exercise intolerance. You may wish to visit the Irish Wolfhound Club of America's Cardiac Study page to learn more. http://www.iwclubofamerica.org/health_studies.htm

Osteosarcoma, or bone cancer, is another life-threatening disease. Almost all dogs who develop bone cancer will die within a year. Symptoms include limping and a painful lump felt on a bone (usually an extremity). Treatment includes radiation and possibly chemotherapy as well as amputation. In addition, there is exciting new research using the drug Fosamex that shows promising results. You may wish to visit the Irish Wolfhound Club of America's Osteosarcoma Study page to learn more. http://www.iwclubofamerica.org/health_studies.htm

Wobbler's Syndrome, fairly rare, is a lesion in the neck which affects the dog's ability to walk and the dog seems "wobbly" (hence its name). Wobbler's can be surgically treated, although surgery is expensive and often does not help. Acupuncture can help make the dog more comfortable and prolong his or her life. In addition, there are several new treatments on the horizon, including gold bead implantation. These new treatments offer much hope to people who have a dog with Wobbler's.

Hip Displaysia is a disease common in many large and giant breed dogs. To oversimplify, it occurs when the hip joint doesn't fit well in the socket. Symptoms include painful hips and limping. Today, with medication and surgery, dogs with hip displaysia can be helped and displastic dogs are no longer routinely put to sleep.

Epilepsy (seizure disorder) can occur in Wolfhounds. Some Wolfhounds respond quite well to medication, while others do not. Veterinarians do not know why some dogs respond well and others less well. This disease is characterized by grand mal seizures, which can be quite frightening to observe, although they usually are not life-threatening (they just look that way!). Seizures can be caused by toxins, electric shock, as well as damage to the kidney and/or liver. If your dog has a seizure, take him or her to the vet immediately to determine its cause. If your dog has a seizure and you have other dogs, take them to another place, away from the dog having the seizure. Be sure to stay well clear of your dog's head and mouth if he or she has a seizure. You can be bitten by accident while the seizure is in progress. It is unusual for Wolfhounds to become aggressive (some breeds can) right after the seizure. But you do need to be aware that your dog will NOT recognize your or her or his surroundings for a few seconds to a few minutes. Speaking in a CALM voice can be reassuring. Your dog will be frightened and confused. If you are upset and yelling or crying, you will frighten and confuse your dog more. Try to remain calm (as we have personal experience with a seizure dog, this is easier said than done!!) and speak calmly to your dog and stroke him or her gently as they are coming out of the seizure. The Irish Wolfhound Club of America has a great deal of information on seizure disorder. http://www.irishwolfhoundstudy.com/pg1.htm

Disadvantages of Owning An Irish Wolfhound
Before acquiring an Irish Wolfhound, you need to be aware of the possible disadvantages of owning one. First is the issue of cost. As mentioned previously, Wolfhounds are more expensive to feed and care for than smaller dogs.

Second, because Wolfhounds are so tall, they can easily "counter surf" and steal anything left out on your kitchen counters--Wolfhounds have been known to steal everything from steak to cookies to entire loaves of bread. This also means that Wolfhounds can reach higher in closets (to steal your good shoes) and higher in areas where they may reach toxic substances you may think you have placed safely out of reach.

Third, because Wolfhounds are tall and tend to wag their tail often and furiously, they can easily clear a coffee table of trinkets. Anything that can be broken or spilled should be kept well above "tail level". Wolfhounds sometimes hit their tail on walls or other hard, unyielding objects and split their tail open. It can bleed profusely. They will usually continue wagging the tail, spraying blood everywhere and making your home look like something from a horror film. This doesn't happen often (happily), but can and does happen on occasion.

If you do not take your Wolfhound to a basic obedience class, he or she may pull and tug on a leash. These dogs are very strong and can end up taking you for a walk. Contrary to the old wives' tale "You can't teach an old dog new tricks", dogs of any breed can learn at any age. We often get Wolfhounds into rescue because the owner "can't control" the dog. This is something that a good basic obedience class can "cure" in a hurry. Wolfhounds, however, are extremely sensitive and will react negatively to harsh corrections. So any class or instructor should be familiar with Wolfhounds and focus on positive reinforcement with minimal use of harsh corrections and harsh vocal commands.

As mentioned previously, Wolfhounds may not be considered the best "watch dog" as they tend not to bark a great deal. If you are looking for a dog to bark noisily whenever a stranger approaches, it would be best to look at another breed. However, Wolfhounds are imposing simply due to their size and will protect family members if they feel it necessary to do so.

Wolfhounds have a shorter life span than do many other breeds. In general, larger breeds die at a younger age than do smaller breeds. The average life span of a Wolfhound ranges from 6 to 10 years, though a small number live to be 12 or older.

Puppy or Rescue?
There are distinct advantages to buying a puppy (as well as disadvantages). The same can be said of adopting a rescue dog. Puppies are cute and you will generally have them longer than you will a dog you adopt as an adult. However, puppies come without being house trained (and will make some rather large messes in your house to clean up). Puppies are expensive (they must have a series of shots, three weeks apart rather than just yearly and they must be spayed or neutered when they reach an acceptable age--usually 6 to 9 months). Having your puppy microchipped can cost from $25 to $50.

Puppies chew--a lot! They chew because (just like humans), they loose their "baby" teeth and get new adult teeth in--so they teethe. In addition, puppies chew because that is part of how they explore and learn about their environment. And when a Wolfhound puppy chews, you aren't left with "cute little teeth marks." More than likely, the object will be totally destroyed. Puppies can also be susceptible to additional health problems (that are resolved by adulthood). Conditions such as OCD are not uncommon and this generally required rather expensive surgery.

Finally, puppies are much more active than adults and require a great deal more exercise and supervision. Adult rescue Wolfhounds are usually (though not always) house trained when you adopt them and require only yearly shots. All Wolfhounds adopted from us will already be spayed or neutered and microchipped. Adult Wolfhounds are generally past the chewing stage and adults are more calm and require less exercise and supervision than do puppies.

Many people believe that if they get an adult dog, the dog will not bond with them. This is simply not true. Even dogs of advanced age can (and will) bond with their new family, particularly the dogs who have been neglected and/or abused and have never been shown much kindness and love. When someone shows them kindness and love, they bond extremely tight to that person.

Some people believe that if they get an adult dog, they won't be able to train the dog. In fact, a dog of any age can learn and be trained. One big disadvantage to some (not all) rescue Wolfhounds (or rescues of any breed) is that they can suffer from "separation anxiety." They may become very anxious when left alone and can engage in destructive behavior (eliminating in the house, chewing). This can be controlled with training and medication. A new product, called Comfort Zone with D.A.P. has also been shown to help with separation anxiety. Most rescue dog overcome separation anxiety with time and a little effort.

If you decide a puppy is right for you, please resist buying from a puppy mill or back-yard breeder. Please resist the urge to check the local newspaper and get a puppy "out of the paper". Please resist the urge to buy a puppy because you feel sorry for him or her. You are actually only encouraging these people to breed more puppies and continue adding to the already overwhelming problem we already have. If you want to buy a puppy, please find a show in your area and attend it and speak with the breeders there (in general, people who "show" will tend to be a bit more ethical and responsible than some others). Be thoughtful and wait until the person has come OUT of the ring before approaching them. Be sure you ask questions about the incidence of genetic diseases in the "line" (be very specific and show you've done your homework--ask specifically about bloat, osteosarcoma, etc). You must be responsible in studying about the breed and know what genetic problems you may encounter in a puppy you purchase. Also look at the parent's looks and behavior--that's what you'll have in a couple of years. If you can't live with that, don't buy a puppy. Also make sure the breeder is responsible enough to "take the puppy back" if you cannot keep the puppy at any time (please do not add to the burden of shelters and rescue groups by buying from breeders who will not take their puppy's back. I realize you intend to keep the dog, but things happen--children develop allergies, you loose your job, etc. and you may not always be able to keep the dog as you intended). And don't be surprised if the breeder is as choosy about you as you are about them--they should be. If they aren't (they don't seem to care where the puppy goes), beware and go elsewhere. These breeders won't be there for you if you have problems.

Why do dogs come into rescue?
Most dogs come into rescue through no fault of their own. Below are some of the more common reasons dogs come into rescue:
Divorce (and the family is no longer able to care for the dog);
Children develop allergies to the dog;
The owner becomes ill or dies;
The owner "can't handle" the dog and is unwilling to take an obedience class;
The dog gets too large;
The owner wants an outdoor dog and the Wolfhound keeps trying to get inside to be with the family;
Financial reverses (and the family can no longer afford to care for the dog);
The owner gets married and the new partner doesn't want the dog;
Someone new moves into the home (such as an elderly parent) and doesn't want the dog;
The family moves (because of job considerations or they are in the military) and cannot take the dog with them.

As this list demonstrates, most dogs come into rescue because of "people" problems, not dog problems!

Do I Really Want An Irish Wolfhound Checklist

Do I want a dog that:	Yes	No
is as large as an Irish Wolfhound?
can counter surf?
can knock things off low tables?
I have to spend a great deal of time with?
prefers to sleep on the couch rather than go for a jog?
must be kept inside?
costs a great deal of money to care for?
needs to go to an obedience class?
can die at a younger age?
I will need to supervise closely around very small children?
some people will be afraid of just because he/she is large?
doesn't bark a great deal?