Are Irish Wolfhounds good for first time owners?

By Stephanie Westover

As a first time owner, there are many things to consider before adding an Irish Wolfhound to your life. Here are some points to consider to see if this is the right breed for you.

How much do you know about the Irish Wolfhound breed?

The Irish Wolfhound is one of the largest dog breeds in the world and was originally bred to hunt and take down large game animals, such as deer, elk and wolves, they are not your average lapdog. Training and socialization at a young age is a must. Left to their own devices and allowed to get away with inherited or naughty behavior from an inexperienced owner can result in a spoiled, destructive and potentially very dangerous Irish Wolfhound.

A healthy happy Irish wolfhound requires a fair amount of regular vigorous exercise, a long with a more than average amount of quality dog food. Just like a human, regular exercise will keep your wolfhound fit and lengthen its life.

Providing your Wolfhound with the healthy diet it requires is a must. Besides the sheer volume of food that a wolfhound needs, the quality of the food you feed your wolfhound will dictate the health and longevity of your beloved hound.

Not all Irish Wolfhounds are free of medical maladies and owning an Irish Wolfhound carries the responsibility of quality healthcare, as accidents, injuries and inherited medical situations can arise. When it comes to an Irish Wolfhound, a vet visit is no small matter and can end up costing you a lot of money. A good veterinary health insurance policy can help lower potential medical costs.

Does your lifestyle match the needs of an Irish Wolfhound?

Your relationship status doesn’t dictate whether or not you are a good match for a wolfhound. The questions you should ask yourself are, how often are you away from home, do you travel a lot, do you work away from home, do you go out often? An Irish Wolfhound is not an independent breed of dog. Irish Wolfhounds are not like some small/medium dogs that can spend the day patiently waiting for their owners in a crate, kennel or resting comfortably on the couch. An Irish Wolfhound lives for the presence of their loved ones and/or family. They view separation as a punishment and waiting for their owners to return is not something they sit idly by for. Many a wolfhound left at home alone has completely demolished couches, walls, beds, backyards and torn up many a car in the grocery store parking lot awaiting their unsuspecting owners to return. Owning an Irish Wolfhound doesn’t mean that you can never leave or go anywhere. Care needs to be taken in creating a safe, and love filled environment with plenty of consistent non-eventful separations. Positive reassurance is a must when a wolfhound successfully remains at home by themselves even for the shortest period of time.

We take our Irish Wolfhounds with us everywhere and when the situation arises that they cannot go with us, we arrange for someone to watch them in our home, or they are temporarily kept in a safe, wolfhound proof, comfortable, climate controlled kennel. Wolfhounds are not meant to live in a kennel or backyard. If that’s your solution for when you have to go away for long periods of time, then an Irish Wolfhound may not be the breed of dog for you.

In conclusion, there is quite a bit of research and preparation that goes into being the owner of an Irish Wolfhound. The Irish Wolfhound is an amazing, wonderful, complicated and sensitive breed. Having owned many breeds of dogs throughout my life, I feel that the Irish Wolfhound is not for everyone. Large/giant breed dog ownership carries much care and responsibility. The main requirements for owning an Irish Wolfhound are an abundance of love, patience, time, knowledge and care. What you may lack in previous experience can be made up with love, education, preparation and the dedication to the health and happiness of your Irish Wolfhound.