Irish Wolfhound Dogs & Puppies

Dogs of great size are believed to have come to Ireland from Greece by 1500 b.c. In Ireland they became even more imposing, and gifts of these great dogs were made to Rome. The first definite mention of the Irish Wolfhound occurred in Rome in a.d. 391. The breed historically gained fame for its imposing stature and fighting ability. It was so acclaimed in Ireland that it became the subject of many legends recounting its valor in battle and chase. All large hounds were once known as Cu, a term implying bravery. The Irish name for the breed is Cu Faoil. Favored by Irish chieftains for the hunt, it gained its reputation as an unparalleled hunter of wolves and Irish elk. Illustrations of these dogs from the seventeenth century look very similar to modern Irish Wolfhounds. The impressive hounds (often seven at a time) were traditionally given to foreign nobility. This practice, along with the extinction of the wolf in Ireland in the eighteenth century, contributed to the decline of the breed’s numbers. By the nineteenth century, Irish Wolfhounds were almost extinct in Ireland, and the famine of 1845 virtually decimated the breed. In 1869, Captain G. A. Graham determined to resurrect the Irish Wolfhound, a task he set about by crossing the few existing Wolfhounds—in particular one named Bran, thought to be the last true Wolfhound in Ireland— with such breeds as Scottish Deerhound as well as Great Dane, Borzoi, and even Tibetan Wolfdog. When first exhibited at a dog show in the 1870s, the reborn Wolfhound created a sensation—the same reaction it inspires to this day when first seen. Its commanding appearance draws many admirers, but its popularity is tempered by the responsibilities of keeping such a large dog.