Color: Gray, red, black, pure white, fawn and brindle.
Height: 35 in.
Weight: 150 lbs.
This dog though not as heavy and massive as the Great Dane is more so
than the Deerhound. He has a commanding appearance and is very muscular,
strongly though gracefully built, with movements easy and active. The
head is long, skull not too broad, and muzzle moderately pointed. Eyes
dark in color, ears small and of the greyhound type, neck very strong,
muscular and well arched, with a long back and muscular thighs. The tail
is long and slightly curved and well covered with hair. Coat should be
rough and hard on the body, legs and head, and especially long and wiry
over the eyes and under the jaw.
This breed is undoubtedly of great antiquity and was freely bred and
used hundreds of years ago in Ireland for the hunting of wolves. When
wolves became extinct the breeding of Irish Wolfhounds came to its
lowest ebb, but during the last twenty years great strides have been
made to resuscitate, and it is now one of the most popular of the large
varieties on the show bench.
[Illustration]