Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Irish Terrier Breed Overview
- History of the Irish Terrier Breed. Where Irish Terriers came from
- What the Irish Terrier Looks Like
- How Much is the Irish Terrier Puppy?
- Best Irish Terrier Breeders
- Irish Terrier Growth
- What Colors do Irish Terriers Have?
- Irish Terrier Litter Size
- How Fast Irish Terriers Can Run
- Good Names for Irish Terriers
- How Intelligent are Irish Terriers?
- How Popular are Irish Terriers with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in Irish Terriers and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of Irish Terrier
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Irish Terriers
- Other Things to Know About Irish Terriers
Irish Terrier Breed Overview
The Irish Terrier is a medium-sized dog.
The adult Irish Terrier stands 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Irish Terrier belongs to the Terrier Dogs group.
Dogs in the Terrier Dogs group, like the Irish Terrier, were originally bred to go underground to hunt rodents and other small wild animals (vermin).
Terriers come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but all terriers are energetic, highly intelligent, and territorial. Terries also have the tendency to escape. They require a securely fenced yard.
The fact that Irish Terriers belong to the Terrier Dogs group is one of the reasons why Irish Terriers have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Irish Terrier is generally described as:
- Dominant
- Intelligent
- Lively
- Protective
- Respectful
- Trainable
History of the Irish Terrier Breed. Where Irish Terriers came from
Though the Irish Terrier is considered the oldest Terrier breed, their ancestry is unknown.
The earliest depictions of this lively breed can be found in 17th-century paintings.
They are thought to have originated in Ireland and are descended from the Black and Tan Terrier or even the Irish Wolfhound.
Some speculate that they are a descendant of the lowland Scottish Terrier.
Gray and brindle or black and tan coats were familiar in early dogs.
The breed`s signature red coat only became popular in the nineteenth century.
The color change may have contributed to their nickname “Daredevil,” but it is more likely due to their bold and courageous nature.
This Terrier was used for farm work in Ireland.
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What the Irish Terrier Looks Like
The Irish Terrier is considered the most racy Terrier breed, with longer legs and bodies than other Terrier breeds.
They appear strong and athletic as a result of this.
The head is long and narrow, with a flat skull.
A powerful jaw is hidden behind a long-whiskered, bearded muzzle.
This dog`s bushy brows and small, dark eyes give him an intense expression.
In the United States, the tail is traditionally docked for a quarter of its length.
The coat is made up of dense, wiry hair that is thick on the outside and is often described as broken, which means that it is neither curly nor straight.
This coat has a soft fur lining underneath it.
The Irish Terrier is most commonly seen in solid colors such as wheat, gold, or the most popular, red.
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How Much is the Irish Terrier Puppy?
The average price of a Irish Terrier puppy is $1730. The price of a Irish Terrier puppy ranges from $1700 to $1700.
A lot of factors determine the price of the Irish Terrier. These factors include what health records the Irish Terrier puppy has, the lineage of the Irish Terrier puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy Irish Terrier based on the many factors that determine the price of the Irish Terrier puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the Irish Terrier puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the Irish Terrier breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best Irish Terrier Breeders
We have researched reputable Irish Terrier breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Irish Terrier breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Kimerik
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Bruce, Henrietta, and Michael Good-Kincora Irish Terriers
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Sharob`s Irish Terriers
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Bravo! Kennels…AKC Breeder of Merit
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Ou2019Dare & Ruby Rose Irish Terriers
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Irish Terrier Growth
New Irish Terrier owners need to know about the growth of their Irish Terriers. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Irish Terrier will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Irish Terrier early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your Irish Terrier puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Irish Terrier at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Irish Terrier
What Colors do Irish Terriers Have?
Irish Terriers come in the following beautiful primary colors:
- Black
- Red / Chestnut / Orange
Irish Terriers come in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to their primary colors:
- Brown / Chocolate
Irish Terrier Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 3 different Irish Terrier birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Irish Terriers can have is 6 puppies. Also, the Irish Terrier can have as few as 5 puppies per litter and as many as 8 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the Irish Terrier will have depends on factors such as the age of the Irish Terrier, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Irish Terrier will have and how the litter size of the Irish Terrier compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast Irish Terriers Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 39 different Irish Terriers, the average speed of the Irish Terrier is 23.8 mph (38.3 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the Irish Terrier ran in a race is 30.41 mph (48.9 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Irish Terrier is 8.97 mph (14.4 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the Irish Terrier compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for Irish Terriers
Here are some really good names that are typical for the Irish Terrier ranked by popularity:
- Callum
- Theodore
- Mccloud
- Charlie
How Intelligent are Irish Terriers?
| Irish Terrier | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 53 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the Irish Terrier has an obedience intelligence rank of 53 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put Irish Terriers in the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Irish Terriers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| Standard Poodle | 2 |
| Rottweiler | 9 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 12 |
| Belgian Tervuren | 14 |
| English Cocker Spaniel | 18 |
| Cocker Spaniel | 20 |
| Belgian Malinois | 22 |
| Vizsla | 25 |
| Giant Schnauzer | 28 |
| Border Terrier | 30 |
| Manchester Terrier | 32 |
| Samoyed | 33 |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | 34 |
| Chinese Shar-Pei | 51 |
| Skye Terrier | 55 |
| French Bulldog | 58 |
| Saint Bernard | 65 |
| Shih Tzu | 70 |
| Borzoi | 75 |
| Chow Chow | 76 |
How Popular are Irish Terriers with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Irish Terrier.
The popularity of the Irish Terrier averaged over the years is Number 118 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in Irish Terriers and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The Irish Terrier is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a Irish Terrier puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Irish Terrier breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Irish Terriers for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Irish Terriers here.
How to Take Care of Irish Terrier
To take good care of your Irish Terrier, you need to make sure that you groom your Irish Terrier regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Irish Terrier regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Irish Terrier`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Irish Terrier daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Irish Terrier.
Also, you need to feed your Irish Terrier high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Irish Terrier from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the Irish Terrier and how much food to feed the Irish Terrier at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your Irish Terrier has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Irish Terrier needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Irish Terriers
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Irish Terrier.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Irish Terrier:
- Hovawart (75 percent match with Irish Terrier). Learn more about the Hovawart here.
- Lakeland Terrier (79 percent match with Irish Terrier). Learn more about the Lakeland Terrier here.
Other Things to Know About Irish Terriers
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Irish Terrier that you need to know about the Irish Terrier breed: