View source for Irish Wolfhound

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox dog breed
| name           = Irish Wolfhound
| image          = File:(2) Irish Wolfhound 4.jpg 
| image_alt      = a tall long-legged hairy dog
| image_caption  = 
| image2         = 
| image_alt2     = 
| image_caption2 = 
| stock          = {{ubl|Two Irish dogs|[[Scottish Deerhound]]|[[Great Dane]]}}
| country        = Ireland (original breed); England (modern breed){{Efn|The original, historic Irish Wolfhound originated in [[Ireland]]. The modern breed, however, was developed in Gloucestershire, England (for further information, see ''[[Irish Wolfhound#Modern wolfhound|Modern wolfhound]]'').}}
| distribution   = 
| height         = {{right|{{convert|81|-|86|cm|in|abbr=on}}{{r|fci}}}}
| maleheight     = {{right|minimum {{convert|79|cm|in|abbr=on}}{{r|fci}}}}
| femaleheight   = {{right|minimum {{convert|71|cm|in|abbr=on}}{{r|fci}}}}
| weight         = 
| maleweight     = {{right|minimum {{convert|54.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}{{r|fci}}}}
| femaleweight   = {{right|minimum {{convert|40.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}{{r|fci}}}}
| coat           = rough and hard on the head, body and legs; beard and hair over eyes particularly wiry
| colour         = black, brindle, fawn, grey, red, pure white, or any colour seen in the Deerhound
| litter_size    = 4–12<ref>{{Cite book |title=Irish Wolfhound Bible And Irish Wolfhounds |last=Manfield |first=Mark |year=2019 |publisher=DYM Worldwide Publishers |isbn=9781913154042 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I6ieDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT39}}</ref>
| kc_name        = [[Irish Kennel Club]]
| kc_std         = https://www.ikc.ie/dog-ownership/types-of-dog/breeds/breed-details/?breedId=23 
| kc2_name       = 
| kc2_std        = 
| fcistd         = http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/160g10-en.pdf
| notrecognised  = 
| extinct        = 
| note           = 
}}

The '''Irish Wolfhound''' ([[Irish language|Irish]]: ''Cú Faoil'') is a [[dog breed|breed]] of large [[sighthound]] that has, by its presence and substantial size, inspired literature, poetry and mythology.<ref name=":1">{{cite book|last=DeQuoy|first=Alfred W.|title=The Irish Wolfhound in Irish literature and law|year=1971|asin=B003S8E6J2}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Scharff|first=R. F.|date=August 1924|title=On the breeds of dogs peculiar to Ireland and their origin|journal=The Irish Naturalist|volume=33|issue=8|pages=77–88|jstor=25525370}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Hogan|first=Edmund I.|title=The History of the Irish Wolfdog|publisher=Read Books|year=1897|isbn=978-1-4437-9697-2|publication-date=2009-02-09}}</ref> One of the largest of all [[breeds of dog]], the breed is used by [[coursing]] hunters who have prized it for its ability to dispatch game caught by other, swifter sighthounds.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Parker |last2=Dreger |last3=Rimbault |last4=Davis |last5=Mullen |last6=Carpintero-Ramirez |last7=Ostrander |display-authors=1 |year=2017 |title=Genomic Analyses Reveal the Influence of Geographic Origin, Migration, and Hybridization on Modern Dog Breed Development |journal=[[Cell Reports]] |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=697–708 |doi=10.1016/j.celrep.2017.03.079 |pmid=28445722 |pmc=5492993 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Almirall|first=Leon V.|title=Canines and Coyotes|publisher=Caxton Printers, Limited|year=1941| page=55|asin=B0006APB8A}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Copold|first=Steve|title=Hounds, Hares & Other Creatures: The Complete Book of Coursing|publisher=Hoflin Publishing|year=1977 | page=58|oclc=3071190}}</ref> In 1902, the Irish Wolfhound was declared the regimental mascot of the [[Irish Guards]].<ref name=":0" />

==History==
[[File:Grofs Irlaendisch Windspiel, Ridinger 1738, volume 1, page 24.jpg|thumb|''Groſs Irlændisch Windspiel'', 'large Irish greyhound', from ''Entwurf einiger Thiere''by [[Johann Elias Ridinger]], 1738]]
[[File:An Irish greyhound standing in a mountainous landscape. Etch Wellcome V0020959.jpg|thumb|''Irish Greyhound in a mountainous landscape'', [[etching]] by [[Philip Reinagle]], 1804]]

===Pre-19th century===

In 391, there is a reference to large dogs by [[Quintus Aurelius Symmachus]], a [[Roman consul]] who got seven "''canes Scotici''" as a gift to be used for fighting lions and bears, and who wrote "all Rome viewed (them) with wonder".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Samaha|first=Joel|title=The New Complete Irish Wolfhound|publisher=Howell Book House|isbn=978-0-87605-171-9|publication-date=1991|page=2}}</ref> [[Scoti]] is a [[Latin language|Latin]] name for the [[Gaels]] (ancient Irish).<ref name="Duffy">{{Cite book|title=Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2004|isbn=978-0-415-94052-8|editor-last=Duffy|editor-first=Seán|page=698}}</ref> Dansey, the early 19th century translator of the first complete version of [[Arrian]]'s work in English, ''On Coursing'', suggested the Irish and Scottish "greyhounds" were derived from the same ancestor, the ''vertragus'', and had expanded with the Scoti from Ireland across the Western Isles and into what is today Scotland.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Arrian|url=https://archive.org/details/arrianoncoursing00arri|title=Arrian on coursing: the Cynegeticus of the younger Xenophon, translated from the Greek, with classical and practical annotations, and a brief sketch of the life and writings of the author. To which is added an appendix, containing some account of the Canes venatici of classical antiquity|publisher=J. Bohne|year=1831|location=London|pages=[https://archive.org/details/arrianoncoursing00arri/page/297 297]|oclc=1040021079|ol=17958481M|author1-link=Arrian}}</ref>

Wolfhounds were used as hunting dogs by the Gaels, who called them ''Cú Faoil''<ref name="tearma.ie">{{Cite web|title=Wolfhound|url=https://www.focloir.ie/en/dictionary/ei/wolfhound|access-date=2021-04-04|website=www.focloir.ie}}</ref><ref name="McBryde 1998 19">{{cite book|author=McBryde, Mary|title=The Irish Wolfhound: Symbol of Celtic Splendor.|year=1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|page=19|isbn=978-0-87605-169-6}}</ref> ({{langx|ga|Cú Faoil}} {{IPA|ga|ˌkuː ˈfˠiːlʲ|}}, composed of the elements "hound"<ref>[https://www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/cú ''cú''] in {{Cite book|last=Ó Dónaill|first=Niall|url=https://www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/cú|title=Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla|publisher=Richview Browne & Nolan Ltd.|year=1977|isbn=1-85791-038-9|location=Dublin}}</ref> and "wolf",<ref>[https://www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/faol ''faol''] in {{Cite book|last=Ó Dónaill|first=Niall|url=https://www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/faol|title=Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla|publisher=Richview Browne & Nolan Ltd.|year=1977|isbn=1-85791-038-9|location=Dublin}}</ref> i.e. "wolfhound"). Dogs are mentioned as ''cú'' in Irish laws and literature dating from the sixth century or, in the case of the [[Early Irish literature|Sagas]], from the [[old Irish]] period, AD 600–900. [[Cú Chulainn]], a mythical warrior whose name means "hound of Culann", is supposed to have gained this name as a child when he slew the ferocious guard dog of Culann. As recompense he offered himself as a replacement.<ref name="McBryde 1998 19"/>

In discussing the systematic evidence of historic dog sizes in Ireland, the Irish zooarchaeologist Finbar McCormick stressed that no dogs of Irish Wolfhound size are known from sites of the Iron Age period of 1000 BC through to the early Christian period to 1200 AD. On the basis of the historic dog bones available, dogs of current Irish Wolfhound size seem to be a relatively modern development: "it must be concluded that the dog of Cú Chulainn was no larger than an [[German Shepherd|Alsatian]] and not the calf-sized beast of the popular imagination".<ref>{{cite journal |last=McCormick |first=F. |year=1991 |title=The Dog in Prehistoric and Early Christian Ireland |journal=Archaeology Ireland |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=7–9 |jstor=20558375 }}</ref>

In his ''Historie of Ireland'', written in 1571, [[Edmund Campion]] gives a description of the hounds used for hunting wolves in the [[Wicklow Mountains|Dublin and Wicklow mountains]]. He says: "They (the Irish) are not without wolves and [[greyhounds]] to hunt them, bigger of bone and limb than a [[Colt (horse)|colt]]". Due to their popularity overseas many were exported to European royal houses leaving numbers in Ireland depleted. This led to a declaration by [[Oliver Cromwell]] being published in [[Kilkenny]] on 27 April 1652 to ensure that sufficient numbers remained to control the wolf population.<ref name="Howell">{{cite book|author=Howell, Elsworth S.|title=The International Encyclopedia of Dogs|url=https://archive.org/details/internationalenc00dang|url-access=registration|publisher=McGraw-Hill|year=1971|pages=[https://archive.org/details/internationalenc00dang/page/254 254–255]|isbn=978-0-7015-2969-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=McBryde|first=Mary|title=The Irish Wolfhound: Symbol of Celtic Splendor.|year=1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|pages=24–25|isbn=978-0-87605-169-6}}</ref>

References to the Irish Wolfhound in the 18th century tell of its great size, strength and greyhound shape as well as its scarcity. Writing in 1790, [[Thomas Bewick]] described it as the largest and most beautiful of the dog kind; about 36&nbsp;inches high, generally of a white or cinnamon colour, somewhat like the Greyhound but more robust. He said that their aspect was mild, disposition peaceful, and strength so great that in combat the Mastiff or Bulldog was far from being an equal to them.<ref name=McBridep27/>

The last [[Wolves in Ireland|wolf in Ireland]] was killed in County Carlow in 1786.<ref name=McBridep27/><ref name=Larson2012/><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.ucd.ie:80/gsi/pdf/33-2/lupus.pdf#expand |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907043329/http://www.ucd.ie/gsi/pdf/33-2/lupus.pdf#expand |archive-date=7 September 2012 |title=A geographical perspective on the decline and extermination of the Irish wolf ''canis lupus''—an initial assessment |first=Kieran R. |last=Hickey |journal=Irish Geography |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=185–198 |date=2000 |doi=10.1080/00750770009478590 |access-date=12 September 2007 }}</ref> It is thought to have been killed at Myshall, on the slopes of [[Mount Leinster]], by a pack of wolfdogs kept by a Mr Watson of Ballydarton. The wolfhounds that remained in the hands of a few families, who were mainly descendants of the old Irish chieftains, were now symbols of status rather than used as hunters, and these were said to be the last of their race.<ref name=McBridep27>{{cite book|author=McBryde, Mary|title=The Irish Wolfhound: Symbol of Celtic Splendor |year=1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|pages=27–31|isbn=978-0-87605-169-6}}</ref>

[[Thomas Pennant]] (1726–1798) reported that he could find no more than three wolfdogs when he visited Ireland. At the 1836 meeting of the [[Geological Society of Dublin]], [[John Scouler]] presented a paper titled "Notices of Animals which have disappeared from Ireland", including mention of the wolfdog.<ref name="Gordon1973">{{cite book|last1=Gordon|first1=John F.|title=The Irish Wolfhound|publisher=J. Bartholomew|date=January 1973|isbn=978-0-85152-918-9|edition=1st|pages=1–7}}</ref>

===Modern wolfhound===

Captain [[George Augustus Graham]] (1833–1909), of Rednock House, Dursley, [[Gloucestershire]], was responsible for reviving the Irish wolfhound breed. He stated that he could not find the breed "in its original integrity" to work with:

{{blockquote|That we are in possession of the breed in its original integrity is not pretended; at the same time it is confidently believed that there are strains now existing that tracing back, more or less clearly, to the original breed; and it appears to be tolerably certain that our Deerhound is descended from that noble animal, and gives us a fair idea of what he was, though undoubtedly considerably his inferior in size and power.|Captain G. A. Graham<ref>{{cite book|last1=Graham|first1=G. A.|title=The Irish Wolfhound|publisher=Whitmore & Son|year=1885|pages=[https://archive.org/details/irishwolfhoundr00grahgoog/page/n11 1]|url=https://archive.org/details/irishwolfhoundr00grahgoog}}</ref>}}

In Ireland, Graham acquired "Faust" of [[Kilfane]] and "Old Donagh" of Ballytobin, [[County Kilkenny]]; these were the respective progenitors of Graham's breeding program and said to descend from original Irish wolfhound strains.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Various |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Erb7DAAAQBAJ&dq=Old+Donagh+wolfhound&pg=PT41 |title=The Irish Wolfhound - A Complete Anthology of the Dog |date=2016-09-06 |publisher= Read Books|isbn=978-1-4733-5270-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Horter |first=Ria |date=March 2014 |title=Masterminds: Capt. George Augustus Graham and the Irish Wolfhound. |url=https://riahorter.com/index_htm_files/e%20Mastermind%20Capt%20%20GrahamIrish%20Wolfhound.pdf |journal=Masterminds}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Graham |first=George Augustus |title=The Irish Wolfhound |publisher=Case Press |year=2009 |isbn=978-1444647006 |location=United Kingdom |pages=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Graham to the rescue |url=http://www.irishwolfhounds.org/graham.htm |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=www.irishwolfhounds.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Pisano |first=Beverly |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r3ue3qlCFQoC&q=irish+wolfhound+Ballytobin |title=Irish Wolfhounds |date=1996 |publisher=TFH Publications, Incorporated |isbn=978-0-7938-2372-7 |pages=12 |language=en}}</ref> Based on the writings of others, he had concluded that the [[Scottish Deerhound]] and [[Great Dane]] were derived earlier from the wolfhound.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Graham |first1=G. A. |url=https://archive.org/details/irishwolfhoundr00grahgoog |title=The Irish Wolfhound |publisher=Whitmore & Son |year=1885 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/irishwolfhoundr00grahgoog/page/n33 23]}} Do a search on these two breeds, this is the subject of the book.</ref> As a result, said breeds were heavily emphasized in his breeding program.<ref name=":02" /> For an outbreed, a [[Borzoi]] and "Tibetan wolfdog" may also have been included.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} It has been suggested{{By whom|date=July 2023}} that the latter was a [[Tibetan Kyi Apso]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hamilton |first1=Ferelith |title=The World Encyclopedia of Dogs |last2=Jones |first2=Arthur F. |publisher=Galahad Books |year=1971 |isbn=978-0883653029 |edition=1st |pages=672}}</ref>

In 1885, Captain Graham founded the Irish Wolfhound Club, and the Breed Standard of Points to establish and agree the ideal to which breeders should aspire.<ref name="Howell" /><ref>Samaha (1991) pp.8-19.</ref> In 1902, the Irish Wolfhound was declared the regimental mascot of the [[Irish Guards]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Regimental mascots - Irish Guards 1902-1910 |url=http://www.irishwolfhounds.org/mascots.htm |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=www.irishwolfhounds.org}}</ref>{{-}}
<gallery mode=packed heights=180px style="text-align:left; font-size: 93%">
File:2 shilling Ireland dog licence stamp.jpg|Nineteenth-century dog-licence stamp
File:WWI Irish recruiting poster LOC cph.3g10979.jpg|Recruitment poster, 1915
File:Irish Guards' Mascot - Leitrim Boy (cropped).jpg|Leitrim Boy, mascot of the Irish Guards, at [[Waterford Barracks]], 1917
File:Mahony Old.jpg|[[The O'Mahony of Kerry]], 1930
File:Wolfhound mascot wb.jpg|Irish Guards, mascot in parade dress
</gallery>

===DNA analysis===
Genomic analysis indicates that although there has been some DNA sharing between the Irish wolfhound with the Deerhound, [[Whippet]], and Greyhound, there has been significant sharing of DNA between the Irish Wolfhound and the Great Dane.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Parker|first1=Heidi G.|last2=Dreger|first2=Dayna L.|last3=Rimbault|first3=Maud|last4=Davis|first4=Brian W.|year=2017|title=Genomic Analyses Reveal the Influence of Geographic Origin, Migration, and Hybridization on Modern Dog Breed Development|url= |journal=Cell Reports|volume=19|issue=4|pages=697–708|doi=10.1016/j.celrep.2017.03.079|pmc=5492993|pmid=28445722}} Refer Figure 4 and Supplementary Table S2: "Mean Haplotype Sharing Totals that Reach the 95% Significance Level between All Pairs of Breeds"</ref> One writer has stated that for the Irish Wolfhound, "the Great Dane appearance is strongly marked too prominently before the 20th Century".<ref name=Gordon1973/> George Augustus Graham created the modern Irish wolfhound breed by retaining the appearance of the original form, but not its genetic ancestry.<ref name="Larson2012">{{cite journal|last1=Larson|first1=Greger|last2=Karlsson|first2=Elinor K.|last3=Perri|first3=Angela|last4=Webster|first4=Matthew T.|date=2012-06-05|title=Rethinking Dog Domestication by Integrating Genetics, Archeology, and Biogeography|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=109|issue=23|pages=8878–8883|bibcode=2012PNAS..109.8878L|doi=10.1073/pnas.1203005109|pmc=3384140|pmid=22615366|doi-access=free}}</ref>

== Characteristics ==

The Irish Wolfhound is characterised by its large size. According to the FCI standard, the expected range of heights at the [[withers]] is {{convert|81|-|86|cm|in|abbr=off}}; minimum heights and weights are {{convert|79|cm|in|abbr=on}}/{{convert|54.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and {{convert|71|cm|in|abbr=on}}/{{convert|40.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}} for dogs and bitches respectively.{{r|fci}} It is more massively built than the [[Scottish Deerhound]], but less so than the [[Great Dane]].{{r|fci}}

The coat is hard and rough on the head, body and legs, with the beard and the hair over the eyes particularly wiry. It may be black, brindle, fawn, grey, red, pure white, or any colour seen in the Deerhound.{{r|fci}}

The Irish Wolfhound is a sighthound, and hunts by visual perception alone. The neck is muscular and fairly long, and the head is carried high.{{r|fci}} It should appear to be longer than it is tall,<ref>{{cite book|author=McBryde, Mary|title=The Irish Wolfhound: Symbol of Celtic Splendor.|year=1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|pages=107–132|isbn=978-0-87605-169-6}}</ref>
and to be capable of catching and killing a wolf.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iwclubofamerica.org/judging-wolfhounds-samaha|title=Judging Irish Wolfhounds - A Guide|last=Samaha|first=Joel|date=3 May 2019|website=Irish Wolfhound Club of America|access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref>

<gallery mode=packed heights=160px style="text-align:left; font-size: 93%">
File:Grover Krantz & Clyde skeletons.jpg|The skeleton of an Irish Wolfhound compared to that of a human ([[Grover Krantz]])
File:Irish Wolfhound - Ulster Museum.JPG|Patrick of Ifold, born 1923, now in the [[Ulster Museum]]
File:Chiot Irish Wolfhound.jpg|A puppy
File:Irish Wolfhound Attila.jpg
File:Drew - Irish Wolfhound (21137096806).jpg|Tricolour coat
File:Irish wolfhound giaccomo.JPG|White coat
</gallery>

==Temperament==
Irish Wolfhounds have a varied range of personalities and are most often noted for their personal quirks and individualism.<ref>{{cite book|author=McBryde, Mary|title=The Irish Wolfhound: Symbol of Celtic Splendor.|year=1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|page=15|isbn=978-0-87605-169-6}}</ref> An Irish Wolfhound, however, is rarely mindless, and, despite its large size, is rarely found to be destructive in the house or boisterous. This is because the breed is generally introverted, intelligent, and reserved in character. An easygoing animal, the Irish Wolfhound is quiet by nature. Wolfhounds often create a strong bond with their family and can become quite destructive or morose if left alone for long periods of time.<ref name="McBryde, Mary 1998 14">{{cite book|author=McBryde, Mary|title=The Irish Wolfhound: Symbol of Celtic Splendor.|year=1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|page=14|isbn=978-0-87605-169-6}}</ref>

The Irish Wolfhound makes for an effective and imposing guardian. The breed becomes attached to both owners and other dogs they are raised with and is therefore not the most adaptable of breeds. Bred for independence, an Irish Wolfhound is not necessarily keen on defending spaces. A wolfhound is most easily described by its historical motto, "gentle when stroked, fierce when provoked".<ref name="McBryde, Mary 1998 14"/>

Irish Wolfhounds are often favored for their loyalty, affection, patience, and devotion. Although at some points in history they have been used as watchdogs, unlike some breeds, the Irish Wolfhound is usually unreliable in this role as they are often friendly toward strangers, although their size can be a natural deterrent. However, when protection is required this dog is never found wanting. When they or their family are in any perceived danger they display a fearless nature. Author and Irish Wolfhound breeder Linda Glover believes the dogs' close affinity with humans makes them acutely aware and sensitive to ill will or malicious intentions leading to their excelling as a guardian rather than guard dog.<ref>{{cite book|author=Glover, Linda|title=Irish wolfhound (World of Dogs)|publisher=TFH|year=1999|isbn=978-1-85279-077-6}}</ref>

==Health==
Like many large dog breeds, Irish Wolfhounds have a relatively short lifespan. Published lifespan estimations vary between 4.95 and 8.75 years.<ref name="Urfer">{{cite journal|vauthors=Urfer SR, Gaillard C, Steiger A |title=Lifespan and disease predispositions in the Irish wolfhound: a review|journal=Vet Q|volume=29|issue=3|pages=102–111|year=2007|pmid=17970287|doi=10.1080/01652176.2007.9695233|s2cid=38774771|doi-access=}}</ref> More recently a 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 9.9 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for [[Mongrel|crossbreeds]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1=McMillan | first1=Kirsten M. | last2=Bielby | first2=Jon | last3=Williams | first3=Carys L. | last4=Upjohn | first4=Melissa M. | last5=Casey | first5=Rachel A. | last6=Christley | first6=Robert M. | title=Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=14 | issue=1 | date=2024-02-01 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w | page=531| pmid=38302530 | pmc=10834484 | bibcode=2024NatSR..14..531M }}</ref> A 2005 Swedish study of insurance data found 91% of Irish Wolfhounds died by the age of 10, higher than the overall rate of 35% of dogs dying by the age of 10.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Egenvall | first=A | last2=Bonnett | first2=Bn | last3=Hedhammar | first3=å | last4=Olson | first4=P | title=Mortality in over 350,000 Insured Swedish Dogs from 1995–2000: II. Breed-Specific Age and Survival Patterns and Relative Risk for Causes of Death | journal=Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica | volume=46 | issue=3 | date=2005-09-30 | issn=1751-0147 | pmid=16261925 | pmc=1624818 | doi=10.1186/1751-0147-46-121 | doi-access=free | page=}}</ref>

The most frequently reported diseases are [[dilated cardiomyopathy#Dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs and cats|dilated cardiomyopathy]], [[osteosarcoma|bone cancer]], [[gastric dilatation volvulus]], and [[osteochondrosis]]. Different studies have reported a rate of dilated cardiomyopathy in the breed between 12.1% and 44.7% of Irish Wolfhounds. In a study that compared multiple breeds the Irish Wolfhound had a 3.4 odds ratio of the condition compared to overall. The condition is likely hereditary in the breed.<ref name="Urfer"/>

One study found the Irish Wolfhound to be 27.5 times more likely to contract [[osteogenic sarcoma]] than the overall dog population.<ref name="Urfer"/>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|45em|refs=

<ref name=fci>[http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/160g10-en.pdf FCI-Standard N° 160: Irish Wolfhound]. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Accessed April 2021.</ref>

}}

==Further reading==
{{commonscat}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |author=Landau, Elaine |year=2011 |title=Irish Wolfhounds Are the Best |url=https://archive.org/details/irishwolfhoundsa0000land |url-access=registration |publisher=Lerner Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-7613-6081-0}}
* {{cite book |author=McBryde, Mary |year=1998 |title=The Irish Wolfhound: Symbol of Celtic Splendor |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-87605-169-6}}
* {{cite book |author=Samaha, Joel |year=1991 |title=The New Complete Irish Wolfhound |publisher=Howell Book House |isbn=978-0-87605-171-9}}
* {{cite book |author=Gardner, Phyllis |author2=Gardner, Delphis|year=1931 |title=The Irish Wolfhound. A Short Historical Sketch... With Over One Hundred Wood Engravings Specially Cut by the Author and Her Sister Delphis |publisher=Dundalgan Press |isbn=}} (reprint 1981 by Elizabeth C. Murphy, {{ISBN|0-85221-104-X}})
* {{cite book |author=de Quoy, Alfred|year=1993|title=Irish Wolfhound Saga, A trilogy, Vol I|publisher=Privately printed|isbn=0-9622015-3-7}}
{{refend}}

{{Hounds}}
{{Irish dogs}}
{{Ireland topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dog breeds originating in Ireland]]
[[Category:Dog breeds originating in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:FCI breeds]]
[[Category:Irish Guards]]
[[Category:National symbols of Ireland]]
[[Category:Royal Irish Regiment (1992)]]
[[Category:Sighthounds]]
[[Category:Wolf hunting]]