Description of the Kerry Blue Terrier dog breed: character, care, purpose

Breed standard and description

Height at withers: males 45.5-49.5 cm, females 44.5-48.5 cm. Weight: 15-18 kg

Color: blue of any shade (hence the “blue” part of the breed’s name). Black spots or a white spot on the chest are acceptable. Interestingly, dogs under the age of 18 months can have a dark coat color, even black.

• Wool: wavy, pleasant to the touch, soft. On the muzzle it forms bangs and a beard.
• The body is muscular, harmoniously built, the back is straight.
• Head: The hair is trimmed to create a square shape.
• The eyes are medium size, dark hazel color.
• The nose is black.
• The ears are semi-erect, hanging on cartilage, thin.
• The tail is thin.

a brief description of

• Other names: Kerry Blue Terrier, Dutch Schnauzer, G. Pied Piper, G. Griffon, Smoushond, Kerry Blue Terrier, Blue Terrier;
• Height: adult dog up to 51 cm at the withers;
• Weight: no more than 18 kg permissible;
• Color: black, gray, Slate Blue,
• Coat: short, wavy, soft and dense, no undercoat;
• Life expectancy: up to 15 years;
• Advantages of the breed: Eight years of age for a dog is the prime of life, since Kerry Blues are considered long-livers. The breed is distinguished by boundless devotion to its owner and readiness to perform any work entrusted to it.
• Difficulties: Dogs of this breed are characterized by excessive curiosity and extreme alertness to everything that happens around them. In addition, they do not get along well with other representatives of the animal world due to an irrepressible feeling of jealousy towards the owner. Dogs are extremely stubborn and willful.
• Price: from $400 to $1500 depending on the purpose.

History of the breed

The history of Kerry Blue goes back more than 150 years. The first mention of them dates back to 1847: it was a description of the County Kerry breed. The dogs were blue in color with dark spots and tan marks on the body.

The breed was bred by farmers in Southern Ireland for hunting rats, protecting property, and herding livestock . Ancestors are the black and tan English terrier and the Irish wolfhound, as well as the terriers of Ireland that lived on the island from time immemorial. Thanks to the infusion of wolfhound blood, the Kerry Blue received a blue coat color and a good sense of smell. The formation of the exterior continued, the blood of Wheaten and Bedlington Terriers was infused to produce a special type of soft and wavy coat.

Kerry dogs first appeared at an exhibition in 1913, and by 1920 the Dublin Blue Terrier Club was formed. The dog was adopted by Irish patriots as a kind of talismanic symbol. After 1928, representatives of the breed became popular not only in their homeland - they spread throughout the world thanks to their working qualities and pleasant appearance.

The Kerry Blue Terrier is still considered one of the best working dogs and a wonderful companion. Thanks to their keen sense of smell, they work in the police.

Origin story

Of the many hypotheses about the origin of the Kerry Blue Terrier breed, the most plausible is the story of the illegal selection of their own terriers by local peasants in medieval Ireland.

The bewitching image of the Irish Wolfhound literally haunted the shepherds - so great was the desire to acquire a four-legged assistant. But the royal decree allowed the keeping of giants only by knights and people close to the imperial court.

Commoners, contrary to the death penalty decree, secretly bred their terriers with the magnificent dogs of the knights, and as a result of long selection, the Kerry Blue Terrier breed was obtained, which became a symbol of freedom and independence of Ireland along with the traditional shamrock.

The official registration of the Kerry Blue Terrier as a separate breed by the world canine community was made only in 1922, while the dogs have existed for over 150 years.

Behavior and temperament

The Kerry Blue is a true terrier, energetic, attentive and always ready for action. He is friendly and loves communication.

Pros:

• smart and inquisitive;
• brave;
• cheerful and energetic;
• good security guard;
• devoted;
• sociable and friendly;
• playful.

Minuses:

• wayward, likes to show character;
• lover of fighting with others;
• prone to dominance;
• requires a firm hand in training.

Kerry blue terrier and man

This is an energetic dog that does not like to sit idle within four walls. It is suitable for a family with children and an energetic person who will play sports and play with the dog.

The owner is the leader who manages to deal with this wayward dog without violence. Representatives of the breed love to participate in family affairs. They don't like to be alone. They are wary of strangers.

Kerry Blues adore children and are ready to spend as much time as they want with them. If you get a terrier, then say goodbye to the dream of cats, birds, rodents - the hunting instinct will not allow you to peacefully coexist in the same apartment with small animals. The exception is if the animal roles are together.

Terriers love to sort things out with others, so it is easier to keep it as the only pet. Although this difficulty can be overcome if the puppy is socialized early.

Choosing a puppy

The best babies are provided by reputable nurseries or a kennel club. The puppy you like must be active, interested, clean and healthy. It is worth asking the breeder about the parents, asking for a veterinary passport and documents. The best age to adopt an animal is 2 months.

The cost of babies is as follows:

Maintenance and care

Living in the city with a dog of this breed is comfortable: the Kerry does not shed, barks little and does not bother neighbors in the stairwell. A country house is a paradise, where the dog can fulfill his needs for movement and digging. Give him a place where he can dig in the ground and not damage the plantings.

It is not advisable to keep a terrier outdoors in a kennel or enclosure on a leash: they love to be close to their owner, although they can tolerate the cold. In hot weather it is difficult for him to be in the sun: it is best to cut your pet’s hair as short as possible during this period of the year.

You need to walk your terrier 2-3 times a day ; during one of the walks, let him run freely and expend energy.

The terrier should not be fed boiled food : make him a dish of raw meat and raw vegetables, give him cottage cheese, dairy products, eggs, fish a couple of times a week. Sweets, smoked foods, potatoes, legumes, bread, pasta are contraindicated. An adult dog should be fed 2 times a day. They are also fed premium dry food.

Remember: if the dog is a working or athletic dog, the food should be more nutritious and the portion size should be larger than that of a sedentary dog.

The plush coat is clipped every few weeks by a professional groomer and brushed daily the rest of the time. Bathed once a month. After feeding, wipe your pet's beard and mustache. After a walk, wash or dry your paws. A well-groomed dog does not smell, does not shed, and looks neat.

The claws are trimmed with a special nail clipper once a month if they do not grind down naturally. Due to the abundance of hair on the face, keep an eye on the eyes: if necessary, wipe with a cotton pad dipped in tea or water. Check your ears regularly and clean as needed.

Care

Although the dog has thick fur, it is easy to care for. Kerry blue terriers need a haircut: if the animal is not preparing for a show, you can cut it in a way that is convenient for you. The dog's active shedding eliminates the need for the owner to trim it. The advantage of Kerry Blue is the absence of odors: its single-layer wool does not emit secretions. But the terrier needs to be brushed 3 times a week, first with a long-toothed metal comb, then with a massage brush. The owner must pay attention to the pet's beard, cleaning it from debris, twigs or stuck food.

It is enough to buy and wipe the animal dry with a towel 3-4 times a month. It is recommended to use special products for soft coats with conditioner. To prevent the fur from losing its shape, it is enough to cut your pet along the contour four times a year - on your own or using the services of a groomer. Every month you should straighten your bangs and beard, trim the hair in the groin area and between the toes. Nails need to be trimmed regularly.

Education and training

Kerry is smart, but they are not ready to silently obey their owner. Therefore, it is not advisable for inexperienced dog lovers to have such a dog. A leader and an experienced dog handler can handle the training without any problems. Kerrys are curious and love to be praised - this can be taken advantage of when teaching your pet new commands. It is important for puppies to be socialized as early as possible and learn how to behave with other animals.

With the Kerry Blue Terrier you can practice agility, freestyle, prepare him for exhibitions, making a show career.

Health and heredity

Dogs of the Kerry Blue Terrier breed are distinguished by good health and excellent immunity. There are no individuals prone to rickets in the breed a priori. But a bloated belly most likely indicates the presence of worms in the gastrointestinal tract.

Dogs are particularly resistant to various infectious diseases. But this does not mean that there is no need for seasonal treatments against ticks and fleas, which can cause allergic dermatosis, which is difficult and difficult to cure.

There are only two breed predispositions to diseases:

• Otitis. Due to anomalies in the anatomical structure of the auricle.
• Dysplasia. The phenomena are associated both with a hereditary factor and with improper raising of the puppy. For example, paws that move apart on laminate flooring lead to hip dysplasia.

Only two diseases are transmitted hereditarily - cataracts and abiotrophy, or ataxia. If vision problems appear in older dogs, and can be maintained with medication, then ataxia is observed from a young age and is associated with intracellular degradation of the cerebellum, which leads to loss of coordination of the dog’s movements. Can't be treated .

Breed photo

A selection of photos of Kerry Blue Terriers.

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Description of the nature of the breed

These dogs are very friendly to people and love various games and running. They are able to learn more than 200 words and gestures and even count to 5. According to the description of the breed, it may seem that Kerry Blue Terriers are very cute, like plush toys, but in fact they are also tough and brave. The performance of these dogs is at the highest level and, as practice shows, does not fade even with age . They are capable of performing several functions at once, based on which we can safely say that they have what it takes to be smart.