The Club will host a webinar on torsion/bloat on 29yh June.
This is a life-threatening condition requiring immediate attention that all owners should be alert to.
This is free to Club members and costs R50 for others
If you are based outside South Africa please contact Julia via Contact.
Please make an effort to attand.
The Breed Standard
All pedigree breeds of dogs have a breed standard (usually maintained by a national or international breed association) describing the desirable characteristics that a specimen of the breed should possess in order to fulfil the function that the breed was developed for. The standard will also describe undesirable features that may, at first sight, appear cosmetic but that usually have a functional (or dysfunctional) basis.
In the case of the Irish Wolfhound the original breed standard was drawn up in 1885 by the following the efforts of Captain George Graham to rescue the breed from near-extinction. Since then the substance standard has remained relatively unchanged although there have been refinements in content and format over the years. Any change to the standard is the source of much debate as can be seen in the following link, http://www.fiwc.club/main/en/en_standard.html. Similarly, as of mid-2017, the FCI standard was due to include an overshot bite (the upper canines project beyond the lower canines) as a fault in the standard.
In the case of Irish Wolfhounds in South Africa the official breed standard used by judges is that adopted by KUSA (Kennel Union of South Africa) and published on their website. https://www.kusa.co.za/index.php/documents/breed-standards/hound-group/1040-irish-wolfhound-2 . This standard is the same as that of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) that has developed a standardised format for breed standards.
In the case of the Irish Wolfhound, the FCI breed standard omits the “points in order of merit” that are still used by some breed associations and are dear to the heart of many wolfhound admirers. The points in order of merit serve as a useful overview of the breed and are set out below.
The Irish Wolfhound is a rough-coated Greyhound-like breed, the tallest of the coursing hounds and remarkable in combining power and swiftness.
For newcomers to the breed a particularly useful link that illustrates what the breed characteristics look like in practise is the Illustrated Standard by the Irish Wolfhound Club of America.
The continental Celts kept a greyhound, probably descended from the greyhounds first depicted in Egyptian paintings. Like their continental counterparts, the Irish Celts were interested in breeding large hounds, but theirs seem to have been even bigger than the more ancient variety. These large Irish hounds could have had smooth or rough coats but, in later time, the rough coat predominated possibly because of the Irish weather. The first written account of these dogs was by a Roman Consul in 391 A.D. but they were already established in Ireland in the first century A.D. when Setanta changed his name to Cu-Chulainn (the hound of Culan). Mention is made of the Uisneach (1st century) taking 150 hounds with them in their flight to Scotland. Irish hounds undoubtedly formed the basis of the Scottish Deerhound. Pairs of Irish hounds were prized as gifts by the Royal houses of Europe, Scandinavia and elsewhere from the Middle Ages to the 17th century.
They were sent to England, Spain, France, Sweden, Denmark, Persia, India and Poland. The change of name to Wolfdog probably dates from the15th century when each county was required to keep 24 Wolfdogs to protect farmers flocks from the ravages of wolves. The Cromwellian prohibition (1652) on the export of Wolfhounds helped preserve their numbers for a time but the gradual disappearance of the wolf, and the continued demand abroad, reduced their numbers almost to the point of extinction by the end of the 17th century. It was probably part of the surge of the Romantic nationalism which helped interest in the breed. The Wolfhound achieved a true strain only through fairly frequent inbreeding, but the results were ultimately accepted as a legitimate revival of the breed. A club for the Irish Wolfhound was formed in 1885 and the Irish Kennel Club scheduled a class for the breed at their show in April 1879. The Irish Wolfhound now enjoys once again something of the reputation it had in the Middle Ages and excites the most interest because it is a living symbol of Irish culture, a remembrance of the Celtic past.
Grooming your hound helps keep it clean and healthy and minimizes the shedding of hair around the house. For showing purposes, grooming the hound is essential if it is to be competitive. Aesthetics apart a rough shaggy coat can obscure the underlying conformation of the hound to the judge who may have very little time to devote to an individual animal.
The best way to learn how to groom a wolfhound is to observe experienced owners doing it. If a newcomer to the breed wishes to show their hound the breeder will often give advice as they want their hounds to appear to best effect in the ring. It is best to groom a hound several weeks before a show to avoid a newly-shorn appearance.
The IWC occasionally holds grooming clinics and these are posted on this site and/or emailed to members.
The photograph below shows some basic grooming instruments and their purpose.
Finishing combs are used to remove debris and for those final touches just before the dog enters the ring.
Stripping knives are used to remove excess hair all over the body, especially around the neck area and anywhere where the coat is thick and unmanageable. It can also be used to strip hair from the hounds ears to emphasize the small size and the double fold. Ear hair should ideally be stripped by gripping it between thumb and forefinger and pulled out without discomfort to the dog.
Thinning shears are used to blend transitional lines and smoothly thin out bulky areas of the coat, such as the ruff that can develop around the neck. Single-sided shears remove coat rapidly while double sided shears are for a fine finish.
A Slicker brush is used for removing loose and dead hair from the hound’s undercoat.
A Stripping comb acts like a rake and is used to rapidly remove thick and/or matted coat.
The following series of “before and after” photographs of the same dog ( Photos by kind permission of Mo Aiken, California USA.) show the effect of good grooming on a hounds appearance.
SOME TIPS FOR GROOMING YOUR IRISH WOLFHOUND:
Torsion, Puppy Paralysis and Pneumonia are all life-threatening to wolfhounds requiring imediate veterinary attention. Fortunately these conditions are not common but wolfhound owners should familiarize themselves with the symptoms.
Torsion or Bloat
The Irish Wolfhound’s deep chest causes the stomach to sometimes twist and form a constriction like the link between two sausages. This causes gas to build up and inflate the abdomen. Unattended torsion is fatal and, in treating it, time is of the essence. Rapid veterinary attention and sugery is required after which the animal usually recovers fully but torsion can reoccur. Torsion can occur as a result of stress or boisterous play before or after a meal. The symptoms of torsion are that the dog becomes uncharacteristically restless and has a taught abdomen. http://www.iwhealthgroup.co.uk/bloat.html
Puppy Paralysis
Puppy Paralysis or FCE (Fibrocartilagenous Embolism) affects a small minority of Irish Wolfhound puppies and may be hereditary. It typically occurs between the ages of eight and sixteen weeks. The puppy suddenly loses the use of its hind legs due to an embolism in its spinal cord. If the puppy receives prompt veterinary attention, within about three hours, the administration of a steroid and anti-inflammatoriy greatly aids recovery. Once initial recovery has been achieved, physiotherapy, acupuncture and extended hydrotherapy (“doggy paddle”) usually allows a near complete recovery. The condition occurs in wolfhound puppies, older dogs in other breeds and humans. Relatively few vets have encountered it. Since time is of the essence for successful treatment a wise owner will draw attention to the possibility of FCE. It is a good idea to check if your vet knows about FCE early on. The following link provides more detail: https://www.iwhealthgroup.co.uk/puppy-paralysis.html
Hounds that have had FCE should not be used for breeding.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a serious condition in Irish Wolfhounds that requires immediate vetinerary attention. Pneumonia in wolfhounds usually presents itself as an unusual and characteristic posture of the head as the dog struggles to breathe. The dog is also reluctant to lie down also because this impedes breathing.
A useful link on pneumonia in wolfhounds follows: https://www.iwhealthgroup.co.uk/pneumonia.html
Correct Puppy Dentition
Although easier said than done with a wriggling puppy, potential owners should check the puppies bite which should be a “scissor bite” (the top teeth nestle neatly against the lower teeth) or, at worst, “level” (the upper and lower teeth touch). A small minority of puppies have an overshot or undershot bite where the upper teeth are respectively materially further forward or behind the lower teeth. Apart from being unsightly a, say, overshot bite has the effect that the lower canines create painful holes in the gums of the upper palette. Sometimes the condition will correct itself as the puppy grows or when the adult teeth appear. Often the condition will not correct itself so it is advisable to get an objective opinion from a vet. Orthodentistry is a possibility or the offending canines can be removed. An overshot or undershot bite is considered a fault when showing. If possible, also check the dam and sires bite.
What is Hip and Elbow Dysplasia?
Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia (HD & ED) are conditions where joints are malformed because of hereditary factors, over-exercise when young or overfeeding. The condition is infrequent in wolfhounds but is usually severe when it is present and causes the animal great pain. Because of the hereditary component of HD & ED most reputable breeders will X-ray their adult animals prior to breeding them and their HD and ED scores become part of their registered pedigree name. The FCI scale for hip dysplasia is shown below.
| FCI GRADE | DESCRIPTION | FCI CRITERIA |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Excellent hips | No signs of hip dysplasia |
| A2 | Good hips | |
| B1 | Fair hips | Near normal hip joints |
| B2 | Marginal dysplasia | |
| C1 | Mild dysplasia | Mild hip dysplasia |
| C2 | Mild to moderate dysplasia | |
| D1 | Moderate dysplasia | Moderate hip dysplasia |
| D2 | Moderate to severe dysplasia | |
| E1 | Severe dysplasia | Severe hip dysplasia |
| E2 | Very severe dysplasia |
KUSA has no mandatory rules on parental hip dysplasia and puppy registration for Irish Wolfhounds in South Africa but does for other breeds such as the Rottweiler.
When considering buying a puppy it is reasonable to request the breeder to provide the sire and dams HD and ED ratings and/or their 5-generation pedigree.
The Heart
The size of a wolfhound places strain upon the heart and some heart conditions are hereditary. Ideally, hearts should be checked yearly. It is reasonable for a buyer to expect the breeder to have had both parent’s hearts evaluated at the same time that they were tested for HD and ED and to have a veterinary report on whether the heart is clear, or not, of any cardiac abnormality.
Liver Shunt
Liver shunt is a condition that affects about 2% of wolfhound puppies and reputable breeders usually test for shunt at about nine weeks. After birth, a malfunction in the development of the puppy circulatory system allows some blood to bypass the liver and waste products, including ammonia, build up in the blood. Symptoms are weight loss, a coat with upright hair, apathy and brain damage leading to circling, apparent blindness and seizures. The onset of these symptoms is affected by various factors such as diet and the severity of the shunt (degree of bypass) and may only become apparent once the pup is in its new home. In South Africa liver shunt has been corrected surgically at least twice (and at significant cost) but puppies with liver shunt are usually euthanized.
The following link provides more detail: https://www.iwhealthgroup.co.uk/liver-shunt.html
Life Expectancy?
Wolfhounds, like other giant breeds, do not live as long as smaller dogs although, probably as a result of the availability of better diets and better medical care, life expectancy does seem to be improving. Eight years used to be considered “a good innings” but is now unexceptional. Wolfhounds now regularly reach ten years.
Other Health Issues
Wolfhounds can get the same illnesses as any other dog. Their fast rate of growth from puppyhood places strain on their skeleton and bone cancer in the legs is unfortunately quite common but can be treated if diagnosed early enough. The cause of even minor limping should be carefully established.
As wolfhounds reach great age the nerves in their spine tend to degenerate and they lose control of their rear legs. Acupuncture can relieve this condition.
Before any surgery you should check that the vet is aware that wolfhounds require less anaesthetic per unit weight than other dogs. This is a problem experienced by all sighthounds stemming from their fat to muscle ratio which affects the removal of the drug from their systems.
An excellent source of information on issues affecting wolfhound health is the Irish Wolfhound Health Group based in the UK http://www.iwhealthgroup.co.uk/
When one in lying in a hospital bed, attached to various bags and machines by tubes and wires, it can be a dispiriting and frequently lonely time.
But what if, lying there one was suddenly to see the smiling face of a great, hairy hound level with yours?
The joy that therapy dog visits have brought to numerous patients is difficult to comprehend, but from patents dying in the oncology ward who have taken solace in the company of a dog visitor, through people who have just lost a friend or family member have leaned on strong canine shoulders while they have cried for their loss, to the numerous patients have spent a little time distracted from what ails them in the company of a doggy friend, these visits make a difference.
Our therapy dog group is involved in various different kinds of therapy work, from school visits to working with autistic children and children suffering from epilepsy, visits to old age homes and so forth, but it is the hospital visits that are arguably the most challenging for the dogs, but also the most rewarding.
Mankind has an undeniable bond with dogs. This bond has been built over the last twenty thousand or so years, and it seems to be encoded into out very genes. A number of studies have indicated that simply being in the company of a dog can promote the brain to release endorphins, can reduce stress levels and lower high blood pressure as well. It is a proven fact that people who interact with animals during the healing period heal faster than those who do not, and the animal that has the greatest effect is the dog.
Most people simply feel better after interacting with a dog. It brightens their day and makes everything seem a little better, and that is why dog therapy work is accepted and even encouraged by a large number of medical facilities and hospitals around the world.
Of all the therapy dogs I have ever met, Wallace the wolfhound was one of the greatest. Not because he was the best, there were and are a number of smaller dogs who did and do a better job actually interacting with people than he did, but the one of the greatest because of the incredibly positive impact that his mere presence had on patients.
Without previously having met him, little children over whom he towered would run up to him and throw their arms around his neck. Patients in obvious pain and discomfort would visibly relax in his presence, and anxious family members waiting outside I.C.U. would become engrossed in talking to him.
It was not that he ever did very much, he simply stood there, and was still. For Wallace had about him a truly magical quality of stillness. It was contagious. And if you were very, very fortunate, he might give you a little, gentle lick.
Yet for all of that, he made a huge impact. People who only met him once stop us in the street and ask about him. The nursing sisters at the hospital burst into tears on hearing that he had left us, and a year after his last visit, people still tell stories of the gentle giant who visited them.
Therapy dog work is not for the faint of heart. It is heart breaking to watch the suffering of people and know that there is little one can do but offer a few moments of respite. And it is very hard on the dogs. They must permit all manner of strangers to interact with them, often in cramped conditions where there is no retreat, and often by people who have absolutely no idea how to interact with a dog. And they must do this in a calm and outwardly friendly manner.
In order for a dog and handler to become a therapy dog team, there must be several factors in play. First, there must be a passion on the part of the handler to do this kind of work. The dog must have a stable, and have an even, out going personality, and should not be nervous. The dog should also be in good health. And then there is the training.
All the therapy dogs in our group are expected to have achieved a bare minimum of CGC Bronze, and be working towards Silver and then Gold, and all must undergo intensive training and then pass an evaluation by a behaviouralist. And once they are trained, they need to undergo constant, ongoing re-training to ensure that they remain suitable for the task.
On the physical side, the dogs must be healthy and undergo regular veterinary inspection to ensure they remain healthy. They must be treated against internal parasites on a regular basis, and be treated against tick and flea infestation well. They must be groomed and cleaned before all visits, and always appear in good condition.
I may be just a tiny bit biased, but I believe there is no better way for your Irish Wolfhound to interact with the community than for him or her to do therapy work, and there are no better dogs to do therapy work that the Irish Wolfhound.
Sadly, Wallace left us in December 2016, but he had already been retired for some time before than. Dougal, Reilly and Stirling had in the mean time qualified, and all continue the great work that Wallace started.
It is a pleasure and a privilege to see them work their magic.
Philip Santilhano
It is essential to train a wolfhound puppy because:
For the above reasons it is best to sign up to group training led by a professional trainer. The breeder, your vet or other hound owners can usually suggest an appropriate trainer; or you can contact the IWC.
Show training teaches different skills (to the handler as much as the dog!) than basic training and professional trainers also offer show-training. The IWC often offers brief, refresher, handling workshops prior to Open and Championship shows.
Training can be frustrating for the new owner:
Liquor Training
Now clicker training’s quite the fad.
Results from some are not too bad.
The concept stemmed from Pavlov’s hound
Responding to some special sound.
The dog would start to salivate
Before he got the food he ate.
The modern click does much the same.
Enhancing our dog training game
By causing Fido’s hopes to raise–
Anticipating treats or praise.
Sometimes you click to no avail,
And other methods also fail.
No matter how you plead or shout,
Sometimes the dog just won’t put out
When asked to sit or heel or stay,
Thus giving you a rotten day.
It makes you feel quite like a fool,
And then you start to lose your cool.
But if your methods fail for you.
There’s something else that you can do.
Try “liquor training”, that’s its name,
To help you with your dog sport game.
“How does this method work?” you ask
Well, first you get a little flask
Containing gin or other booze
Of any kind that you may choose.
Each time your dog decides to goof,
You take a sip of 80 proof.
It helps the handler to relax
And minimize the stress attacks.
When handler’s mood is more at ease,
The dog may sometimes try to please,
Or, then again may still refuse
To mind his training P’s and Q’s.
But whether foul results or fair
You liquor train — you just don’t care.
Author Unknown
Give them a chance, wolfhounds will eat as much as they can! So keep any dry food in tight containers. It is important to ensure that they are not fed too much as this places strain on their skeleton and heart and can lead to problems in later life. Small, frequent meals are preferable; four times a day for puppies and twice a day for adults is a good guide.
A useful test to check for overfeeding is to feel their ribs. Ribs should only have a thin covering of flesh/fat. If the ribs are covered by a substantial amount of flesh/fat (more than a centimeter or so) then you are probably feeding too much.
If feeding commercial, dry, food the guidelines on giant breed (puppy and adult) should be adhered to.
Breeders tend to have strong views on the appropriate diet for puppies and adults and it is reasonable to expect detailed advice about feeding upon buying a puppy.
Wolfhound enthusiasts have strong opinions about the merits of raw versus dry food (for the dog, not the owner). If you intend to feed raw food (BARF or Bones and Raw Food) the following links are useful.
http://barfaustralia.com/ and http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/raw-feeding-prime
Be careful when giving wolfhounds bones. If in doubt, don’t.
Avoid:
In modest quantities, large, whole, uncooked, beef knuckles that the wolfhound is obliged to gnaw on are acceptable. Once the bone has been gnawed down significantly it is best to remove it before it is swallowed.
Wolfhounds are quite lazy and will quite happily snooze for 18 hours a day. On a large property wolfhounds effectively self-exercise through play (see above). For a small property, a walk twice a day is preferable and for a flat four times a day.
It is most important not to over-exercise puppies for the first year as their joints are still soft and over-exercise can bring on hip and/or elbow dysplasia. Because of the risk of bloat/torsion do not exercise wolfhounds immediately before or after feeding.
