Irish Terrier

Other name: Irish Red Terrier

Photo: adult dog of Irish Terrier breed
© otsphoto / Shutterstock
Photo: adult dog of Irish Terrier breed
© Mariya Kuzema / Shutterstock

The Irish terrier is an active, compact working dog that has become a popular choice as a household pet. Like most working dogs, the Irish Terrier is a lively, high-energy breed. They’re also very healthy and robust and are resistant to many diseases and other health complications. The Irish Terrier was bred as a pack animal, and so they're well known for their social dispositions and fondness for other dogs and small children.

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Life expectancy

The Irish Terrier has a life expectancy of between 13 and 15 years

Temperament

Size

Medium

Adult size

Female Between 17 and 19 in
Male Between 17 and 19 in

Adult weight

Female Between 24 and 29 lb
Male Between 24 and 29 lb
Coat colour
Red
Type of coat
Long
Eye colour
Brown

Purchase price

The Irish Terrier costs between £570 and £1020

Good to know

Irish Terriers are not a naturally obedient breed. Without the right training and socialisation, they will be very difficult to handle. An unsocialised terrier will be destructive, stubborn, and aggressive toward other dogs and family pets. 

Terriers were bred to hunt foxes, badgers, and other den-dwelling animals, meaning they love to dig. If you don’t want them digging up your flowerbeds, you’ll need to create some space where your Terrier can satisfy this instinctual behaviour.

More details about the Irish Terrier

Irish Terrier: Origins and history

Experts believe that the Irish Terrier descended from the black and tan hunting breeds, and that it shares a common ancestry with the much larger Irish Wolfhound. The first breeding club was set up in Dublin in 1879. Shortly after, Irish Terriers were recognised as an official terrier breed by the English Kennel Club. They soon became a popular choice for farmers and hunters, gaining a reception for being excellent trackers and fearsome hunters halfway through the 20th century, Irish Terriers become a popular family pet, primarily for its fondness of young children.

FCI classification of the Irish Terrier

  • Group 3 - Terriers

  • Section 1 : Large and medium sized Terriers

Training a Irish Terrier

Providing you understand the fundamental principles of positive training methods, the Irish Terrier is very easy to train. Without such techniques, the Irish Terriers independent streak can take over, and you'll have a very stubborn and disobedient dog on your hands. If you've never owned a dog before, then do plenty of research on reward-based training methods before adopting an Irish terrier. You may even want to invest in some professional help from a certified dog trainer.

Irish Terrier: Purchase price

The average cost of a purebred Irish Terrier puppy is somewhere between £570-£1020.

You'll also need to budget around £30-40 a month for feeding costs, and the average cost of a basic insurance policy is around £20,00 per month, although this varies from dog to dog. Yearly health checks, vaccinations, and other costs will add to an annual expense of around £900.

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