What is a Kerry Blue terrier?

Answer 1

The Kerry Blue Terrier is a muscular, medium-sized dog. The Kerry Blue is animated, playful and comical. They have a reputation of making people laugh. Affectionate with the family, they like to be with their owners. Alert, determined and rowdy, they enjoy roughhousing. The Kerry is a good watchdog, but will not attack unless they are really provoked. The Kerry is friendly, getting along with strangers and usually gets along with other pets when properly introduced and supervised. If the humans are not 100% pack leader and lack canine communication skills the Kerry can become dog aggressive. This breed is protective and should be extensively socialized, especially with other dogs, or he may be quite a handful. They rarely bark unnecessarily. Kerry Blues require a confident owner who have a natural air of authority and need firm obedience training. These dogs are intelligent and can be taught to perform tricks. They have a very good memory. With meek owners they will become willful, testing the owner at every turn. Owners need to be consistent with the rules and more determined than the dog. They have an aptitude for sports such as catch and agility training, but make sure the dog enjoys the challenge. If their lessons are too routine for the Kerry Blue, they will lose interest. This is usually a very healthy long-lived breed. Although some are prone to Hip Dysplasia, PNA, cerebellar abiotrophy. Also some minor concerns are cataracts, spiculosis, hair follicle tumors, entropion, KCS, narrow palpebral fissure distichiasisme, and CHD. Retinal folds occasionally seen. Kerry Blues are good for apartment life. They are fairly active indoors and a small yard will do. The Kerry Blue is a sporty dog, which needs to be taken out on a daily walk, jog or run where he is made to heel decide or behind the human holding the lead. In a dogs mind the leader goes first. If you allow them to walk ahead whether you realize it or not you will be communicating to the dog that he is YOUR leader. This can cause the Kerry to become willful as he thinks he needs to tell YOU what to do rather than the other way around. Kerries should be groomed every 6 weeks. They also need to have the hair pulled out of the ear canal, as they are prone to ear infections when the ear hair gets too long and wax and dirt have built up. Pet Kerries can be trimmed like a Soft coated Wheaten. In addition to this, they will need grooming once a week with brush and comb. Dogs for showing will require more extensive grooming. Frequent bathing will not dry out the skin as it does in so many other breeds. Bathing and combing every week is a must! It keeps them clean. Without proper care their beard will get smelly and packed with food and dirt. Kerry Blues are considered good for allergy sufferers. The Kerry Blue sheds little to no hair and is odorless, even when wet. The Kerry Blue Terrier originated in the 1700's and is native of County Kerry, Ireland, from which the name "Kerry" derived, along with "Blue" for the color of the coat. The Kerry is the national terrier of Ireland, where it is known as the Irish Blue Terrier. The Portuguese Water Dog is credited for contributing to the Kerry's single, silky, wavy coat. While others think the Kerry Blue Terrier was developed from the old black terriers, Spanish (or Russian) "Blue Dog", Soft coated Wheaten Terrier and possibly Irish Wolfhounds and Irish Terriers. There is a writing on dogs in Ireland over a century ago that mentions a Harlequin Terrier that sounds like a breed description of the Kerry Blue. The Kerry Blue has been used as an all-round working and utility terrier as a small game hunter, retriever, farm dog herding sheep and cattle, house guardian, police work, and a family companion. In 1922 the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club was founded. The breed was recognized by the AKC in 1924. They usually live for between 12 and 15 years.