The Irish Wolfhound was also known as "Irish dog," "Big Dogs of Ireland," "Greyhounds of Ireland," "Wolfdogs of Ireland" and "Great Hounds of Ireland." Irish Wolfhound is the more modern name.

By AD 391 they were known in Rome when the first authentic mention of it was written by the Roman Consul, Quintus Aurelius, who had gotten seven of them as a gift which "all Rome viewed with wonder." In 1790 it was written "The Irish Greyhound is the largest of dogkind and its appearance the most beautiful. He is about 3 feet high, somewhat like a Greyhound but more robust. His strength is so great that in combat the Mastiff or Bulldog is far from being equal to him."

Their shape is similar to the Greyhound, they are larger than a Mastiff, and they track like a Spaniel. They were coveted for their hunting prowess, particularly in the pursuit of the wolf and gigantic Irish Elk which stood six feet tall at the shoulders. When those animals disappeared from Ireland, the breed was allowed to nearly become extinct. It was at that point when a Scot in the British Army gathered the remaining specimens and restored the breed. That work began in 1862, and 23 years later under his supervision, the first breed standard was set forth.

Because of his great size and the amount of exercise essential to his well-being, the Irish Wolfhound is not a dog that one should be acquired without serious thought. His home should be one that has fenced property and be large enough to accommodate the galloping nature of the breed.

His nature and temperment make him totally unsuitable as a guard dog, watch dog, or patrol dog. They are alert, but not suspicious or aggressive. They are more likely to bark at the moon than noises and people.

They are excellent with children, but due to their size, you must realize that a small child could get hurt by this dog just grazing them while walking by. A six month old puppy weighs about 100 pounds. As an adult, males will be 32 inches tall and weigh 120 pounds. Females will be 30 inches tall and weigh 105 pounds. Their coat is rough and hard, very wiry and long over eyes and under their jaw. The colors can be gray, brindle, red, black, pure white, and fawn.

Irish Wolfhounds do very well with training, and housebreaking is usually very quick as well. Crate training will help speed training as well. They should never be kept in a crate for long periods of time though-as being crated will encourage formation of bursas and will also cause problems with the muscles and joints.

The Irish Wolfhound is prone to Hygromas (also called bursas) which are a fluid-filled swelling over any bony prominence (elbows, hocks, etc.) which frequently comes into contact with a hard area, such as floors. The swelling is nature's way of protecting the joint. Unless the bursa becomes infected, it is best to treat conservatively and not invasively. Provide plenty of soft bedding areas, and you can also bandage the bursa with padding, being careful not to restrict blood flow. The majority of bursas will slowly disappear on their own with this conservative treatment.

Health concerns in the breed include heart disease, Bloat and Gastric Torsion, Cancer, Liver Shunt, Hypothyroidism, Osteochondrosis, Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, Megasophagus, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Fibocartilaginous Embolic Myelopathy, and Seizures. Most of these issues are not widespread in the breed and buying from a reputable breeder will help to assure that your puppy will not have these issues. Many of the issues listed above are common in nearly all large breeds.