Torteval Irish Wolfhounds

Find a reputable breeder
Once you are sure that this is the right breed for you, the next step is to:

(a) find a reputable breeder who has
(b) a puppy available, of
(c) the right gender, and
(d) the right type and temperament (eg potential show dog or not) at
(e) the time that you want.

It may not be easy, and it will certainly take time and effort on your part. In the UK, contact the secretary of the Irish Wolfhound Club who keeps a list of 'puppies on the ground', bred under the club's guidelines. In most other countries, local or national breed clubs are the best starting point. Do not buy an Irish wolfhound puppy from a pet shop, an advert in a paper, roadside advert or commercial kennel dealing in different breeds.

     Do your homework
It is your responsibility to learn all you can about the breed, including the problems. Even the most devoted wolfhound owner will admit that there are downsides to living with 170lb of Irish hooligan
and only you can decide how important they will be to you and your family. Learn about the health problems associated with the breed: liver shunt, bloat, cardiomyopathy, bone cancer, and the wolfhound's special requirements, such as feeding small meals and restricting a puppy's exercise.

If you haven't seen an Irish wolfhound at close quarters, try to make contact with one. Ask an owner and dog to visit you for a 'test run' - it's amazing how much bigger a wolfhound is in a crowded sitting room, where he will happily demonstrate how a coffee table makes an fine feeding stand; how your interest in sport will wane when he stands in front of the television just as the winning goal is scored; how children will put their toys away - or lose them.

Are you sure?
Have you the space . . . in your house, your garden, your car, your heart?
Have you the money . . . for vet bills, third party insurance, top quality dog food?
Have you the commitment . . . to dog-walk in all weathers,
                                       . . . to spend time talking to him,
                                       . . . to give the discipline as well as the love, that he needs?

Check out your prospective breeder
Once you think you've found a breeder check him or her out, initially by phone, then a visit, before committing yourself. While you're checking her out, she will be doing the same to you - it's a bit like a job interview (which of course, is exactly what it is.) What should you expect from a conscientious Irish wolfhound breeder? He or she:

Breeds only from bitches aged two-six years, no more than once a year each, and not more than three litters in the bitch's lifetime.

Knows all her puppies and dogs individually and obviously cares for them.

Introduces you to all her dogs. She may not be able to show you the pups' sire if she does not own him, but she should be able to describe his good points and short-comings, and be familiar with both parents' bloodlines.

Should be able to tell you the ages at which at least some of the puppies' immediate antecedents died, and from what cause. The more long-lived dogs there are in your pup's pedigree, the more likely it is that he too will live to an advanced age.

Is helpful, answers your questions fully, but doesn't try to 'hard sell' you a puppy.

May insist on meeting you in person, and will ask probing and even intrusive questions. May ask for: a reference from your vet; photos of your house, garden, or other dogs.

Is knowledgeable about breed-related health problems and will test the litter for porto-systemic shunt (liver shunt).

Spends time talking to you about feeding, worming, vaccinations, exercise, etc.

Provides detailed written information on all aspects of caring for the puppy.

Provides a full, lifetime backup service and will want the puppy returned if at any time you are unable to keep him.

Will not normally let puppies go to new homes before ten weeks for first time owners, eight weeks if you have owned a wolfhound previously.

Check out their dogs
On your visit you should meet all the other dogs, unless they have young puppies. Do they look as you imagine wolfhounds should? Are they friendly and confident? Alert and interested? Do they look happy? Are they in good condition and kept in good conditions?

If the puppies aren't weaned yet the mother may not be at ease around strangers, but should not growl or be aggressive. Bear in mind that she may be a little thin and tired from weeks of caring for and feeding her puppies.

Look at the premises - are they clean and relatively odour-free? Are they suitable for their purpose (eg purpose built with well fenced runs, or ramshackle sheds) Do the dogs have their own comfortable place to sleep? Is the place well organised, clean and tidy? Do the dogs have clean water?

Check out the litter
The breeder should allow you to see the litter interacting, although she may then separate the sold-but-not-yet-collected pups so you can compare the available ones.

If they're sleeping wake them gently and gradually. They should be alert and interested, though they may not approach you immediately. Once they are accustomed to you, they should be friendly and increasingly confident.

Expect to see clean, plump (but not pot-bellied) puppies in a warm, clean, fresh smelling environment, with clean water, comfortable bedding and space to play. They should have bright, clear eyes and damp noses with no discharge. Ears should be clean and odour-free. Coats should be shiny and supple with no scurf, scabs or bare patches. Bottoms should be clean, with no soreness or staining.

Allow the pups to build up confidence in you by squatting down and talking to them in a gentle, happy voice, and encourage them to approach you by holding out a hand to be sniffed. Move and speak slowly and gently. Don't pick them up unless invited to, and ask the breeder to show you the correct way to hold a wolfhound puppy. Well socialised puppies should not growl at you, but most will mouth you given the chance - all puppies nibble at anything they can.

Assessing the character of puppies in a short space of time is not easy, but avoid choosing the timid one hiding in a corner or the rambunctious one that leaps all over you. They are likely to mature into submissive and dominant dogs respectively, and although with patience and correct handling they may become rewarding and loving family pets they will require an extra commitment of hard work and experience from their owner. Look for the puppy who is sensible enough to be cautious of you, but bold enough to investigate and overcome his caution. The chances of him growing into an intelligent, well mannered wolfhound will be good.

Notice if the puppies are at ease in the house. If so, they are probably accustomed to household noises and activities such as the telephone, door bell, vacuum cleaner, radio etc, and are likely to have been well handled by the breeder and perhaps her family.

Do not assume that the largest in the litter will necessary grow into the largest adult, as growth rates vary greatly. Whether or not yours grows into a large wolfhound, he'll still be bigger than most other dogs.

Check out 'your' puppy
Once you think you have chosen a puppy you should check it over thoroughly before you bond with it.

Ask the breeder to show you his mouth. The gums should be pink, and the upper teeth should be straight and fit closely over the lower ones.

Check for a small soft lump on the umbilicus or between the back legs, which could be a hernia. If so, a small operation may be required - not a reason not to buy the puppy, but you should be aware of it, and it should be reflected in the price.

Ideally, you should be able to locate the testicles in male puppies, but often one or both may not be descended yet. Be wary - in some cases, they will fail to descend, necessitating surgery later to prevent malignancy.

Paperwork
Once you are certain you have found the right puppy, it is usual for a non-refundable deposit of say, 20-25% to be paid to reserve him if the litter is not yet ready to leave the breeder. You should receive a receipt showing the balance due on collection.

The breeder should provide you with comprehensive written instructions with regard to feeding, exercise, grooming, training, worming etc. She may supply a small quantity of food in case you have difficulty obtaining the same brand.

Most breeders insure the puppy for the first few weeks after it is handed over to you. If so, you should receive a cover note, explaining what is covered.

You should be given a certificate confirming that the puppy is free of porto-systemic shunt.

When you collect the puppy you are normally asked to sign a simple sales contract, covering matters such as whether or not you can breed from the puppy, and whether it should be returned to the breeder if you are unable to care for it in any way. All of this is for the puppy's protection.

The breeder should have registered the puppy with the Kennel Club, and ideally will endorse the registration to prevent him from being exported or bred from. You should receive confirmation of this, together with a signed, five-generation pedigree.

Buy your Irish wolfhound puppy ONLY from a reputable breeder.

Puppy farms (puppy mills) exist in all countries, their sole purpose being to make money. Adult dogs are production machines, living in dreadful conditions, with no respite between litters. When too old to breed they are destroyed or turned loose.

A 'farmed' puppy has been born to a poorly nourished, neglected bitch; is weaned onto minimal amounts of low quality food; lives in a cramped, dirty environment with little or no human contact. He has had the worst possible start in life and as a result may have long-term health and behavioural problems.

Certainly he will cost less han a puppy raised by a careful breeder, but a frail, sickly, unsocialised puppy is a liability both financially and emotionally, not a bargain. You may pity the pup, and feel that you can make up for his dreadful start by giving him a good home, but in buying you are allowing the puppy farmer who bred him to prosper.