Irish Terriers The Muscular Dogs and Gentic DNA

The Irish Terrier was once known as the Irish Sporting Terrier in its native Ireland. The group of dogs collectively labeled the "Irish Sporting Terrier" included a rather mixed looking group of dogs with no breed standards. Breeders established standards after a show in Dublin, Ireland, in 1875, and the dogs conforming to these standards became the forefathers of today's Irish Terrier. The first records of this breedindicate they were a ratter and an upland game bird dog. They are very quick and agile and can catch a rabbit on the run or a woodcock before it can take wing.

OWING to their great pluck, Irish Terriers are known among their friends as daredevils, and no breed is more worthy of this sobriquet. While being good-tempered with human beings, they are never averse from a scrap with other dogs if the challenge is thrown down. They make very devoted companions, and are excellent guards, meeting the needs of any who require a Terrier between the Fcx Terrier and Airedale in size. The most desirable weight is about 27 lb. for a dog and 25 lb. for a bitch. They are somewhat higher on the leg than Fox Terriers, and also more racily built.

Irish Terriers

They are expected to present "an active, lively, lithe, and wiry appearance; lots of substance, at the same time free of clumsiness, as speed and endurance, as well as power, are very essential." Front legs should have plenty of bone and muscle, and should be quite straight. Shoulders long and sloping, and chest deep and muscular without being full or wide. The back is moderately long, and it should be strong and straight. Loins bioad and powerful, and slightly arched; ribs deep rather than round. The neck is a fair length, and the head is long, with a skull that is flat, and rather narrow between the ears, which are small and V-shaped. Eyes a dark hazel colour, small and not prominent. Whole coloured bright red, red-wheaten, or yellow-red, are the preferable colours, and the coat should be hard and wiry.


For the Irish Terrier I recommend foods containing potatoes, wheat, rye poultry, mutton (lamb), and fish. I also recommend that you avoid feeding an Irish Terrier any white rice, brown rice, avocado, or soy products. Native food supplies of Ireland for this breed would have been the potato, wheat, rye, flax, game birds of the woodcock variety, fish, and mutton. So when considering the food for this breed, remember the ingredients that would have gone into Irish Stew. These ingredients represent the food supplies that have been in Ireland for centuries. Also remember the number of rice paddies you can find in Ireland is zero.

Irish Terriers Highly Jump

A research program on footpad hypekeratosis, also called naso-plantar keratoderma, is ongoing in the
laboratories of CNRS-University of Rennes I (Dr Catherine André, Rennes, France) and Antagene (Dr Anne Thomas, Lyon, France), since november. This disease affects both the Irish Terriers and the Dogues de Bordeaux. In order to unravel the genetic causes of the disease in both Irish Terrier breeds, collecting cases and having side by side clinical and epidemiological data in the 2 breeds will strongly help for their comprehension.

1. Clinical signs are well described in Dogue de Bordeaux :
- hyperkeratosis of footpads (usually on the four paws), and sometimes of the nose. Some dogs are
only affected on nose,
- age of onset between 4 and 9 months old (after one year old, a dog could be considered as healthy)
- the disease is disabling for young dogs and slightly ameliorates with the age

2. Inheritance in both breeds is suspected to involve one gene and to be autosomal recessive.

In order to better characterize the clinics and the genetic causes, a research program is pending with
the collaboration of veterinarian surgeons specialised in Dermatology, geneticists and the help of
breeders and kennel clubs. For research purpose, we need DNA from affected and healthy dogs:

- A blood sample (on EDTA tube) or a cheekswab sample (kits are available from Antagene)
- A copy of the pedigree
- Sampling and clinical certificates (available on www.antagene.com)
- For affected dogs, an histopathological examination is major to confirm the diagnosis, it will allow to
exclude any other cause.

Irish Terriers

The ultimate aim of this research is to finalise a genetic test to determine if the dog is  healthy carrier  or  affected by the disease with a simple DNA sample obtained from blood or cheekswab. The early detection of carrier dogs will allow a better management of breeding by avoiding production of affected dogs and eventually decreasing the frequence of the disease in those breeds. In addition, this disease exists in human, all forms are not genetically understood, and the results of this genetic study in Irish Terrier dog will help human medicine to identify the responsible genes, or to explore common pathways between human and dogs.

Posted in: Planet Dogs Breed