Kerry Blue Terrier
| Kerry Blue Terrier | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 A Kerry Blue Terrier | |||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Irish Blue Terrier | ||||||||||||||||
| Common nicknames | Kerry | ||||||||||||||||
| Origin | Ireland | ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||
The Kerry Blue Terrier (also known as the Irish Blue Terrier) (Irish: An Brocaire Gorm) is a breed of dog.[1] Originally bred to control vermin including rats, rabbits, badgers, ferrets, foxes, otters, hares, deer, and even wolves, over time the Kerry became a general working dog used for a variety of jobs including herding cattle and sheep. Despite a Kerry Blue winning Crufts (the most prestigious UK dog show) in 2000,[2] it remains an "unfashionable" breed,[3] and is distinctly uncommon; however, it is not as threatened as some of the other terrier breeds such as the Skye Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, and Dandie Dinmont Terrier.
Description
[edit]Appearance
[edit]
Some characteristics of the Kerry Blue Terrier include a long head, flat skull, deep chest, and a soft wavy-to-curly coat. The male Kerry Blue is usually 46–48 cm (18–19 in) tall at the withers and weighs 12–15 kg (26–33 lb), while the female is usually 44–46 cm (17–18 in) and 10–13 kg (22–29 lb).[1]
Coat
[edit]The coat is the key feature of the Kerry: it is soft and wavy with no undercoat. Puppies are born black and the color develops as they age, clearing to any grade of grey/blue at adulthood. Minor white markings are acceptable on the chest, but not desirable. The correct texture is soft and should not be wool-like. It does not shed and requires weekly brushing and clipping an average of every 6 weeks.[4]
Temperament
[edit]Kerry Blue Terriers are strong-minded and highly spirited (i.e. stubborn and borderline psychopathic) and thrive when the only pet in the home. They are exceptionally loyal and affectionate toward their selected owners (owner singular: Kerries typically bond with their perceived alpha human and tolerate other family members only when Alpha is not available) but can be hostile toward other animals, including other dogs. They can be socialised with other dogs on a selective basis.
In the early days of competitive dog showing, the Irish Kennel Club required Kerries had to pass a "gameness" test, known as Teastas Mor certification, before they were deemed worthy of being judged.[5] These tests included catching rabbits and bringing a badger to bay in its set. They have been used as police dogs in Ireland.
Modern breeders have attempted to retain high spirits whilst breeding out aggression, without success.
Health
[edit]
Spiculosis is a painful condition that causes follicular hyperkeratosis.[6][7] This condition is only found in the Kerry Blue Terrier.[8] The breed is predisposed to footpad keratosis and hair follicle tumors.[8]
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 12.4 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.[9]
History
[edit]The first literary reference to probably the Kerry Blue dates to 1847, when the author describes a dog that is bluish slate in colour, marked with darker blotches and patches, and often with black about the legs and muzzle.[10] The Kerry Blue Terrier was first observed in the mountains of Kerry in Ireland, hence the name of the breed.[4]
There is a romantic story of a blue dog swimming ashore from a shipwreck: the coat of this dog was so lovely that it was mated with all the female Wheaten Terriers in Kerry (or in all Ireland, according to some), producing the Kerry Blue. Perhaps this story is not entirely myth, as the Portuguese Water Dog is often suggested as part of the Kerry's makeup. Others suggest the Kerry was produced by the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier crossed with the Bedlington Terrier with (or without) some Irish Wolfhound or Irish Terrier blood. The extinct Gadhar herding dog is also mentioned as another possible branch of the Kerry's family tree. The breed became very popular as an all-around farm dog in rural Ireland.[citation needed]
National Dog of Ireland
[edit]With the development of dog shows in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the breed became standardised and "tidied up" for the show ring. The Irish nationalist leader Michael Collins owned a famous Kerry Blue named Convict 224. Collins even made an attempt to have the Kerry Blue adopted as the national dog of Ireland.[11]
The first show of the Dublin Irish Blue Terrier Club took place outside official curfew hours and was entered both by those fighting for and against an Irish republic. The Dublin Irish Blue Terrier Club was so successful it led directly to the foundation of the Irish Kennel Club, and a Kerry Blue was the first dog that club registered.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Purina Australia. "Kerry Blue Terrier". Dog Breeds. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ^ "Crufts 2000 Results". Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ Reilly, Jerome (29 January 2012). "Collins's beloved Kerry Blue breed at risk in the UK". Independent.ie. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Kerry Blue Terrier - AKC Dog Breeds". AKC.org. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
- ^ McLennan, Bardi (26 June 2012). Kerry Blue Terrier. i5 Publishing.
- ^ McKeever, P.J.; Torres, S.M.F. (1 January 1992). "Request PDF". Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 28 (3). American Animal Hospital Association: 257–262. ISSN 1547-3317. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ Dodds, W. Jean. "GUIDE TO CONGENITAL AND HERITABLE DISORDERS IN DOGS" (PDF). www.hsvma.org.
- ^ a b Hnilica, Keith A.; Patterson, Adam P. (19 September 2016). Small Animal Dermatology. Saunders. ISBN 978-0-323-37651-8.
- ^ McMillan, Kirsten M.; Bielby, Jon; Williams, Carys L.; Upjohn, Melissa M.; Casey, Rachel A.; Christley, Robert M. (1 February 2024). "Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death". Scientific Reports. 14 (1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 10834484.
- ^ FCI Breed Standard
- ^ Osborne, Chrissy (2003). Michael Collins: Himself. Mercier Press Ltd. pp. 99–104. ISBN 978-1-85635-407-3. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
External links
[edit]
