The Biggest Dog in the World

Irish Wolfhounds are the biggest dog breed in the world. I used to have an Irish Wolfhound and her name was Dusty. She was 4 feet tall and 6 feet long, but I don't know if that is accurate. She was even short for her age! Here's some information I found on http://www.rohan-irishwolfhounds.com/The%20Irish%20Wolfhound.htm


The Irish Wolfhound Club of America
The Irish wolfhound was the most treasured and sought after hunting dog of the early centuries, not only because of his hunting skill but because he was an outstanding guardian and companion. When hunting game such as wolves, deer and boars, the Irish wolfhound hunted by sight rather than scent. This attribute led to the term gazehound or sight hound.
"I will give thee a dog which I got in Ireland.
He is huge of limb, and for a follower equal to an able man.
Moreover, he hath a man’s wit and will bark at thine enemies but never at thy friends.
And he will see by each man’s face whether he be ill or well disposed to thee.
And he will lay down his life for thee.”
(from "The Icelandic Saga of Nial”)
Please think carefully before you consider an Irish Wolfhound as an addition to your family, this is something I would say before considering any breed. Because of his great size and the amount of exercise crucial for his well-being, the Irish Wolfhound is not a dog to be acquired without serious forethought. An ideal home would be one which provides a large fenced property sufficient in size to accommodate the galloping natural to this athletic sight hound. Hunting by sight and chase is what he was bred and historically used for; the length of the leg and back, the deep chest, the might of his limbs and body attest to the heritage and needs of the Irish Wolfhound.
The Irish Wolfhound, because of his extreme size, will require more in regards to living space than would a much smaller breed. This dog, among the largest in the world, will need adequate room in which to exercise freely each and every day, so if you have a large fenced-in yard, or better yet a farm, the Irish Wolfhound may be the dog for you. Unless you can accommodate this gentle giant with a suitably sized "castle", you might want to consider acquiring a smaller dog.
The ideal owner would be one who has the capability to respond to the gentle nature which dwells within his great frame; who discerns the intelligence which manifests itself in his response to everyday situations as they occur. The Irish Wolfhound does best when human companionship is the center of his daily life. When mature, despite his space-eating size, he is a relaxed presence within a family circle, noble and responsive, providing no harshness of attitude is thwarted when his environment is ungiving. His nature and temperament make his totally unsuitable as a guard dog, watch-dog, or patrol dog. Though watchful he is not suspicious; though courageous he is not aggressive. The Wolfhound is renowned for his tremendous size and abounding grace and good nature.
Wolfhound pups need to be brought into loving environments during the crucial formative months. Your little Irish pup will need to be cuddled and talked to - and trained. And due to his massive size and energies, he will need much open space and fresh air in which to exercise. In spite of his size, the Irish Wolfhound possesses tremendous ability to leap and to run at impressive speeds.
A completely natural breed, the Wolfhound's ears are uncropped, his tail undocked. Clippers and trimmers are enemies of his coat; no part of him, particularly his head, should appear styled.
The habitat of most Irish Wolfhounds bred in this century has been the private home where his quiet manners, gentle nature, and comfortable sense of companionship have made it a natural one. Although the chase is not his preoccupation, we must never forget it is his natural sport and the sight of him in characteristic gallop, swiftly covering the ground beneath him, is exhilarating and leaves no doubt of his need to exercise this birthright.
My saying is “Irish Wolfhound, everything else is just another dog”, and for me this is very true. I have owned other breeds in the past, and would never consider sharing my life with anything other than a wolfhound again. They have won my heart in every way. (I AGREE COMPLETELY even though other dogs are great too.)
One a fierce slayer of wolves, the Irish Wolfhound is truly a "gentle giant"(That's their nickname)
whose celebrated character is well deserved.
Of all the descriptions one could read of this great hound, perhaps the following is the most complete. A Mrs. Katharine Philips, at about the end of the 18th century, wrote of the Irish Wolfdog:
Behold this creature's form, and state,
Which Nature therefore did create,
That to the world might be exprest
Her

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• irish
• wolfhound
• hunting
• big
• biggest
• breed
• dog
• OneTrueMedia

[Brodrosttakpapp]

whats the name of the songs in this video?

[ILOVEFIRESTAR41]

@Brodrosttakpapp The first one is Light On Earth by Geoff Bartley, the second is Twig by... I don't have an artist for that one, sorry :P

[CuteMcBeauty]

So what are they like? I men are they agressive or family inclined? Obviously they need loads of space and excercise... But what are their characters like?? I used to have an Anatolian Kangal and I had to give it away to a breeder because it was getting a bit gnarly. I really love huge dogs, I have the space and I am keeping an eye on this breed. Can anyone tell me plz?

[ILOVEFIRESTAR41]

@CuteMcBeauty

Irish Wolfhounds are called "Gentle Giants" for a reason ;) almost all Irish Wolfhounds are easygoing and reliable. But they can get suspicious and fearful if they aren't trained from an early age. They have a great chasing instinct (they'll chase almost any animal that moves!) Most are friendly with strangers, but some can be wary. If you want to train him, he'll respond thoughtfully and slowly. That's pretty much most of what I know. Good luck hope you pick the Irish Wolfhound!

[ILOVEFIRESTAR41]

Dusty died two Sundays ago... she had bone cancer :( rip

[DarkEquine]

Aren't they called the 'deerhound'?? there's the wolfhound, which, as the name would suggest, is around the size of a wolf. The deerhound on the other hand, is...the size of your average deer. therefoere, larger than the wolfhound.

[ILOVEFIRESTAR41]

Actually, though, my irish wolfhound is probably two times the size of a wolf...

[josephcrsn]

Scottish deerhound are a bit lighter than an Irish wolfhound.

[ozislander]

they are beautiful in nature. I live with one. I thought they were classed as the Tallest dogs in the world, not the Biggest :D

[scientific1982]

@allenco65 They're called wolfhounds for a reason. No wolves left in Ireland.

[datinyone]

@DarkEquine i think deerhounds are a little smaller than wolfhounds

[renbukancho]

The best dog I ever had!

[19grand]

@BerlinTheShepherd no they don't

[BerlinTheShepherd]

@19grand they have the tallest average

[19grand]

@BerlinTheShepherd The Bully Kutta is not the tallest dog! They are quite a small and compact breed.

[eoinfffp]

no, the irish wolf hound is the tallest dog in the world, fact.they do not get as heavy as some mastiffs though.

[mririshjew]

Maybe Tallest...but not the biggest. That title is held by the Old English Mastiff