Kerry Blue Terrier: breed description, haircuts and content

An active dog with good health - the Kerry Blue Terrier, is rightfully the subject of national pride of the Irish. Among his abilities are cattle grazing, guard duty, excellent scent, which helps in the fight against small predators. For more than a century and a half in a row, dogs with a rare blue color have been proving their superiority at dog shows and sports competitions.

The Irish Blue Terrier gets its name from County Kerry, a mountainous area whose main activity is sheep grazing. It is here that the breed acquired a recognizable phenotype and working qualities, for which it is especially highly valued. The blue shade of the coat, according to various sources, was acquired by dogs as a result of crossing Irish wolfhounds, wheaten, Bedlington terriers, fox terriers, Spanish water dog. There is no exact information about the selection process, since for a long time breeding took place autonomously, within the county, among shepherds' households.

Only beautiful legends have survived, according to which Kerry Blue Terriers were secretly obtained from knightly wolfhounds or even from the dogs of the King of Spain, who ended up on the island as a result of a shipwreck.

Since 1922, the countdown of the show career of the breed has begun. At the legendary Crufts show, about 20 individuals were shown for the first time, and after 3 years the first official club was created. The FCI's own standard for the Kerry Blue Terrier was adopted in 1963. In the United States, the breed was recognized back in 1922.

The description of the breed typical of the Kerry Blue Terrier emphasizes the uniqueness of its phenotype and constitution. Back in 1928, it was this dog that was awarded the title "almost perfect", and since then its appearance has not undergone any special changes. It is interesting that in one of the three variants it acquires the blue color of the wool only after 18 months - until that time, the shade of the awn can be dark gray, graphite and even black, brown spots are allowed.

An adult Kerry Blue Terrier has the following coat colors recognized by the standard:

• Ideal blue - rich blue tone, which is the most rare;

• Blue fantasy - with a predominance of pearl and silver color, darkening on the tips of the ears, tail, muzzle, paws;

• Blue style - dark, saturated steel with a gradation to blackened silver.

The standard describes other items of the breed as follows.

1. Weight 15-18 kg for males, females are more graceful. The height at the withers ranges from 44.5 to 49.5 cm.
2. The coat is abundant, wavy, soft.
3. The legs are strong, with a pronounced hock and graceful elbows. The hindquarters are more muscular and well set. Feet are compact, with rounded pads, black nails.
4. The tail is well set, pointing up. It practically does not go down.
5. Body with a deep, well-defined chest, straight back, in proportion to the loin.
6. The neck is long, well developed, with the correct set in relation to the shoulders.
7. The head with a plentiful coat, pronounced "beard", is rather massive in males, more graceful in females. The stop is weak, the skull is harmoniously developed, the muzzle is of medium length. The nose is always black, as is the pigmentation of the gums and palate of the dog. The teeth are large, white, closed in a scissor or straight bite.
8. The eyes are proportional, dark brown or rich hazel. Correctly positioned, without bevel, clear view.
9. The ears are medium in size, located on the sides of the head, with a forward curve.

The Kerry Blue Terrier is not characterized by elongation, elongation of the body - it is a strong dog with pronounced muscles, lively and agile. Malformations are cryptorchidism, hard or "wiry" coat, any variation of color, except permissible. Light pigmentation of the palate and flesh tint of the claws, lightened nose are excluded.

The breed standard clearly indicates its typical character - with the tenacity and liveliness of a classic terrier. This is a dog with a keen, intelligent look, good intellect. Early socialization is very important for Kerry Blue Terriers.

Kerry Blue Terrier puppies are charming mischievous, curious and friendly. They are equally friendly to children and adults, they love games and physical activity. Dogs of this breed are incredibly photogenic and love to pose. With the right loads, the puppy's violent emotionality will not cause much trouble - after games and pranks, he will definitely want to rest.

A striking trait of the Irish Blue Terrier's character is sociability. They feel great in a family, they love country walks and trips. It is not recommended to leave the dog alone for a long time; out of boredom, he can make a real commotion in the house. Another distinctive feature is natural aristocracy and pride. With this dog you will have to look for compromises, negotiate, find a common language.

Kerry Blue Terriers, like many compact dogs, are considered centenarians.On average, representatives of the breed live at least 13 years, but there are cases when dogs managed to celebrate their 18th birthday. Irish Blue Terriers do not have a pronounced tendency to develop genetic diseases.

It is quite simple to organize good conditions for keeping a Kerry Blue Terrier. Animals can easily adapt to living in an apartment and to the conditions of a country house. But they are not suitable for street content. It is very important to provide the dog a sufficient level of physical activity, to ensure her freedom of movement.

On walks, an active Kerry Blue Terrier should be kept on a leash at least within the city limits - the dog's hunting roots always make themselves felt.

When organizing the care of an adult dog you need to pay maximum attention to controlling her eyes. They need to be cleaned and inspected every day. Also, the pet will need to brush the teeth, trim the nails. The ears are periodically cleaned of dirt with a cotton swab and a special antiseptic solution. Mandatory antiparasitic treatment of wool, deworming.

Puberty in Kerry Blue Terrier dogs occurs in the period of 7-9 months, girls mature a little earlier. During estrus, animals need special care and additional hygiene procedures. Mating of dogs is allowed no earlier than after reaching 1.5 years, when the formation of the skeleton is completed.

The Kerry Blue Terrier is a dog breed that needs regular hair cutting. In addition, brush them to prevent tangling. Before grooming, dogs must be washed and dried with a hair dryer. Among the mandatory elements of caring for an animal must be present brushes with natural bristles, metal combs with curved teeth and rare straight teeth. You can't do without a furminator.

Regular grooming is very important for Kerry Blue Terriers. The optimal frequency is at least 4 times a year, combing is done every 2 days.

Existing grooming schemes for Kerry Blue Terriers remain similar, but different models and silhouettes allow you to give your pet a bright personality. The procedure will be as follows.

1. Dog grooming is carried out on clean, well-combed coat. The first zone is the auricles, parietal region, temples, throat. The coat is cut short enough with a machine; in the area of ​​the edge of the ears, a line is formed with scissors.
2. Trimming the coat from the tail to the parietal zone. Scissors and a comb are used here, the direction of movement is against the growth of the coat. First, a small strand is separated, then it is cut with scissors. This is how the entire surface of the back is processed to the sides.
3. The anal area is cut short with a clipper, and the "panties" at the top are processed with it.
4. Feet and lower chest maintain the natural length of the coat, combing from top to bottom.
5. The beard and mustache are combed and trimmed as needed. A clear silhouette must be maintained, pointing straight ahead. Excess eyebrow hairs are trimmed with scissors.
6. The lower legs are trimmed with scissors for a beautiful silhouette.

When cutting according to the scheme, it is important to observe a number of important points. All transitions between the zones with long and short hair should be as smooth and soft as possible. The bangs are formed on the transition zone from the forehead to the muzzle, above it the awn is removed almost to zero, the hairs between the ears are slightly longer. Eyebrow trimming is done in the direction from the outer corner of the eye to the bangs.

In the area of ​​the mouth from the corner to the second premolar, the hair on the muzzle is cut short, forming a harmonious connection with the neck area. The mustache at the end of the muzzle should blend into the beard. On the sides of the mouth, the length remains such that hair does not enter the mouth while eating. Trimming the tail means giving it a tapered, slightly flattened shape on the sides.

Among the popular options for the silhouette of the Kerry Blue Terrier are:

• exhibition - with the preservation of a clear silhouette only for the breed;

• hygienic - with the removal of all hair with a machine, feathering on the legs, beard, bangs are preserved;

• home or fantasy option - you can leave the length where you want, or trim the awn all over the body to one length.

Active and demanding Irish Blue Terrier puppies from the first days of stay in the house should have comfortable conditions for accommodation. They need their own space with a couch or a spacious basket. You need to equip it in the owner's room - at first the puppy will miss his mother, whine, and a little caress, stroking at night will calm him down.

We'll have to take care of the pet's leisure time. Kerry Blue Terriers are quite energetic dogs and should have an adequate supply of toys at home. Balls, bones, sticks made of rubber or silicone will do. The only thing worth refraining from is turning household items, old bags, slippers into toys. Rubber figurines with "squeaks" are prohibited (the dog can swallow them).

It is necessary to take the puppy in your arms very carefully, their muscular system is rather weak. Unnecessarily, it is better not to show tenderness in this way and to exclude unlimited expression of emotions on the part of young children. You need to raise the baby correctly, be sure to support the area under the chest and croup.

Up to 3 months old Kerry Blue Terrier puppies find it difficult to get used to a certain place to go to the toilet. Until the free range begins, it is worth putting in the house several trays with absorbent diapers. There is no need to scold a kid for mistakes, but praise for a correctly performed ritual is definitely worth it.

Kerry Blue Terriers should get used to manipulation from an early age. for body care, eyes, ears. An adult dog will be trimmed regularly and patience is best nurtured in advance. It is worth getting a special table at home and carrying out daily examinations of the eyes and ears on it, and combing the puppy. It is not necessary to wash both the baby and the adult dog often. For bathing, special products are selected that preserve natural protective substances on their skin and wool.

A Kerry Blue Terrier's diet should be comprised of foods that are safe and healthy for their health. Both puppies and adult dogs are recommended a menu with a predominance of protein products. No less 50% of the total food intake should be lean meat (chicken breast, veal, lamb) - it is given about 300 g per day. Rice and buckwheat are allowed from cereals - they are boiled well, mixed with other ingredients.

Vegetables - a source of healthy fiber, must be present in the dog's diet without fail. Any products can be given raw, except for white cabbage, legumes. They are given in combination with a natural vegetable oil dressing. Among the fermented milk products for Kerry Blue Terriers, cottage cheese is recommended; you can cook it yourself from fresh milk.

It is recommended to add to the natural diet vitamins and mineral complexes recommended by the supervising veterinarian of the dog.

If the dog spends most of the day alone or there are several pets, it is worth transferring them to dry food. Ready-made food already contains all the necessary components, but for a dog with an abundant coat, it must be selected especially carefully. It is better if the dog receives high quality super premium food.

When ready-to-eat foods are included in the diet, having access to water is essential for the digestive system to function properly. Bottled water is used for drinking, automatic drinkers can be used. The feeding regime is determined based on the age of the pet:

• at 2-3 months, the puppy receives food 4 times a day;
• juniors up to six months should have 3 feedings a day;
• from 6 to 12 months, dogs are transferred to two meals.

The Kerry Blue Terrier is a very trainable dog. With proper preparation, they can carry out guard duty, participate in hunting. Dogs of this breed have well-developed abilities for burrowing, hunting for otters and rats. The dog can only be released from the leash outside the city, outside busy highways and other sources of danger. In a suburban area, the Kerry Blue Terrier can act as a protector of livestock and birds from small predators.

Walking the dog should be done only on a leash and in a collar. A harness for a compact terrier is not very useful. From puppyhood, it is worth teaching a pet not to bark over trifles - the loud voice of a pet can become a serious problem when it is kept in an apartment building.

During training it is important to make this process the least burdensome for the animal. It is recommended to alternate short sessions of 15 minutes with play. Exercises should be changed, otherwise they will quickly get bored with the dog. Representatives of the breed often create difficulties in training due to increased emotionality, they want to please the owner so much that they make mistakes, show inattention.

For the characteristics of the Kerry Blue Terrier dog breed, see the following video.