The Irish Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that is the largest and one of the oldest of spaniels. It is also one of the rarest.

Appearance

The Irish Water Spaniel is a stout and cobby dog native to Ireland. The coat, consisting of dense curls, sheds very little. The colour is liver/puce and has a very definite purple hue unlike the colour of any other known breed. The non-shedding characteristic of the coat means that people usually allergic to dogs might have less of an allergic reaction to Irish Water Spaniels.

The dogs are strongly built, and a bit taller and more squarish than other spaniels. There is a curly topknot upon the head and the face is smooth. The most distinguishing characteristic of these dogs is their not-too-long “rat-like” tails, which are a striking contrast to their otherwise curly coats. Dogs range in height from 22 to 24 inches (56-61 cm), and weigh 55 to 65 pounds (25-30 kg). As their name would imply these dogs love water and to this end they have evolved slightly webbed feet to aid this.

Temperament

This is an active breed that is often found in a real working retriever environment. They are intelligent, quick to learn, alert, and inquisitive, especially when it suits their purposes. They sometimes display humorous antics while working, earning them their “clownish” reputation. With proper socialisation they can be gentle dogs with family and children, but are often shy around strangers if they have not had lots of socialisation as youngsters. Irish Water Spaniels require regular exercise and need an experienced trainer, however, when looked after properly make extremely loving and loyal pets. They benefit from access to water to swim, an activity they specialise in.

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The Irish Terrier is a dog breed from Ireland, one of many breeds of Terrier.

The Irish Terrier is an active and compactly sized dog that is suited for life in both rural and city environments. Its harsh red coat protects it from all kinds of weather.

Appearance

Breed standards describe the ideal Irish Terrier as being racy, red and rectangular. Racy: an Irish Terrier should appear powerful without being sturdy or heavy. Rectangular: the outline of the Irish Terrier differs markedly from those of other terriers. The Irish Terrier’s body is proportionately longer than that of the Fox Terrier, with a tendency toward racy lines but with no lack of substance.

The tail is customarily docked soon after birth to approximately two-thirds of the original length. In countries where docking is prohibited, the conformation judges emphasise tail carriage. The tail should start up quite high, but it should not stick straight up or curl over the back or either side. The ears are small and folded forward just above skull level. They are preferably slightly darker than the rest of the coat. It is fairly common to see wrongly positioned ears, even though most dogs have their ears trained during adolescence.

Coat and colour

The Irish Terrier is coloured golden red, red wheaten, or wheaten. Dark red is often mistaken as the only correct colour, possibly because wheaten coats are often of worse quality. As with many other solid-coloured breeds, a small patch of white is allowed on the chest. No white should appear elsewhere. As an Irish Terrier grows older, grey hair may appear here and there.

The outer part of the double coat should be straight and wiry in texture, never soft, silky, curly, wavy, or woolly as might be expected in the Kerry Blue Terrier. The coat should lie flat against the skin, and, though having some length, should never be so long as to hide the true shape of the dog. There are longer hairs on the legs, but never so much as a Wire Fox Terrier or Schnauzer. That means you have to have the coat trimmed often which can be expensive.

The inner part of the coat, called the under-wool or undercoat, should also be red. The under-wool may be hard for the inexperienced eye to see. Coat should be quite dense and so that “when parted with the fingers the skin is hardly visible”.

A properly trimmed Irish Terrier should have some “furnishings” on legs and head. The slightly longer hair on the front legs should form even pillars, while the rear legs should only have some longer hair and not be trimmed too close to the skin. The chin is accentuated with a small beard. The beard should not be as profuse as that of a Schnauzer.

The eyes should be dark brown and quite small with a “fiery” expression. The eyes are topped with well-groomed eyebrows. The whole head should have good pigmentation.

Size

Most countries have breed descriptions that say that the Irish Terrier should not be more than 48 cm measured at the withers. However, it is not unusual to see bitches that are 50 cm tall or dogs that are even 53 cm (20 in). Younger generations are closer to the ideal, but there is a downside to this: when an Irish Terrier is very small and light-boned, it loses the correct racy type.

Very seldom does one see Irish Terriers that weigh only 11 to 12 kg (25-27 lb), as the original Kennel Club breed description states. 13 kg for a bitch and 15 for a dog are acceptable.

Temperament

The Irish Terrier is full of life, but not hyperactive. It should be able to relax inside the house and be roused to full activity level quickly.

Irish Terriers are good with people. Most Irish Terriers love children and tolerate rough-housing to a certain extent. Choosing the Irish Terrier as a first dog may be very hard work and not the best choice for a first dog especially if you will not be there with it for most of the day because they are very energetic dogs. They should know who is the boss, and have natural respect for him/her. Irish Terriers respond best to firm, consistent training from a relaxed, authoritative person. Violence should never be used – it is always best to outwit and lure.

Irish Terriers are often dominant with other dogs, particularly same-sex aggression is a common problem. The Irish Terrier will commonly be attracted to species of the same-sex. Poorly socialised individuals will start fights with minimal, if any, provocation. Thus, early socialisation is a necessity. Most can have strong guarding instincts and when these instincts are controlled, make excellent alarming watchdogs, but if they are not controlled, your dog will be very aggressive and not very compassionate towards the owner.

Irish Terriers are intelligent but it takes time for them to learn new things. They can learn tasks with some ease, when they have the motivation to do so. In motivating tidbits and toys work equally well. Training will not be as easy as with other dog breeds that have stronger willingness to please people. When seeking a trainer, one should look for a person who has experience with terriers.

The Irish Terrier is an active dog, and loves to be challenged mentally and physically when motivated. Most Irish Terriers are show dogs. There are however more and more people joining organised dog sports with their ITs. Obedience training to a certain level is fairly easy, though the precision and long-lasting drive needed in the higher levels may be hard to achieve. Many Irish Terriers excel in agility, even though it may be hard to balance the speed, independence and precision needed in the higher levels. To date there is one Agility Champion in the US, and a handful of Finnish and Swedish Irish terriers compete at the most difficult classes.

Irish Terriers have a good nose and can learn to track either animal blood or human scent. Many Irish Terriers enjoy Lure Coursing, although they are not eligible for competition like sight hounds are. In Finland one Irish Terrier is a qualified Rescue Dog specialising at Sea Rescue.

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The Irish Setter (Irish: sotar rua, literally “red setter”, also known as the Red Setter, is a setter, a breed of gun dog and family dog. The term Irish Setter is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognised by the American Kennel Club as well as the field-bred Red Setter recognised by the Field Dog Stud Book.

Appearance

The coat is moderately long and silky and of a deep red colour. It requires frequent brushing to maintain its condition and keep it mat-free. The undercoat is abundant in winter weather. Irish Setters range in height from 25 to 27 inches (64-69 cm), males weigh 60 to 70 pounds (27–32 kg) and females 53 to 64 pounds (24–29 kg). The FCI Breed Standard for the Irish Setter stipulates males: 23 to 26.5 inches (58-67 cm), females: 21.5 to 24.5 inches (55-62 cm).

Temperament

Irish Setters get along well with children, other dogs, and any household pets, and will enthusiastically greet visitors. As the FCI, ANKC and UK Standards state, the breed should be “Demonstrably affectionate.” As a result, Irish Setters make excellent companion animals and family pets.

Irish Setters are an active breed, and require long, daily walks and off-lead running in wide, open spaces. They are, however, a breed with a tendency to ‘play deaf,’ so careful training on mastering the recall should be undertaken before allowing them off-lead.

Irish Setters enjoy having a job to do. Lack of activity will lead to a bored, destructive, or even hyperactive dog. This is not a breed that can be left alone in the backyard for long periods of time, nor should they be. Irish Setters thrive on constant human companionship. Irish Setters respond swiftly to positive training and are highly intelligent.

Though they are usually alert to their surroundings, Irish Setters are not well-suited as guard dogs, as they are not a naturally aggressive breed.

Irish Setters are also widely used as therapy dogs in schools and hospitals. Therapy dogs are permitted in hospitals that allow service dogs and can visit patients on the assigned floors. Patients appreciate the opportunity to stroke the silky heads of the Irish Setters and also share stories of their childhoods when they once owned an Irish Setter. Recently Irish Setters have been used in the READ Programs. This is a venue where the therapy dogs are permitted in schools and then asked to sit with children as the students read to the Irish Setter. This process helps to enable the student the ability to read without being corrected or judged. Generally the Irish Setter will lay on the floor with the student as the student continues to read, in this calming and relaxed setting. Irish Setters are people dogs that do require to be with their humans.

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The Ibizan Hound, pronounced “I-bee-zan” or “I-beeth-an”, is an agile, deer-like dog of the hound family. There are two hair types of the breed: smooth and wire. The more commonly seen type is the smooth. Some consider there to be a third type, long, but most consider the longhair to be a variation of the wire.

Appearance

The Ibizan Hound is an elegant and agile breed with an athletic and attractive outline and a ground-covering springy trot. Though graceful in appearance, it has good bone girth and is a rugged/hardy breed. Its large upright ears – a hallmark of the breed – are broad at the base and frame a long and elegant headpiece. The neck is long and lean. It has a unique front assembly with well laid back shoulders and straight upper arm. Their legs are such that they can pole dance. In this way it is different from most other sighthound breeds in construction. It comes in both smooth and wire coated varieties. It is either red or white or a combination of red and white. Its nose is flesh coloured, as are its ears, eye rims, and pads of feet. Its eyes are a striking amber colour and have an alert and intelligent expression. The Ibizan may range in height from 24 to 29 inches (61 to 74 cm) and weigh from 45 to 65 pounds (20 to 29 kg), males being larger than females.

Temperament

Ibizan Hounds are moderately intelligent, active, and engaging by nature. They rank 53rd in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, being of average working/obedience intelligence. They are true “clowns” of the dog world, delighting in entertaining their people with their antics. Though somewhat independent and stubborn at times, they do take well to training if positive methods are used, but will baulk at punitive training methods. They are generally quiet, but will alarm bark if necessary, so they make good watch dogs. They are sensitive hounds, and very good around children and other dogs alike. They generally make good house dogs, but are active and athletic, therefore need a lot of daily exercise. They do not make good kennel dogs.

Ibizan Hounds are “escapologists.” They are able to jump incredible heights from a stand still. As such, they need very tall fences. They also have been known to climb. They have a strong prey drive, therefore they cannot be trusted off lead unless in a safely enclosed area.

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The Havanese is a breed of dog of the Bichon type, which do not shed. These dogs were developed from the now extinct Bichon Tenerife, which was introduced to the Canary Islands by the Spanish and later to other islands and colonies of Spain by sailors. They are very playful dogs and good with older, more considerate children. They love to be on furniture, and they are smaller-sized dogs bred to be companions.

Appearance

The Havanese, while a toy dog, is hardy and sturdy for its size, and it does not give the appearance of fragility or of being overly delicate. Weight range is generally from 8-15 pounds. The height range is from 8 1/2 to 11 1/2 inches (216 to 292 mm), with the ideal being between 9 and 10.5 inches (229 and 267 mm), measured at the withers. The height is slightly less than the length from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, which should give the dog the appearance of being slightly longer than tall. A unique aspect of the breed is the topline, which rises slightly from withers to rump, creating a back that is straight but not level. This breed is renowned for their unusually small tongue. The gait is also unique, flashy but not too reaching, giving the Havanese a sprightly, agile appearance on the move.

Havanese have dark, almond shaped eyes – never round. The ears are medium in length, well feathered and should always hang down. The tail curves over the back at rest and is covered with a long plume of fur. Their coat should be brushed daily because failure to do so will result in mats. Using grooming spray to brush; many pet owners chose to clip down their dogs into 1-2 inch long “puppy cut” for ease of maintenance. Their fur, designed for Cuban heat, serves no protection during cold weather; they are dogs for which one would buy a sweater. If they go out in the snow, ice clumps will stick between their paw pads; just rinse off in warm water or buy booties. When you give them a bath, make sure to dry them. Some in shorter clips can blot and air dry, but most will need to be blown dry. Use high air but low heat to protect their sensitive skin. Hot air can damage the skin.

The key word for the Havanese is “natural.” The American Kennel Club standard notes “his character is essentially playful rather than decorative” and the Havanese, when shown, should reflect that, generally looking like a toy in size only, but more at home with playing with children or doing silly tricks than being pampered and groomed on a silk pillow. The breed standards note that except for slight clipping around the feet to allow for a circular foot appearance, and unnoticeable trimming around eyes and groin for hygienic purposes, they are to be shown untrimmed; any further trimming, back-combing, or other fussing is against type and will not be allowed to the point of precluding placement in dog shows. That includes undocked tails, uncropped ears. The American Kennel Club standard expressly forbids topknots, as the hair provided a degree of protection from the Cuban sun; two small braids, held with plain bands and never bows, are also allowed in the AKC standard, as some dogs have too much hair to be reasonably kept in their face.

Colour

Although there are a few arguments on whether the original Havanese were all white or of different colours, modern Havanese are acceptable in all coat colours and patterns. All coloured dogs should have a black nose and black pigment around the eyes, with the exception of chocolate (brown) dogs, which may have dark brown pigment on their nose instead. The current American Kennel Club standard does not provide for Blue (slate blue-grey in colour, different from silver) dogs; the standard allows for all colours and combination of colours to be allowed, but a blue dog will always have blue pigment, and the current the standard expressly only allows for black or chocolate pigment.

Coat

The coat is long, soft, light, and silky. Havanese, like other Bichons and related dogs like Poodles, have a coat that catches hair and dander internally, and needs to be regularly brushed out. Many people consider the Havanese to be non allergenic or hypoallergenic, but they do still release dander, which can aggravate allergies. It’s best to be exposed to the Havanese before deciding to choose one as a dog for a house with allergies.

The Havanese often appears on lists of dogs that allegedly do not shed (moult). However, such lists are misleading. Every hair in the dog coat grows from a hair follicle, which has a cycle of growing, then dying and being replaced by another follicle. When the follicle dies, the hair is shed. The length of time of the growing and shedding cycle varies by age and other factors. “There is no such thing as a non shedding breed.” Some dogs shed more than others. While you cannot say that Havanese are a non shedding breed, you may say that Havanese shed very little.

Havanese are supposed to have a slightly wavy, profuse, double coat. However, unlike other double coated breeds, the Havanese outer coat is neither coarse nor overly dense, but rather soft and light with a slightly heavier undercoat. Not all Havanese have coats that match the standard. Havanese coats are supposed to be very soft, like unrefined silk (compared to the Maltese coat, which feels like refined silk). However, in some dogs the coat can become too silky, looking oily. On the other end of the spectrum, Havanese coats can be too harsh, giving a “frizzy” appearance. The coat should always be surprisingly soft to the touch – never harsh, coarse, or cottony.

Because of the tropical nature of the Havanese, the thick coat is light and designed to act as a sunshade and cooling agent for the little dog on hot days. This means that the Havanese does need protection against cold winter days, in spite of the warm look of their fur.

The coat can be shown naturally brushed out, or corded, a technique which turns the long coat into “cords” of fur, similar to what dreadlocks are in humans. This corded look may be difficult to achieve for the first timer, so it is always recommended that someone interested in cording their Havanese consults someone who has done it before.

Temperament

The Havanese has a playful, friendly temperament which is unlike many other toy dog breeds. It is at home with young children and most other pets and is rarely shy or nervous around new people. Clever and active, they will often solicit attention by performing tricks, such as running back and forth between two rooms as fast as they can and do not need a lot of exercise.

The Havanese is a very people-oriented dog. They often have a habit of following their humans around the house, but definitely not overly possessive of their people and do not suffer aggression or jealousy towards other dogs, other pets, or other humans.

The Havanese’s love of children stems back to the days when it was often the playmate of the small children of the households to which it belonged. Unlike most toy dogs, who are too delicate and sometimes too nervous or aggressive to tolerate the often clumsy play of children, the Havanese, with care, is a cheerful companion to even younger children, and this is no small part of its growing popularity around the world.

Havanese have been known to eat only when they have company in the same room. If one is eating and its person leaves the room, it is likely the dog will grab a mouthful of food and follow its “person”, dropping the food and consuming it one morsel at a time in the room its person goes to.

Havanese are true “dogs”, loving to play whenever the owner wants to. That being said, they calm down quickly when prompted to do so by their owners.

Havanese have excellent noses and are easily trained to play “find it,” a game in which the owner hides a treat and the Havanese sniffs it out, never giving up until the treat is discovered. This is a highly trainable dog.

Havanese are natural companion dogs: gentle and responsive. They become very attached to their human families and are excellent with children. Very affectionate and playful with a high degree of intelligence, these cheerful little dogs are very sociable and will get along with everyone including people, dogs, cats and other pets. They are easy to obedience train and get along well with other dogs. This curious dog loves to sit up high on a chair to observe what is going on. It is very sensitive to the tone of your voice. Harsh words will only upset the dog and will achieve very little. Generally, harsh punishment is unnecessary. The Havanese have a long reputation of being circus dogs, probably because it learns quickly and enjoys doing things for people. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard notes that “he is easy to train as alarm dog.” It is best to teach them not to bark unnecessarily while they are still young to prevent it from becoming a habit. Havanese can be good alarm dogs – making sure to alert you when a visitor arrives, but quick to welcome the guest once it sees you welcome them. Some dogs may exhibit a degree of shyness around strangers, but this is not characteristic of the breed. They are very attracted to people and will absolutely not serve as a guard dog.

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