Kerry Blue Terrier

The identity of the Kerry Blue Terrier can often be mistaken. On one hand, many mistakenly believe that the Kerry Blue Terrier came from a South West Ireland in a county by the name of Kerry. The fact of the matter is that Kerry Blue Terriers come from Tipperary. What is ironic is that in Tipperary, it is very often called the Irish Blue Terrier. Although not exactly on the brink of extinction yet, the Kerry Blue Terrier is an extremely uncommon breed of dog to sight.

The Kerry Blue Dog was originally developed as a working dog. Its activities included a number of jobs like guarding and herding cattle and livestock and hunting vermin like rodents, hares, badgers, otters and foxes. It is also a great companion dog.

The characteristic feature of the Kerry Blue Terrier is its coat. To begin with, it has no undercoat at all. It’s outer coat is its one and only coat and is wavy and very soft. It is comparable to human hair in that it continues to grow all year round and does not shed. Instead, it has to be clipped on a regular basis. Also, the fur of the Kerry Blue Terrier matches the human hair in its texture. This breed of dog receives its name from its coat which comes in a variety of blue hues. The lighter the coat is the more it tends towards blue, while darker shades tend to look like grey. The fascinating aspect of the color of the Kerry blue terrier’s coat is that initially, till about the age of 2, it is completely black in color. As the dog grows older, the shades of blue begin to appear until the entire coat is absolutely blue.

The Kerry Blue terrier has a longish head with a very flat skull. They are also very deep chests. The male Kerry blue terrier usually grows up to be 18 and a half inches, while the female is slightly shorter. Similarly, adult male Kerry blue terriers are likely to weigh 33 to 40 pounds, while the females weigh a little less.

Kerry Blue Terriers are extremely energetic and strong headed dogs. They are extremely fast on the move and can easily capture small animals like rabbits and hares. They are also extremely intelligent dogs and can be very well trained as they are also very obedient. In fact, they have even been used as police dogs in Ireland. They have to be well trained in order to ensure that they do not display any aggressiveness. Their energy needs to be channelized into long walks, exercise and play to ensure that they do not get aggressive because of excessive energy. They also need to be socialized early in their lives.

However, Kerry Blue Terriers are also extremely affectionate dogs and are great in the company of family members. They are also known to be extremely gentle and compassionate with children. They are also very loyal to their master and their family.