All Dog Breeds >>Appearance of Irish Terrier
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 emphasize 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.
Irish Terrier Training
The Irish Terrier is moderately easy to train. He learns new commands at the average rate. He is neither difficult nor easy to train.
Irish Terrier Shedding
The Irish Terrier sheds practically no hair at all. You'll virtually never find a hair in your home!
Irish Terrier Grooming
Pet coat (less work): Cut his coat short every few months and then it only needs to be brushed every so often. Show coat (more work): Strip his coat every six months and brush it daily.