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Animal register · DogComing soon to the app

Irish Wolfhound

Wolfhound, Cú Faoil, Irish Wolf Hound

The Irish Wolfhound comes from Ireland; the FCI lists it among the rough-haired sighthounds. The PDSA gives an average height of 71–79 cm and an average weight of 40–55 kg; like other giant dogs it is fully grown at about 18–24 months (PetMD). The Royal Kennel Club calls its size extra large and says it suits a large house with a large garden in the country.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends more than two hours of exercise a day, grooming more than once a week, and says the breed sheds. The Kennel Club and the PDSA give a lifespan of under 10 years; PetMD gives 6–8 years. The PDSA does not recommend the breed for homes with smaller children because of its size and strength, nor with smaller pets because of its high prey drive, and says it should never be left alone for more than four hours. PetMD advises socialising the puppy from the day it comes home, no exercise right before or after eating (bloat) and cleaning the ears every two to four weeks.

Built and tested; it arrives with a coming app release.

Updated:

Irish Wolfhound — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
giant — The Royal Kennel Club S617
Adult weight
males 40–55 kg, females 40–55 kg — PDSA S619
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S617
Brushing
more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S617
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S617
Lifespan
less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S617; 6–8 years — PetMD S620

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • a large house and gardenS617

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS617S619
  • shorter lifespanS617
  • large dog — not for homes with small childrenS619
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS620
  • needs brushing several times a weekS617S619
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS619

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S617

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S617
  • Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S617
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S617

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S617
  • Lifespan: 6–8 years — PetMD S620

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 18–24 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: giant — The Royal Kennel Club S617
  • Height at the withers: males 71–79 cm, females 71–79 cm — PDSA S619
  • Adult weight: males 40–55 kg, females 40–55 kg — PDSA S619

Training

  • No. 41 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 160, group 10 (sighthounds); origin: Ireland. — FCI S615

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does an Irish Wolfhound need?

According to our sources, the Irish Wolfhound needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S617.

How long does an Irish Wolfhound live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Irish Wolfhound is: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S617; 6–8 years — PetMD S620. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does an Irish Wolfhound get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Irish Wolfhound, according to our sources: Size: giant — The Royal Kennel Club S617; Adult weight: males 40–55 kg, females 40–55 kg — PDSA S619.

How much grooming does an Irish Wolfhound need?

Coat and grooming of the Irish Wolfhound, according to our sources: Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S617; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S617; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S617.

Who is the Irish Wolfhound a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Irish Wolfhound as a good fit for: a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S617. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S617S619; shorter lifespan — The Royal Kennel Club S617; large dog — not for homes with small children — PDSA S619; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PetMD S620; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S617S619; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S619.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 68 (5.7 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 68 (5.7 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing twice a week.
  • Care: checking and cleaning the ears every 2 weeks — a task for the child.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 59:53 S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S617S619S620S623

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S619
  • Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S619
  • Certain cancers can occur in the breed. — PetMD S620
  • Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that can slowly lead to blindness, occurs in the breed; DNA tests and eye testing are available. — PDSA S619
  • A portosystemic (liver) shunt, where blood bypasses the liver, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S619

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S617

Further tests for best practice

  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S617

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S615FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — Irish Wolfhound (160)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/IRISH-WOLFHOUND-160.html
  11. S617The Royal Kennel Club — Irish Wolfhound (Breeds A to Z)https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/hound/irish-wolfhound/
  12. S619PDSA — Irish Wolfhound breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/irish-wolfhound
  13. S620PetMD — Virginia LaMon, DVM; reviewed by Teresa Manucy, DVM (updated Sep. 17, 2024) — Irish Wolfhound Dog Breed Health and Carehttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/irish-wolfhound
  14. S623Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 59:53 (2017) — Orleifson L., Ljungvall I., Höglund K., Häggström J. Occurrence of cardiorespiratory diseases and impact on lifespan in Swedish Irish Wolfhounds: a retrospective questionnaire-based study. doi:10.1186/s13028-017-0320-1https://link.springer.com/doi/10.1186/s13028-017-0320-1
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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