IRISH WOLF-HOUND 



and the tail short, thick at the root, tapering, and covered 

 with short hair. The coat is one series of short, crisp 

 curls, varying in size on different parts of the body 

 and limbs, the face being smooth ; whilst on the head 

 there should be a characteristic top-knot. The only recog- 

 nised colour is a rich, deep liver without any white, and 

 the average weight is about 40 lbs. (See Curly -coated 

 Retriever.^ 



Irish Wolf-hound. — Beyond all doubt the genuine Irish 

 wolf-hound is a thing of the past, as the modern dog which 

 masquerades as such is admittedly a cross between the 

 Scottish deer-hound and German great Dane, and it has 

 been produced within the last thirty years or thereabouts. 

 There can, however, be no doubt that the gigantic pro- 

 portions and picturesque appearance of these dogs appeal 

 very strongly to many persons, and provided that they do 

 not take too much after their Teutonic progenitors about 

 their heads, as some unfortunately do, they are very hand- 

 some dogs ; though why they should be called Irish wolf- 

 hounds is not very clear, as they certainly are not Irish, 

 having been manufactured in England, nor have they ever 

 been used for hunting wolves. 



The head of this dog is long, rather narrow for the size 

 of the breed, slightly prominent at the brows, and tapering 

 towards the nose, the muzzle being long and inclined to 

 be pointed. The eyes are dark hazel in colour ; the ears 

 small, and carried with the tips thrown backwards, so as to 

 display the burr ; the neck being long, clean, muscular, 

 and arched, whilst the shoulders are laid back. The chest 

 is both wide and deep ; the back strong, and arched at the 

 loins, which are muscular, though a little tucked up ; the 

 fore-legs being of a good length, quite straight, and very 

 heavy in bone, with moderately large feet, the hind-legs 

 carrying a good deal of muscle on the thighs ; whilst the 

 hocks are well let down and rather straight ; the tail being 

 long, rather coarse, and carried in a slight curve. The 



114 



