Kerry Blue Terrier

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Kerry Blue Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier.jpg
A Kerry Blue Terrier
Other namesIrish Blue Terrier
Common nicknamesKerry
OriginIreland
Traits
Height Males
46–48 cm (18–19 in)
Females
44–46 cm (17–18 in)
Weight Males
12–15 kg (26–33 lb)
Females
10–13 kg (22–29 lb)
Kennel club standards
Irish Kennel Club standard
Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog ( domestic dog )

The Kerry Blue Terrier or Irish Blue Terrier (Irish : An Brocaire Gorm) is an Irish breed of dog of terrier type. It was originally bred to control vermin including rats, rabbits, badgers, ferrets, foxes, otters, hares, deer and wolves, but later became a general working dog used for a variety of jobs including herding cattle and sheep.[ citation needed ]

Contents

A Kerry Blue won "Best In Show" at Crufts in 2000. [1] In the twenty-first century it is an endangered breed. [2]

History

The Kerry Blue is first documented in 1847, when it was described as bluish slate in colour, marked with darker blotches and patches, and often with black about the legs and muzzle. [3] These dogs were supposedly more common in Kerry, but were also seen elsewhere. [3]

With the development of dog shows in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the breed became standardised and "tidied up" for the show ring. The Irish nationalist leader Michael Collins owned a famous Kerry Blue named Convict 224. Collins even made an attempt to have the Kerry Blue adopted as the national dog of Ireland. [4]

The first show of the Dublin Irish Blue Terrier Club took place outside official curfew hours and was entered both by those fighting for and against an Irish republic. The Dublin Irish Blue Terrier Club was so successful it led directly to the foundation of the Irish Kennel Club, and a Kerry Blue was the first dog that club registered.[ citation needed ]

In the early days of competitive dog showing, the Irish Kennel Club required that dogs pass a "gameness" test – known as Teastas Mor certification – to become eligible for showing. [5]

Characteristics

Philip Doyle with his dog, "Terri", at the Killarney Show, 1916. Kerry Blue Terrier 1916.jpg
Philip Doyle with his dog, "Terri", at the Killarney Show, 1916.

Some characteristics of the Kerry Blue Terrier include a long head, flat skull and a deep chest.[ citation needed ] Dogs usually stand about 46–48 cm (18–19 in) at the withers and weigh some 12–15 kg (26–33 lb); bitches stand about 44–46 cm (17–18 in) and weigh 10–13 kg (22–29 lb). [3]

The coat is thick, soft and wavy. It may be any shade of blue, either with or without black points. [3]

Health

On the left, a 14-year-old Kerry Blue Terrier Kelly with Russell.JPG
On the left, a 14-year-old

Spiculosis is a painful condition that causes follicular hyperkeratosis. [6] [7] This condition is only found in the Kerry Blue Terrier. [8] The breed is predisposed to footpad keratosis and hair follicle tumors. [8]

A 2024 UK study found a median lifespan of 12.4 years for the breed, compared to an overall average of 12.5. [9]

References

  1. ↑ "Crufts 2000 Results". Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  2. ↑ Reilly, Jerome (29 January 2012). "Collins's beloved Kerry Blue breed at risk in the UK". Irish Independent. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 FCI Breed Standard
  4. ↑ Osborne, Chrissy (2003). Michael Collins: Himself. Mercier Press Ltd. pp. 99–104. ISBN   978-1-85635-407-3 . Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  5. ↑ McLennan, Bardi (26 June 2012). Kerry Blue Terrier. i5 Publishing.
  6. ↑ McKeever, P.J.; Torres, S.M.F. (1 January 1992). "Request PDF". Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 28 (3). American Animal Hospital Association: 257–262. ISSN   1547-3317 . Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  7. ↑ Dodds, W. Jean. "GUIDE TO CONGENITAL AND HERITABLE DISORDERS IN DOGS" (PDF). hsvma.org.
  8. 1 2 Hnilica, Keith A.; Patterson, Adam P. (19 September 2016). Small Animal Dermatology. Saunders. ISBN   978-0-323-37651-8.
  9. ↑ McMillan, Kirsten M.; Bielby, Jon; Williams, Carys L.; Upjohn, Melissa M.; Casey, Rachel A.; Christley, Robert M. (1 February 2024). "Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death". Scientific Reports. 14 (1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w. ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   10834484 .
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