“A lamb at home and a lion in the chase”: this motto appears in the FCI standard for the Irish Wolfhound. It describes a dog whose males should stand at least 79 cm at the shoulder and who greets people and other dogs in a friendly manner. There are also lifespan figures you should know.
| FCI | Group 10 (Sighthounds), Section 2 Rough-haired Sighthounds, Standard No. 160, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Size (height at the withers) | desired minimum height: males 79 cm, females 71 cm; the aim for males is an average of at least 86 cm |
| Weight | at least 54.5 kg for males measuring 79 cm and 40.5 kg for females measuring 71 cm, more for taller dogs |
| Life expectancy | median 9.9 years (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | rough and harsh on the body, legs and head, especially wiry over the eyes and on the beard |
| Colours in the standard | grey, brindle, red, black, pure white, fawn and wheaten; white only on the forechest, toes and tip of the tail |
An Irish hunting dog since antiquity
According to the standard, these dogs were already widespread in Ireland in the first century AD, with the first written mention dating to 391. Until the end of the 17th century, they hunted wolves, wild boar and deer. They received their first dedicated show classes in Dublin in 1879, followed by the first standard in 1885. Today the breed is one of Ireland’s five official symbols. The same FCI section includes the Deerhound.
Size is part of the plan
The requirement is a rough-coated dog of great size, very powerful yet graceful; a smaller, lighter type is not recognised. A VetCompass study of 29 giant breeds questions selection for size and suggests international upper limits for height at the shoulder and weight (O'Neill et al. 2026).
Friendly towards people and dogs
Gentle, kind and loyal, friendly towards people and other dogs: that is the standard’s description. Outdoors, they remain sighthounds who react to fast movement in the distance.
Grow slowly, exercise wisely
A young dog of this size needs short walks, few stairs and no jogging. As an adult, they enjoy long walks and sprints in fenced fields. Allow for a large car and savings, as anaesthetics, medication and food requirements depend on weight. Brush the rough coat regularly.
Heart, lungs and bones: the findings
In McMillan and colleagues’ study, Irish Wolfhounds lived a median of 9.9 years, compared with 12.0 for crossbreeds. In a VetCompass study of giant breeds, the 31 Wolfhounds recorded died at a median age of 7.2 years (O'Neill et al. 2026). A Swedish owner survey covering 105 dogs listed tumours (24 percent), heart disease (18 percent) and respiratory disease (16 percent) as the most common causes of death; 37 percent had experienced pneumonia at least once (Orleifson et al. 2017). Among 645 North American Wolfhounds, 8.9 percent had atrial fibrillation, a risk factor for the breed’s characteristic heart muscle disease (Tyrrell et al. 2020). Bone cancer is strongly hereditary in this breed (Momen et al. 2021).
Are they right for you?
Yes, if you have space and time for a calm, very large dog, ask breeders about the parents’ ECG and heart ultrasound results, and can accept that goodbye may come sooner. Less so if you live upstairs without a lift, want off-lead freedom everywhere or seek a dog who keeps strangers at a distance.
The breed quiz helps you assess whether this much dog fits your life; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) explores the question in depth. For the first weeks, try the free Puppy Starter Pack. Another sighthound, with a short coat, is the Greyhound. A picture of your Wolfhound is available through our dog portraits, for example in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Older dog, new rules: how to give your senior their best years
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
- Is my dog overweight? How to assess body condition and ideal weight
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 160 Irish Wolfhound (fci.be, English version dated 17.04.2026, valid publication date 10.04.2026, no German version); O'Neill DG et al., Giant dog breeds under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, common disorders and mortality, Companion Anim Health Genet 2026; Orleifson L et al., Occurrence of cardiorespiratory diseases and impact on lifespan in Swedish Irish Wolfhounds, Acta Vet Scand 2017; Tyrrell WD et al., Echocardiographic and electrocardiographic evaluation of North American Irish Wolfhounds, J Vet Intern Med 2020; Momen M et al., Heritability and genetic variance estimation of Osteosarcoma in Irish Wolfhound, Canine Med Genet 2021; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
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