Glen of Imaal Terrier

The Glen of Imaal Terrier. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

Please consider adopting of a dog, cat or any pet through one of the many rescue sites available on the Internet. The hundreds to choose from will certainly give you the pet of your choice while you offer that animal a second chance at life. I list two, but you can find your own by a simple search on the web.  “RED” stands for rescue every dog and you can click on:  http://www.rescueeverydog.org  or http://www.the theanimalrescuesite.com   I mention a special thank you to The American Kennel Club and Wikipedia for providing me with the material for this rare breed the “Glen of Imaal Terrier”.

Looking at the Glen of Imaal Terrier dog it might be obvious why this canine is not as popular a dog as some.  The lack of refinement with its present day appearance,  has changed very minimally from 100 years ago when they worked the lowlands of County Wicklow in Ireland.

Being categorized on the terrier group this canine was grouped as a turnspit dog. The turnspit was a huge wheel that the dog paddled to make the spit turn over the hearth.

Colors of the Glen of Imaal Terrier are not as precise as the American Kennel Club generally requires for acceptance. Most often, this Terrier are shades of wheaten, blue and brindle.  The hair is a medium length with a harsh texture requiring stripping twice a year. In between those grooming needs are the clipping of hair under the tail, the ears and on the feet.

Full of energy this agile dog is a capable hunter of farm vermin, hunting badger and fox as well.  The specific characteristics of the rose  or half-prick ears, longer body than the tail along with turned out feet set this dog apart from many other breeds. The eyes are round and brown in color,  deeply set, well apart with a black nose on a slightly domed skull.

Weight is around 35 pounds with a height of 12.5  to 14 inches tall for this medium size dog.  Even though this might be thought of as a child’s pet, they are known to be more tolerant of older children in the family willing to adopt this canine into the household. Know this pet has an extremely gentle and docile personality.

You can expect to have your Glen of Imaal Terrier 12 to 14 years with ample exercise and proper diet in a happy home. Be alert to the fact that this breed is a hunter, so might perceive a smaller pet as prey.   This canine can be aggressive around other terriers, but with adequate introduction and proper obedience training, you and your dog can live in harmony.