Archive for the ‘Kerry Blue Terrier’ Category
A Kerry Blue Terrier male
The Kerry Blue Terrier is a breed of dog mistakenly thought to be of County Kerry in South West Ireland; it is actually from Tipperary. In its motherland it is often called the Irish Blue Terrier. Over time the Kerry became a general working dog used for a variety of jobs, including herding cattle and sheep and as a guard dog. It was, however, primarily developed for controlling “vermin” including rats, rabbits, badgers, foxes, otters and hares.
A puppy from Kerry Blue Terrier breed
Today the Kerry has spread around the world as a companion and working dog. Despite a Kerry Blue winning Crufts – the most important UK dog show – in 2000, it remains an uncommon breed. Not as threatened as some of the other terrier breeds, it is still distinctly uncommon. Some characteristics of the Kerry Blue Terrier include a long head, flat skull, deep chest, and a soft wavy to curly coat that comes in several shades of blue (from blue-black to light slate grey). The coat is considered to have more “color” or to be more “blue” when it carries more of the grey/blue color (or the lighter the coat is).
Beautiful Kerry Blue Terrier female
Puppies are born black; the blue appears gradually as the puppy grows older, usually up to 2 years of age. All kennel clubs have statements in their standard similar to that of the American Kennel Club: “Black on the muzzle, head, ears, tail and feet is permissible at any age.” This indicates the presence of the melanistic mask gene. The ideal Kerry should be 18? inches at the withers for a male, slightly less for the female. The most desirable weight for a fully developed male is from 33 to 40 pounds, females weighing proportionately less.
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