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Irish dog breeds

Meet Ireland’s nine native dog breeds, from the Irish Wolfhound to the Glen of Imaal Terrier.

Ireland has nine dog breeds of its own, shaped over centuries by the mountains, woods and bogs of the island, and by the people who worked beside them.

Like the Irish Black Bee, each one is a piece of living heritage: bred for this place, its weather and its work, and carried down the generations. Some are famous around the world. Others are now rare, kept going by a small number of dedicated breeders.

An Irish Wolfhound in a meadow of wildflowers.

A field guide

The nine native breeds

All nine native Irish breeds sitting in a row on a hillside at sunset. From left to right: Irish Wolfhound, Kerry Beagle, Irish Red Setter, Irish Red and White Setter, Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Terrier, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier.
All nine together. The numbers match the breeds below.

Hounds 2

Hunting by sight and by scent.

  • Irish Wolfhound

    Bred for Hunting wolves and deer

    One of the tallest dogs in the world. After the last Irish wolf was killed in the late 1700s it nearly vanished, until breeders brought it back in the 1800s.

  • Kerry Beagle

    Bred for Hunting in packs by scent

    Despite the name, a tall hound, not a beagle. The Scarteen pack in County Limerick has been kept by the same family for centuries.

Gundogs 3

Finding and fetching game for the hunter.

  • Irish Red Setter

    Bred for Finding game birds

    Named for the way it “sets”, freezing low to the ground when it finds birds. Famous for its deep red coat.

  • Irish Red and White Setter

    Bred for Finding game birds

    The older of the two setters. It almost died out in the early 1900s before a few enthusiasts saved it.

  • Irish Water Spaniel

    Bred for Retrieving from water

    The tallest spaniel, with a coat of tight liver-brown curls and a smooth, thin tail like a rat’s.

Terriers 4

Tough, clever farm dogs, kept to deal with vermin.

  • Irish Terrier

    Bred for Farm work and vermin

    Bold and red-coated, it carried messages across the front lines in the First World War.

  • Glen of Imaal Terrier

    Bred for Vermin, and turning the spit

    From the Wicklow mountains. Low and strong, it was once used to turn the roasting spit by the fire.

  • Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

    Bred for All-round farm dog

    Named for its silky coat, the colour of ripe wheat. It herded, guarded and hunted on small farms.

  • Kerry Blue Terrier

    Bred for Farm work and vermin

    Born black, its soft coat slowly turns blue-grey over its first eighteen months or so.

The nine breeds and their groups are those recognised by the Irish Kennel Club.

Another native

Meet the Irish Black Bee

Ireland’s own honeybee has been here since the Ice Age. Find out why it’s worth protecting.

The Irish Black Bee