Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier was used in prison camps during the war, the color of his coat making him suitable for night surveillance. Unfortunately, his great courage also brought him into dog fights at one time. Not being able to deny his place of origin, this superb dog has the particular color of his home county of Kerry, where chickens, pigs, cows and even dogs all seem to have the same color of hair or feathers.

Height 44 to 49 cm
Weight 13 to 18 kg
Life expectancy 13 to 15 years
Hair Loss Low
Excercise Need High
Home country Republic of Ireland

Quick Overview of the Kerry Blue Terrier

Temperament

  • Calm and kind
  • Gentle and playful
  • Affectionate and pleasant
  • Sometimes a little stubborn

Appearance

  • Well proportioned
  • Compact silhouette
  • Elegant style
  • Highly developed and muscular body

Health

  • Rarely ill
  • Generally healthy
  • No particular pathology

Temperament of the Kerry Blue Terrier

Calm, kind, gentle, playful, affectionate, pleasant and occasionally stubborn, the Kerry Blue Terrier is sometimes quarrelsome with his fellow dogs.

Rarely aggressive, he must however benefit from a good education and early socialization.

Formerly used to hunt small vermin, such as badgers or otters, he is now widely used as a companion dog. He is very affectionate with his owners, playful with children, and makes a pleasant life companion.

Excellent guardian, he is generally devoid of aggressiveness but he will stop at nothing to defend his own. He is very brave and does not hesitate to intervene more aggressively if necessary.

This usually gentle dog can turn into a formidable opponent if the need arises.

His character is well asserted, and as he is sometimes stubborn, he needs a firm and adequate education undertaken very early, as well as his socialization, which must be adequate, especially if he has to mix with other dogs he often tends to fight with.

Breed Appearance

kerry blue terrier

Very much in Terrier style, the Kerry Blue Terrier is a well proportioned and balanced dog.

His compact silhouette gives him an elegant style and a determined look, characteristics of Terriers.

His body is highly developed and very muscular. His physical appearance is special, due in part to his particular coat that makes him so unique.

Height

Between 45 and 49 cm (17.72 to 19.29 inches) for the male
Between 44 and 48 cm (17.32 to 18.90 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 15 and 18 kg (33.07 to 39.68 pounds) for the male
Between 13 and 16 kg (28.66 to 35.27 pounds) for the female

Color

The color of his coat is acceptable in all shades of blue.

Hair

His soft coat is very abundant, silky and wavy.

Morphology

His head has a strong skull and a slight stop. His eyes, hazelnut or dark color, are medium size.

His ears are small and triangular. They are carried against the sides of the head, or forward, but always pointing forward.

His nose is all black. His thin tail is erect, well positioned and carried cheerfully.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 3, section 1 and is #3

Characteristics of the Kerry Blue Terrier

Does this dog suit your lifestyle?

Every dog breed has its own characteristics. However, the actual character of a dog can vary from one to another within the same breed.

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Life in an apartment
Good first dog
Tolerates solitude
Tolerates cold weather
Tolerates hot weather
Affectionate
Friendly with children
Friendly with strangers
Friendly with other animals
Hair loss
Drooling level
Easy to care for
Robust health
Easy to train
Intelligent
Tendency to bark
Tendency to nibble
Protective
Instinct to hunt
Adventurous spirit
Energy level
Level of intensity
Need for exercise
Playful

Kerry Blue Terrier puppies near me

Tips About this breed

Used as a guard or alarm dog, he avoids the intrusion of malevolent people by barking loudly.

Police and security officers regularly use him in their work to stop and deter.

In order to do the safety work properly, the dog needs a somewhat specialized education, to which he responds very well.

He can live both indoors and outdoors without issue, but he needs to exercise regularly.

He can easily adapt to all types of owners. All types of families suit him, even those with children, with whom he gets along very well.

Health of the Kerry Blue Terrier

Rarely ill, he generally enjoys good health.

The breed is not related to any particular pathology, although some specimens can sometimes be affected by some heart disorders. In general, he enjoys an excellent longevity.

GROOMING

His particular coat sometimes requires a constraining grooming. He should generally not be sheared, except for certain parts of his body such as chest, skull, cheeks and ears.

The rest of the dress needs to be cared for with scissors. This magnificent dog requires that the owner invests some time for maintenance of his coat to ensure his beautiful look and good health.

History of this breed

Present in Ireland for centuries, references on the origins of the Kerry Blue Terrier are virtually non-existent before 1847.

The first record of the breed was found in literature at the time, with a slate blue coat, dark patches and tan markings on the muzzle and limbs.

Apparently rather widespread in the South-West of Ireland, more precisely in Kerry, he would have also developed in the surrounding counties.

In 1913, he appeared in shows and in 1920, the breed club was created in Dublin. Between 1922 and 1924, there were four different clubs defending the breed's interests, so the breed was popular and in demand.

The Kerry Blue Terrier even became the mascot of the Irish patriots. It was in 1924 that the American Kennel Club officially recognized him and around 1928, the breed developed and gained popularity again, but this time on an international scale.

He thus made his place almost everywhere. This harmonious terrier with his pretty blue coat enjoyed an excellent reputation as a dog very close to perfection.

This faithful and pleasant companion is used specifically for attacking otters in deep water. This hard work is part of his abilities, but he is also used as a guard, security, police and companion dog.

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