Glen of Imaal Terrier

Glen of Imaal Terrier

An adult Glen of Imaal Terrier
Other names	Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier, Wicklow Terrier
Nicknames	Glen
Country of origin	Ireland
Traits
Classification and standards FCI Group 3 Section 1 #302 standard AKC Terrier standard ANKC Group 2 (Terriers) standard CKC Miscellaneous List [? standard] The CKC Miscellaneous List is for breeds working towards full CKC recognition. KC (UK) Terrier standard NZKC Terrier standard UKC Terriers standard
Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Glen of Imaal Terrier is a breed of dog of the terrier category and one of four Irish terrier breeds. It is sometimes called the Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier or the Wicklow Terrier, and the name of the breed is often shortened by aficionados to just Glen. The breed originates in the Glen of Imaal in County Wicklow, Ireland. The breed was recognized first by the Irish Kennel Club in 1934 and most recently by the American Kennel Club in 2004.

According to the AKC, the breed came into existence during the reign of Elizabeth I, who hired French and Hessian mercenaries to put down civil unrest in Ireland. After the conflict, many of these soldiers settled in the Wicklow area. They brought with them their low-slung hounds, which they bred with the local terrier stock, developing the Glen of Imaal Terrier as a general working dog for herding and eradicating vermin such as foxes, badger, and otter. When hunting, Glens work "mute to ground," silently digging out their quarry, as they are a strong dog and not a sounding terrier.

Many descriptions of the breed, including the AKC's, claim that it was also used as a turnspit dog to turn spits of meat over a fire for cooking, but actual evidence for this is scarce. Engravings of this sort of dog from the 19th century do not show much resemblance to the modern Glen.

The Glen of Imaal Terrier is one of the rarest breeds of dog (in the U.S., registered animals number less than a thousand) and the least-known Irish terrier breed.

Description

Appearance

Due to its short legs, the Glen of Imaal Terrier is more substantial than many other dogs of similar height, particularly other small terriers; the average adult Glen weighs approximately 36 pounds and stands 14" tall at the withers.

The breed has a medium-length double coat that is harsh on top and soft below. The coat may be wheaten , blue , or brindle in colour. The Glen of Imaal terrier does not moult, but needs to be groomed on a regular basis to keep the coat in good condition. Grooming includes "stripping" the excess hair from the coat (it pulls out easily; this process is not painful to the dog) if done at the correct time on dead hair.

Glens have a large head, with rose or half-prick ears, and short, bowed legs, and a topline that rises from the shoulder to the tail. The shoulders, chest, and hips are sturdy and muscular, and feet should be turned out. With three growing stages, a Glen can take up to four years to reach full maturity.

Wheaten Glen of Imaal puppies often have black highlights in their fur. Usually, the black will fade and their full wheaten coat will grow in as they mature.

Glen of Imaal Terrier puppy

Historically, the breed's tail was typically docked to provide a good grip for pulling the dog out of a hole. Docking is still common in the United States, but is no longer a typical practice in most of Europe. In the UK working terriers can still be shown docked, but many countries ban docking for showing completely though in Ireland docked dogs can be shown without restriction.

Health

Generally very strong and healthy, Glens can live for 15 years or more. A genetic test is available for progressive retinal atrophy, and breeders are now using this test to evaluate potential breedings, though numbers affected are very low. Heart problems are virtually non existant, with only one recorded case. Skin allergies are occasionally seen and may be caused by diet or allergies to flea or mite bites. After the age of 12 months, the breed generally does best on a low-protein diet.

Temperament

Glen of Imaal terriers are energetic and intelligent, although on the docile and quiet side for a terrier. Bred to be mute to ground they are disqualified from trials if they sound at the quarry; their deep and authoritative bark is similar to that of a larger dog.

However, like other terrier breeds, these dogs can be stubborn as they are highly intelligent and require a owner with commonsense to train them. They are typically fearless and loyal, and are superb with people, but can be aggressive if not properly trained, especially if provoked by other dogs.

As a working terrier, they have an excellent nose and can be used on ground vermin such as mink and rats, but they are a strong dog bred to draw quarry from the ground. Some individuals can work well in water. They do have a high prey drive and need to be trained and properly intergrated with other animals. However, Glens are generally quite easily trained, so this is not usually a problem with properly trained dogs.

External links

• Glen of Imaal Terrier Club of America (GITCA)
  • GITCA breed standards
• Independent Glen Rescue site