Dog Breed Guide

Kerry Blue Terrier

Profile

Size

Medium

Country of origin

Ireland

Origin

18th century

Bred for

All-purpose farm dog, Hunting otters and rats

Height

male 46 - 48cm (18 - 19in), female 44.5 - 47cm (18 - 19in)

Weight

male 15 - 18kg (33 - 40lb), female slightly lighter

Life span

12 - 15 years

Its defining feature is a soft, wavy coat of blue-gray. Puppies are born black and gradually turn a beautiful blue over a year and a half to two years. It has an impressive beard and eyebrows.

Smart, brave and deeply devoted to its family, the Kerry is cheerful and playful but has a terrier's fiery spirit and may be combative with other dogs. It is wary of strangers and makes a reliable watchdog.

It sheds little, but its soft coat tangles easily, so regular brushing and grooming are essential. Its exercise needs are high.

Good to know

In County Kerry in southwestern Ireland, it lived as a dog that could do everything on the farm: catching rats, hunting otters, herding livestock and guarding the house. It is Ireland's signature terrier and is also called the Irish Blue Terrier.

Michael Collins, the hero of the Irish independence movement, was among those who loved the Kerry Blue. A story goes that he named his dog "Convict 224" and showed him at a dog show even at the risk of arrest.

When Irish dog lovers founded the Irish Kennel Club in 1922, the first breed it recognized was also the Kerry Blue Terrier. A legend says its ancestor was a blue dog that swam ashore from a Spanish Armada shipwreck, but there is no solid evidence.