Kerry Blue Terrier

Care

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The Kerry Blue Terrier loves children and makes an ideal house-pet. It does, however, have a fine Irish temper when aroused. It needs firm but gentle training when young to curb its aggressiveness.

Kerry Blue Terrie is a beautiful, well-proportioned dog kept as a popular pet and a show dog. Its coat, which can be any shade of blue, needs attention on a regular basIs

Origin and history

The Kerry Blue originates from the county of Kerry in southwestern Ireland. The I[ish Terrier had a hand in its make-up, to which the Bedlington Terrier and Bull Terrier are also said to have contributed.

The Kerry started life as a hunter of badgers and foxes and has also done its share of otter hunting, being a keen, strong swimmer. It has guarded livestock and has seen army service during World War II. Now, however, it is predominantly kept as a popular pet and show dog. A Kerry Blue Terrier, Champion Callaghan of Leander, won the Best in Show award at Crufts in 1979.

Good points

First-class guard
Good sporting dog or family pet
Excellent with children

Take heed

Loves a scrap and not averse to starting one

Size

Weight 33-371b (15-16.8kg); greater tolerance in the United States.

Exercise

Bred as a working dog, it needs and deserves plenty of exercise.

General appearance
The typical Kerry Blue Terrier should be well upstanding, compact and well proportioned, showing a developed and muscular body.

Colour
Any shade of blue with or without black points. A shade of tan is permissible in puppies, as is also a dark colour up to the age of 18 months. A small, white patch on the chest should not be penalized.

Head and skull
Well-balanced, long, proportionately lean with slight stop, flat over the skull. Foreface and jaw very strong, deep and punishing; nose black; nostrils of due proportion.

Tail
Set on high to complete a perfectly straight back and carried erect.

Feet
Round and small. Toenails black.

Grooming

Frequent brushing with a stiff brush and metal comb. You can easily learn to scissor trim the pet yourself. If you plan to show, however, there is a lot of work involved in show preparation.

Feeding

Thirteen-200z (369-587g) of a branded, meaty product with biscuit added in equal part by volume, or 13/4-3 cupfuls of a dry food, complete diet, mixed in the proportion of 1 cup of feed to 112 cup of hot or cold water.

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