The Kerry Blue Terrier, also known as the Irish Blue Terrier has a strong, sturdy body and a short and curly coat. He is an active, athletic terrier that is affectionate with his owners, marvelous with children, a great watchdog, and a tough competitor in the show ring. His Irish descent has made him a rugged workman who is capable of a day’s ground chores. The Kerry Blue is stubborn and needs a consistent and firm training method. The “Stay” and “Come” commands are usually the most difficult to teach. In addition, early socialization is important. This breed has a tendency to be aggressive toward other dogs as well as small animals and suspicious of strangers. It may be difficult to keep small pets such as cats or rabbits in a home with this breed. He needs to be well trained and be able to learn to respect his owner’s leadership. This breed needs an owner who is confident, firm, patient, and persistent. The Kerry Blue Terrier may be restless and noisy if left alone for too long. Overall, he makes an ideal house pet and lives an average of 15 years.
Size: The Kerry Blue Terrier stands 17 to 20in at the shoulder and weighs between 35 and 40lb.
History and origin: The Kerry Blue originates from the county of Kerry in south-western Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries. He was believed to be a cross between the Irish Terrier and Bedlington Terrier, and some think that the Bull Terrier may have also contributed to the breed’s make-up. He was considered as an all-around utility dog. He started his life as a hunter of foxes and badgers. Being a keen and strong swimmer, he has also been used for otter hunting. This breed has also guarded livestock and saw Army service during World War II. Nowadays, he is mostly kept as one of the most popular pet and show dog.
Feeding: Recommended feeding for the Kerry Blue Terrier is 1 – 1 ˝ cans (13.3oz size) of high-quality meat product with biscuit added in same amount or 3 cupfuls of complete dry food.
Exercise: He is a working dog that needs and deserves plenty of exercise. The ideal place for this breed is a house with a fenced-in yard. However, he can easily adapt to an apartment living as long as he gets enough exercise. With proper training, the Kerry Blue Terrier is an excellent breed to jog with.
Grooming: The Kerry Blue Terrier has a short, curly coat that sheds very little and needs to be brushed daily with a stiff brush and metal comb. In addition, the coat needs to be clipped every 2 to 3 months.
