Kerry Blue Terrier
Puppies are born black and the coat clears to blue over the first year and a half. An Irish farm all rounder: herd, hunt, guard, and argue with other dogs.
Photo by Svenska Mässan, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Kerry Blue is an Irish all purpose farm dog, used to herd, hunt, guard and kill vermin, and it is one of the few terriers expected to do all four. Puppies are born black and the coat clears to blue over the first eighteen months to two years.
The coat is soft and wavy rather than harsh, which is unusual for a terrier and which changes how it is groomed entirely.
Temperament
Confident, spirited and famously combative with other dogs. Kerry Blues are affectionate and playful with their own families and they were bred to fight badgers and each other.
Same sex aggression is common and serious, and this is not something socialisation reliably fixes. They are intelligent and strong willed and they need firm consistent training. With people they are excellent, and with other dogs they need managing.
Care and grooming
The soft coat needs combing two or three times a week and professional trimming every six to eight weeks. It does not shed, which is why the breed is suggested to allergy sufferers, and no dog is truly hypoallergenic.
Progressive neuronal abiotrophy, a fatal neurological condition, occurs in the breed and has a DNA test. Hip dysplasia, eye problems and cysts also occur. Twelve to fifteen years.
Living and exercise
An hour and a half a day plus mental work. They are athletic and they get bored.
Careful management around other dogs, and a fence, because they dig. They suit an experienced owner who wants a versatile working terrier.
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