Dog
Group:
Terrier 
Kerry Blue Terrier Champions
You must login to add your Champion Dog to this list.
Pronunciation:
Kerry Blue Terrier
Breed Description:
The Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog is a well-built, muscular, medium-sized dog with true terrier style and character. Born black at birth, the coat changes color through one or more transitions. Black to very dark blue (darker than deep slate) shades or tinges of brown to different shades of blue gray. The correct mature color is from slate blue to light gray. The color should "clear" by the time they are 18 months old. Solid black after the age of 18 months is not permissible in the show ring. Black or dark blue points on the Head, muzzle, feet and tail are permissible at any age. Some adults never lighten properly. Adults may retain dark points even when the rest of the coat lightens. The long, well-balanced head sports abundant whiskers, beard and eyebrows. In show dogs, the eyebrows reach all the way to the bridge of the nose. The ears of the Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog are v-shaped and crease above the skull to fall toward the outside corner of the dark, keen eye. The ears are pasted while the puppy is of teething age to create the necessary crease. The nose is black and the keen eyes are dark. Dewclaws are removed, especially those on the hind legs. The limbs are straight with a powerful bone structure. The tail is docked and carried upright - the straighter the better.
Temperament:
Vivacious and playful, determined and alert, boisterous and unrepressed, the Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog has a way about it that makes people laugh and have fun. They enjoy roughhousing. The Kerry is a good watchdog, but will not attack without real provocation. A loving family dog, he likes to be with his people, and is affectionate with friends of the family. The Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog generally gets along well with other pets if properly introduced and supervised. If the humans are not 100% pack leader and lack canine communication skills. The Kerry can become dog aggressive. This breed is protective and should be extensively socialized, especially with other dogs, or he may be quite a handful. They rarely bark unnecessarily. Kerry Blues require a confident owner who have a natural air of authority and need firm obedience training. These dogs are intelligent, and have a very good memory. With meek owners they will become willful, testing the owner at every turn. Owners need to be consistent with the rules and more determined than the dog. They have an aptitude for sports such as catch and agility training, but make sure the dog enjoys the challenge. If its lessons are too routine for the Kerry Blue breed of dog, they will lose interest.
Height:
17.5 to 19.5 inches
Weight:
33 to 40 pounds
Health Problems:
The Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog is usually a very healthy long-lived breed. Some are vulnerable to dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, cerebellar abiotrophy. cataracts, spiculosis, hair follicle tumors, entropion, KCS, narrow palpebral fissure distichiasisme, and CHD.
Living Conditions:
The Kerry Blue Terrer is good for apartment life. They are fairly active indoors and a small yard will do.
Exercise:
The Kerry Blue is a sporty dog, which needs to be taken out on a daily walk, jog or run where he is made to heel decide or behind the human holding the lead. In a dog's mind the leader goes first. If you allow them to walk ahead, whether you realize it or not, you will be communicating to the dog that he is YOUR leader. This can cause the Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog to become willful as he thinks he needs to tell YOU what to do rather than the other way around.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog should be groomed every 6 weeks. They also need to have the hair pulled out of the ear canal, as they are prone to ear infections. Pet Kerries can be trimmed like a Soft coated Wheaten. Grooming techniques require some training. Your groomer can show you how it do it right. In addition to this, they will need grooming once a week with brush and comb. Show dogs will require more extensive grooming. The distinctive blue coat is not only beautiful, but practical as well. The Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog sheds little to no hair and is odorless, even when wet. Frequent bathing will not dry out the skin as it does in so many other breeds. Bathing and combing every week is a must! It keeps them clean. Without proper care, their beard will get smelly and packed with food and dirt. Kerry Blues are considered good for allergy sufferers.
Origin:
The Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog originated in the 1700's in the mountainous regions of County Kerry from which its name is derived. The Kerry is the national terrier of Ireland (under the name Irish Blue Terrier) and has become a symbol of Ireland. The name comes from color of the coat. No one knows for certain which breeds were used to develop the Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog, but many believe the Portuguese Water Dog contributed the silky, wavy single coat. Others think the Kerry Blue Terrier was developed from the old black terriers, Spanish (or Russian) "Blue Dog", Soft coated Wheaten Terrier and possibly Irish Wolfhounds and Irish Terriers. There is writing on dogs in Ireland over a century ago that mentions a Harlequin Terrier that sounds like a breed description of the Kerry Blue. The Kerry Blue Terrier has been used as a small game hunter, retriever, herd and farm dog, house guardian, family companion, and even in police work. He can also be used to perform tricks. The United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club, the national breed club, was found in 1922 and the breed was recognized by the AKC two years later. Today, the Kerry Blue Terrier breed of dog is primarily a companion and home guardian. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
