An Irish Wolfhound's coat is wiry and rough which means a weekly brush is essential to keep their skin and coats in good condition. It's also important for these dogs to be hand stripped at least twice a year and more especially when they shed most which is during the Spring and then again in the Autumn.
It's also essential for a dog's ears to be checked on a regular basis to ensure no infections are flaring up because once they do, they can be notoriously difficult to clear up once an infection takes hold.
Although Irish Wolfhounds never do much in a hurry, they are however, very athletic dogs which means they need a minimum of 2 hour’s daily exercise to keep them fit both physically and mentally. When it comes to Irish Wolfhound puppies, they only need to be given a little amount of exercise because their bones and joints are still growing and developing. If too much pressure is put on them, it could lead to some serious joint and bone issues later in a dog's life. With this said, a good 15 minute’s romp in the garden would be enough for puppies, but their playtime should always be supervised.
Older dogs like to be able to roam around a large back garden whenever they can, but the fencing needs to be very secure and high, although they are not known to jump fences, but if they find way out they are liable to go wandering off.
If you get an Irish Wolfhound puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again. With this said, it is vital that a puppy's diet be carefully monitored because Irish Wolfhounds grow very fast when they are young.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. Their diet has to contain all the right vitamins, minerals and other nutrients these large dogs need to stay healthy. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
Because Irish Wolfhounds are prone to suffer from bloat, it is really important that they be fed twice a day instead of giving them just one larger meal a day. It's also a good idea to invest in a stand to place their feed bowl which makes it easier for these large dogs to eat comfortably without having to stretch their necks down low to reach their food. You should never feed an Irish Wolfhound just before or just after they have eaten either because this puts them more a risk of suffering from bloat.
