| Kerry Blue Terriers: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Kerry Blue Terrier personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Kerry Blue Terrier, including these excerpts:
"The Kerry Blue Terrier is extraordinarily bright and full of life, with a great sense of humor, but he can also be moody.
He has a high energy level, is always ready to play, and wants to be wherever you are. When bored or ignored, he may get into mischief.
Toward strangers the Kerry Blue Terrier may be friendly or reserved, and even the friendly ones are sensibly protective. Some lines and individuals are more wary, and some are overprotective. Socialization is imperative to develop a stable attitude.
A Kerry Blue Terrier may not be the best choice for multi-pet households -- he may not go looking for a fight, but he certainly won't walk away from one, and he can have a high prey drive with cats, birds, and other small animals.
Kerry Blue Terriers are one of the smartest breeds in dogdom, but that definitely doesn't mean instant obedience. In other words, a Kerry is capable of learning anything -- including how to get what HE wants. Unless you establish yourself as a consistent leader, he may be headstrong and take clever advantage of those who indulge him.
This proud, sensitive, self-assured dog doesn't meekly accept teasing, unfairness, or rough handling."
History
From County Kerry, Ireland, he is a versatile working dog -- hunting birds and small game, herding sheep, and guarding his farm and family.
Size
17-20 inches and 30-45 lbs |
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Kerry Blue Terriers
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- Is medium-sized, athletic, and agile
- Has a soft, wavy coat that doesn't shed much
- Is very smart, capable, and intuitive
- Has a high energy level and thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities
- Makes a keen watchdog
A Kerry Blue Terrier may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- The dynamic terrier temperament (see full description below)
- Providing enough exercise and activities to keep them busy
- Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young
- Suspiciousness toward strangers when not socialized enough
- Aggression toward other animals -- chasing instincts
- Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
- Digging holes
- Barking
- Regular brushing and clipping
- Health problems
- Waiting lists (hard to find) and a high price tag
A Kerry Blue Terrier may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a Kerry Blue Terrier... |
My major concerns would be:
- The dynamic terrier temperament. Most terrier breeds are remarkably similar. The same words are used over and over -- quick to bark, quick to chase, lively, bossy, feisty, scrappy, clever, independent, stubborn, persistent, impulsive, intense.
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Kerry Blue Terriers are active go-getters. They MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and to use their busy minds to do interesting things.
| I strongly recommend that you get your Kerry Blue Terrier involved in obedience classes at the intermediate or advanced level, in agility (an obstacle course for dogs), or in tracking (following the trail of a hidden person). |
- Bounciness. Young Kerry Blue Terriers romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people.
- Animal aggression. Most Kerry Blue Terriers are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs. Most terriers have strong instincts to chase and seize small fleeing creatures. This can make for conflict if you own a cat. It may be much worse than that if you own a pet rabbit or hamster!
| Terriers cannot be trusted off-leash. They will take off -- oblivious to your frantic shouts -- after anything that runs. |
- Fence security. Many terriers are clever escape artists who will go over or under fences in search of adventure. You may need higher fences than you might imagine for their small size. You may also need to sink wire into the ground along the fence line to thwart digging. Gates should have the highest quality locks.
- Barking. Terriers are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them. If you work all day and have close neighbors, terriers are not the best choice for you. For the same reason, terriers should NEVER be left outside in your yard, unsupervised. To make matters worse, some terriers have high-pitched barks that can set your teeth on edge.
- The strong temperament. Kerry Blue Terriers are not Golden Retrievers. The best Kerries are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. Many Kerry Blue Terriers are extremely stubborn and manipulative. Some are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
- Defensive reactions. If you need to physically chastise a terrier, and you go beyond what THEY believe is a fair correction, terriers (as a group) are more likely than other breeds to growl or snap. It may be because they were bred to become more fierce when their prey fought back, i.e. terriers are apt to "return pain" if they "receive pain." As an obedience instructor, I'm always extra careful when putting my hands on any terrier for a correction.
| I do NOT recommend terriers for small children. Many terriers will not tolerate any nonsense from little life forms whom they consider to be below themselves in importance. Many terriers are quick to react to teasing, and even to the normal clumsiness that comes with small children (accidental squeezing of their ears or pulling of whiskers or stepping on their paw). Many terriers are possessive of their food and toys and will defend these from all comers, including children. |
- Grooming. To keep their silky coat free of mats, Kerry Blue Terriers require regular brushing, and also clipping and trimming every few months. But don't expect your pet Kerry Blue Terrier to look like the show dogs you've seen in books or on TV. That particular look takes hours of work by experienced show groomers.
- Finding one and paying the price. In the United States, fewer than 400 new Kerry Blue Terrier puppies are registered each year. (Compare that to over 60,000 new Golden Retriever puppies.) And many breeders are charging $1500 and up.
- Serious health problems. From hip problems to eye problems to skin problems, Kerry Blue Terriers can be risky in the health department.
| Not all Kerry Blue Terriers are alike! |
- There are energetic Kerries, and placid Kerries.
- Hard-headed Kerries, and sweet-natured Kerries.
- Serious Kerries, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Kerries, and Kerries who love everyone.
| If you acquire a Kerry Blue Terrier puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
| If you're considering an adult Kerry Blue Terrier... |
There are plenty of adult Kerries who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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