A versatile Irish working terrier with a soft, curly, non-shedding blue-gray coat and a bold, spirited personality. Born black, the coat 'clears' to blue as the dog matures.
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Educational only. KinStation content is reviewed by licensed veterinarians but cannot replace an in-person exam. Always consult a licensed veterinarian or board-certified specialist for diagnosis, treatment, or any decision affecting your pet's health.
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From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
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Minimum
Home with daily structured exercise
Apartment/house + 60 min daily exercise
Medium dogs need at least an hour of varied daily exercise — leashed walks plus off-lead play or training. Apartment living is workable only if exercise commitments are met every day; crate-train and allow supervised free-roam at home.
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Recommended
Home with fenced yard + training time
House + fenced yard + 60–90 min varied exercise
A home with a securely fenced yard, daily walks plus off-lead play, and ongoing training keeps a medium dog mentally satisfied. Add a sport or hobby (fetch, scent games, agility intro) for breeds with extra drive. High-drive working breed — the recommended tier still demands daily structured mental work (training, scent games, herding ball, fetch with rules), not just walks.
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Ideal
Active home with a job or sport
Suburban/rural home + secure yard + canine sport
Irish all-round working terrier — agility, earthdog, or obedience suits the drive. — ideal is acreage or rural property paired with a daily job or canine sport: herding stock, scent detection, agility, protection sport, sledding, gundog field work, or a structured working role. Without that outlet, expect destructive behaviour, reactivity, and welfare-relevant frustration.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Newborn
Newborn mammals are nursed on their mother's milk. Many are born helpless — blind, deaf, and sparsely furred (altricial, as in dogs, cats, and rodents) — while others stand and follow within hours (precocial, as in hoofed livestock).
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Juvenile
After weaning, juveniles grow quickly and become increasingly active, playful, and independent. Adult coat, proportions, and (in many species) the permanent teeth come in as they approach full size.
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Adult
Adults reach full body size and sexual maturity, with the species' mature coat and build. Sexual dimorphism — differences in size, mane, horns, or markings — is pronounced in some mammals and subtle in others.
Senior
Senior animals show aging signs such as graying fur, reduced activity, and a greater need for veterinary monitoring of joints, teeth, and organ function. Lifespan and the onset of old age vary widely by species and size.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Suited to houses with a securely fenced yard, though it can adapt to apartment life with sufficient exercise. Needs vigorous daily activity (45-60+ minutes) plus mental stimulation, as this is an athletic, working-bred terrier. Strong prey drive means a secure fence and leashed walks near small animals.
Diet
Feed a balanced diet matched to activity level and life stage. No specific breed dietary disease, but maintain a lean body condition to protect joints. The dense coat hides body shape, so check condition by feel rather than appearance.
Behavior & temperament
Bold, confident, and full of terrier spirit; intelligent and trainable but independent and sometimes strong-willed. High energy. Good with people and devoted to family, but can be dog-aggressive and assertive with other animals, so early, ongoing socialization is essential. Better suited to experienced owners who can provide firm, fair, consistent training.
Health
Known predispositions include hip dysplasia, progressive neuronal abiotrophy (a rare hereditary neurological disorder seen in the breed), eye conditions (cataracts, entropion, keratoconjunctivitis sicca/dry eye), hypothyroidism, and skin cysts/spiculosis. Recommended screening: hip evaluation, ophthalmologist eye exam, and thyroid testing.
Tips, DIY & hacks
The soft, curly coat does not shed appreciably (often described as a good choice for some allergy sufferers) but requires regular brushing/combing and professional grooming/trimming roughly every 4-6 weeks to prevent matting. Clean the beard area, which traps food and moisture. Channel the high energy into terrier sports, obedience, or earthdog work, and start socialization with other dogs early.
