Kerry Blue Terrier puppies

About the Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier is an Irish farm dog from County Kerry that turned their hand to vermin, herding and guarding, and they still have a bit of all three in them. They stand 44 to 50 cm and weigh 15 to 18.1 kg, with a soft wavy coat that puppies are born black in and that clears to blue grey over the first year or two. The character is classic working terrier: confident, busy, comic at home, and ready to argue with strange dogs, which is why their rating for other pets is low.

The coat barely sheds, which means it mats instead, so plan on a thorough brush and comb once a week and a full groom every six to eight weeks. Exercise is a mix of running and thinking, and terrier sports such as barn hunt and obedience suit them well. Barking is above average. They rate fairly well with children, always with supervision and early socialisation. Get a groomer lined up early, or you may end up paying to have a matted coat clipped off and starting again.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Kerry Blue Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, screened by x-ray evaluation, a test the national breed club recommends
• Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation, also recommended by the club
• Progressive neuronal abiotrophy, a fatal neurological disease detectable by DNA test
• Factor XI deficiency, an inherited clotting disorder detectable by DNA test
• Skin cysts and spiculosis, found by a vet examining the skin and coat
• Ear infections under the hairy drop ear, found by regular ear checks

Your Kerry Blue Terrier puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Kerry Blue Terrier.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15 to 18.1 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 30 inch (30 x 20 x 23 in, 76 x 51 x 58 cm) for an adult of up to 18.1 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Kerry Blue Terrier

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Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Kerry Blue Terrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/kerry-blue-terrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Peter Kumpert, Germany, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.