Because of the Irish Wolfhound’s reputation as a kind and loyal pet – which earned us the nickname “gentle giant” – as well as a fierce and courageous hunter, we’ve been the subject of many Irish legends and folklore. The story of Gelert the Faithful Hound is a famous example, but our legend isn’t confined to Ireland. (Even the Spanish poet Lope de Vega wrote a sonnet about us!)

For centuries, the Irish Wolfhound has fascinated people across the globe – and for good reason! Many male Irish Wolfhounds grow to almost three feet in height, making us the tallest dog breed in the world. We’re sighthounds, too, a title we share with Greyhounds, Borzois, Scottish Deerhounds, and more! Cú Faoils (our Celtic name) were created when large British dogs were bred with Middle Eastern coursing hounds. In no time, our great size proved to make us furbulous hunting dogs. No one wanted to mess with us! In 391, the Roman Consul Quintus Aurelius Symmachus was given seven Irish Wolfhounds, and he famously wrote that “all of Rome viewed them in wonder.” Fast forward a millennium or so to 15th-century Ireland. At the time, the country was overrun with wolves. It was our job to take these scary creatures down – and that we did, which is how we got the name Wolfhound! By the late 1700s, big game like wolves and Irish elk were extinct on the island – and we almost were, too. Our giant