Glen of Imaal Terrier: characteristics of the dog breed, photo, character, rules of care and maintenance

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One variety of terrier is the Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier, bred in the Irish Wicklow Mountains as a working breed for hunting foxes and baiting badgers.

Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier

Origin story

The history of the Glen of Imaal Terrier dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, when, as a reward for service to the British Crown, many retired soldiers were given land in the remote mountain valley of Imaal, County Wicklow, Ireland. From local and military soldiers, a new type of small, but very strong and durable dogs was formed, capable of doing hard work. For hours they ran along the conveyor belt and set in motion such working machines as butter churns and straw cutters. In addition, they fought pests, periodically went hunting for burrowing animals (badger, fox), and on weekends they took part in fights with other dogs. Some engravings depict dogs turning a spit of meat over a fire using a large wheel suspended from the ceiling. There is an opinion that Glens were also used for these purposes, but it cannot be said reliably, since the dogs depicted in the paintings are very different from typical representatives of the breed.

Ireland gave the world four terriers: the Wheaten, the Irish, the Kerry Blue and the Glen of Imaal. The latter is the rarest even in its homeland.

Centuries of hard work have molded Glen into the tough, strong dog he is today. The Glen of Imaal Terrier began appearing at exhibitions in the mid-19th century. The breed was recognized by the Irish Kennel Club in 1934, and by the International Canine Federation in 1975 under the name Glen of Imaal Terrier.

Appearance

The Glen of Imaal Terrier is a very robust medium-sized dog that gives the impression of great strength and endurance. Squat, somewhat elongated, with moderately long, coarse hair. Sexual dimorphism is well expressed. The average height at the withers is 35 cm, weight is about 16 kg.

An interesting feature of the breed is the ability to “sit”, holding its body upright (like the Glen of Imaal Terrier in the first photo). The skull is of good length and width. The stop is well expressed. The muzzle tapers slightly towards the lobe and is powerful. The nose is black. The jaws are strong. The teeth are strong and of good size. Scissor bite. The eyes are medium in size, set wide apart, round, brown in color. The ears are hanging on cartilage or semi-erect, small, and laid back when at rest.

The neck is of moderate length, very strong and muscular. The body is long and flexible. The topline is straight and horizontal. The lower back is strong. The chest is massive, wide, the ribs are rounded. The tail is thick at the base, set high, docked at half the length in countries where this is not prohibited. The legs are short, strong, with good bones, somewhat curved. Hindquarters with well-developed muscles. Paws are strong, compact, rounded pads.

The coat is hard and of medium length. The undercoat is soft. There can be several colors:

Blue;
Brindle (should not turn into black);
Wheat in different shades (from very light to golden reddish).

Puppies usually have a standard color (brindle, blue, wheaten or reddish), but there is often an ink mask and darkening on certain areas of the body (along the back, on the tail, ears), which fade with age.

Character and behavior

Glen of Imaal Terrier is active, very hardy and agile. In everything he does, there is irrepressible energy, and there is strength and courage in his character. He becomes strongly attached to close people. Affectionate and obedient with family members. Not as easily excitable as other terriers, but ready to chase at any opportunity.

Glen of Imaal barks very little. If many other terriers valued the ability to communicate about everything, then when breeding Glens, preference was given to silence. Even when hunting, when entering a hole, the dog does not bark, so as not to scare away the prey. Because of this, he was often excluded from various trials and competitions organized by hunting clubs in the past. You can hear Glen's voice when the dog is on guard duty or is very excited about something. Interestingly, his bark is very deep, like a larger dog. The Glen of Imaal Terrier is a vigilant watchman, usually not aggressive towards strangers, but always distrustful. When provoked, he may snap back.

The Glen of Imaal Terrier is strong enough to single-handedly cope with a large badger, grab it and pull it out of the hole. When working, he usually does not speak, so it is difficult for the hunter to locate the dog and dig it up if necessary.

Relationships with other pets develop differently. Much depends on the individual dog's personality and socialization. They say about Glen that he won't start a fight, but he will most likely end it. However, most of these terriers live in the company of other dogs and are accustomed to living peacefully with cats, especially if they were raised with them.

Sometimes the Glen of Imaal Terrier can be overly stubborn and independent. He is always very inquisitive, requires a lot of attention and loves to work with his owner. He will support any idea, the main thing is not to lie on the couch doing nothing for days on end. Sometimes you may appear unreasonable in your actions. Some dogs have fun running in circles. In fact, the Glen is quite smart and not difficult to train.

The modern Glen of Imaal Terrier is obedient and affectionate. Well established as a family dog and companion. But it is worth considering that to varying degrees he retains hunting instincts, a dislike for rodents and a desire to always be on the job.

In general, he gets along well with children. Children can be knocked down while playing, and older children will not always be able to keep him on a leash. There is usually no question of obeying anyone other than the owner.

Character of the breed

The working Glen Terrier is a very energetic and “sticky” (that is, tenaciously holding the animal) hunting dog, fearless and hardy, both in pursuit and in a fight with a fox or badger. He has a stable psyche and remarkable innate hunting instincts.

The Irish Glen, unlike other similar terriers, is considered a fairly quiet dog, rarely accompanying its pursuit of game with barking. Even when in a hole underground, it quite rarely indicates its location (unlike the same loud-voiced dachshund). The Glen Terrier's bark also sets it apart from the general chorus of terriers. His voice, despite its small size, resembles the deep barking of a very large dog.

The Glen of Imaal Terrier has phenomenal endurance and good adaptation to difficult weather conditions. He is unpretentious in his maintenance and unpretentious in his diet, and can live on the bare minimum for a long time, which makes him a very convenient dog for a hunter.

Like the vast majority of terriers, the Glen has a somewhat obstinate independent character, which does not allow a person with a gentle heart and a gentle character to have such a dog. However, if the owner manages to pick up the keys to the soul of this obstinate dog, then he will be devoted and obedient like no other dog. The Irish Terrier knows how to appreciate a kind attitude, and is inclined to pay in kind.

This dog is quite jealous and biased towards strangers, and even more so other dogs, believing that they are all trying to claim the love of his owner. Pugnacious and cocky, which requires constant attention, control and timely socialization from the owner. The terrier also treats other animals with suspicion, and simply cannot stand rodents, exterminating them everywhere he can get.

In general, there are now few real working terriers left, and show dogs no longer show not only hunting talents, but are much more balanced and manageable, having lost some of their harmfulness and obstinacy along with their working qualities. These pets are playful, playful and affectionate. They are friendly to other animals, not seeing them as game or rivals.

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However, the training of this breed must be done under the guidance of an experienced dog handler who knows how to properly direct the activity of a cocky but intelligent dog. Yes, smart, and capable, surprisingly quickly, of mastering not only standard commands, but also complex tricks. It is also advisable to conduct training to acquire hunting skills under the guidance of a knowledgeable hunter who understands the intricacies of burrow hunting and the peculiarities of training a real burrow dog.

The Glen of Imaal Terrier is almost unknown outside of its homeland, although it has a centuries-old history. At one time they were even used as fighting dogs due to the fact that they were bred to be very vicious. The Kennel Club in its homeland officially recognized the Glen of Imaal Terrier only in 1934, the British agreed with the presence of the Glen as a separate breed only in 1975, and American dog handlers recognized the Glen of Imaal Terrier only in 2004.

Serious in character and balanced in disposition, Imaal can become a pet, since the surrounding society is important for this breed. He perfectly understands the mood of his owner and does not bother him at all if the latter is busy with business, but is always ready to respond to an offer to play. When living in your own home or at the Glen of Imaal dacha, terriers can become excellent helpers in the fight against rodents.

As a rule, the Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier is an obedient dog, only occasionally one can observe aggressive notes in his behavior caused by provocation from his environment. The pet's sense of hunter is highly developed, so he can perceive all the small animals that live in the apartment with him as prey.

If you take him hunting with you, you will be surprised by his calmness and composure, as well as endurance and stamina. He copes with the task perfectly, thanks to the ability to move quickly and at the same time silently.

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Quite good-natured Irish Glen gets along with children. When living together with other dog breeds in the same space, you may encounter the fact that the Glen of Imaal Terrier will try to dominate, which can be easily corrected with the help of socialization classes and obedience training.

The Irish Glen of Immal is an energetic, courageous, patient and loyal dog. Soft and gentle in the family, but energetic and persistent in the hunt. He is sensitive to his owner's tone of voice and will not obey if he feels he is stronger than his owner, however he also does not respond to harsh discipline.

These dogs are loyal to other pets. Playful and good with children. The helen should not be left alone with small animals due to its hunting instincts. You need to be especially careful with animals such as hamsters, rabbits and mice. With the right human guidance, they can get along well with other dogs.

Glens require their coats to be trimmed twice a year. The under tail should be cut with scissors as needed. Ear hair should be trimmed regularly and hair between the toes should also be removed. The Glens are eager to learn. They love to dig and chase. These dogs will bark if they detect danger, but rarely bark without a reason.

Content Features

The Glen of Imaal Terrier is not picky about living conditions. By its origin and purpose, it is a working dog, which is accustomed to living in the yard and making sure that the boundaries of the territory are not violated by enemies, neighbor's cats, other people's dogs or harmful rodents. Today, Glen is increasingly being taken to live in a house or apartment, and he doesn’t mind at all, just to go for walks more often. At home, an adult dog behaves relatively calmly. At a young age, he will most likely destroy a pair of slippers.

It is only worth noting that high protein diets are not recommended for glens after one year of age.

Moderate physical activity is needed. A daily walk of 30-40 minutes will allow you to throw out accumulated energy. The dog will be very happy with long hikes and trips into nature, but he will not be delighted with jogging; short legs are not suitable for this. Glens rarely make good swimmers, but many dogs love to catch frogs near the shore.

Care

Glen of Imaal does not require complex care. It is recommended to brush the coat weekly with a comb or a comb; then shedding will be almost invisible. The neck, back, tail and ears are trimmed every 6-9 months to give a more neat appearance. Trimming show dogs is somewhat more labor-intensive and regular. Other hygiene procedures include: cleaning ears and teeth, trimming nails.

Maintenance and care

The dog can easily tolerate the cold, but in hot summer weather it should be kept in a cool room.

Also in the summer, it is necessary to trim your pet's fur and provide him with frequent water treatments so that he feels comfortable. During bathing, you need to carefully monitor the dog and not allow it to swim into the depths, since short legs and a heavy, disproportionate body do not allow the Glen of Imaal Terrier to swim tirelessly for a long time. Swimming in an inflatable children's pool will bring pleasure to the dog and will not make the owners worry and put the pet at risk.

Since the Glen of Imaal naturally loves to dig, explore and hunt, a small fence around the yard will not be a hindrance for him.

To prevent escape, the dog should be kept in secure and confined spaces and taken on long, strenuous walks on a leash.

Keeping the Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier does not have any difficult features. He easily tolerates the conditions of an apartment, but in a private house with free space for a party he will be better off than within four walls. The pet is in fairly good health and has very few diseases to which the terrier is predisposed. Among the usual rules for keeping Glens are:

regular ear cleaning and removal of excess hair,
periodic combing of fur,
maintaining a cool air temperature in the hot season and trimming the coat to avoid overheating of the animal,
long walks, preferably on a leash, although with a less active owner the terrier can feel quite good without proper activity,
water procedures no more than once a quarter or in exceptional cases as urgently necessary.

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The Irish dog is a lover of food, so you need to moderate his appetite in time and reduce the amount of food consumed, otherwise it will be quite difficult for short legs to hold a long body with excess weight. Due to excess weight, the terrier may develop problems with the heart and joints.

The Irish Imaal eats almost anything, so feeding him is a pleasure. Dog breeders advise giving him chunky meat rather than minced meat, since the latter is difficult to digest. Like other breeds, Glen's diet should include cereals, vegetable oils, vitamin-rich greens, offal, and fish.

Health and life expectancy

The Glen of Imaal Terrier is one of the healthy breeds. Life expectancy is 13-15 years.

Not all, but most dogs have good health, endurance, high adaptability and do not suffer from hereditary diseases, of which there are several in the breed:

Progressive retinal atrophy;
Heart disease (aortic stenosis);
Allergy
Hip dysplasia;
Elbow dysplasia;
A common dermatological problem for many Glens is itching, sores and redness on the paws during wet weather.
Young dogs are susceptible to epiphyseal plate injury, which can severely affect forelimb bone development later in life. Therefore, at a young age, Glen is recommended to avoid jumping from beds, chairs, and sofas (at least until he is a year old).

Basic facts about the breed

Popularity #200 of 243 Dog Breeds.

The Glen Imaal Terrier breed is also widely known as the Irish Glen Imaal Terrier, Wicklow Terrier, Glen, Glenny.

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Choosing a Glen of Imaal Terrier puppy

Buying a Glen of Imaal Terrier puppy close to home will most likely be problematic. There are no nurseries in Russia. There are individual representatives of the breed, which owners sometimes breed to sell puppies, but it is very rare to come across such advertisements. There are large nurseries in Finland and of course in Ireland. You can find information about breeders in Poland on the Internet, but it has not been updated for a long time.

Price

In UK kennels the average cost of a Glen of Imaal Terrier puppy is £1,200. In Europe it usually fluctuates around 800-1200 euros.