Kerry Blue Terrier Breed Profile

Description

The typical Kerry Blue Terrier should be upstanding well knit and in good balance, showing a well-developed and muscular body with definite terrier style and character throughout. Correct coat and color are important.á A low-slung Kerry is not typical.

Coloring

The correct mature color is any shade of blue gray or gray blue from the deep slate to light blue gray.

Temperament

Vivacious and playful, determined and alert, boisterous and unrepressed, this dog has a way about it that makes people laugh and have fun. They enjoy roughhousing.

Origin

The Kerry Blue Terrier, also known as the Irish Blue Terrier, found its origins around the 18th century in County Kerry, Ireland. Their ancestry is somewhat cloudy, although it is thought that the Portuguese Water Dog, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, and Irish Wolfhounds may have contributed to the breedÆs bloodline. The Kerry Blue Terrier has been used for hundreds of years as an all-around hunting, retrieving, and herding breed, capable of fulfilling the various needs of the Irish farmer.

Care Level

Easy