The Wolfhounds are just so gorgeous, you have me so interested in them. I always read everything you post about them! I know its a far off dream, but I would love to have one someday, they are incredible.

How do they tend to do in things like rally obedience or agility? Not in terms of "winning" so much as do they enjoy that kind of thing?

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-Valerie

Lets see how do I explain this .... my goldens have fun.. my flat coats are fun silly funny dogs...I absolutely adore them... they make me smile and they will do anything I ask... but she is different ... Natalie gets it... she understands things on a different level. She looks right into your soul and you know that she understands the world. She is part of the earth and so serene. She looks you directly in the eye with such understanding it makes you ache. She is joyous... like in the video of the dog in the commercial you can see the smile on him when he is on his back and that is a wolfhound smile... they all do it, its a joy that my other dogs don't express in the same way. She is noble and serene and intelligent and they get into your soul... I love all of my dogs to death... but there are many days when I am at the University that I just can't wait to get home and be with Natalie... just be... it's so hard to explain.

As far as doing stuff....

Wolfhounds are a sighthound so a coursing breed... Natalie loves to chase but many have had that instinct bred out... some hounds are never able to be off lead in an unfenced area Natalie is so attached to me that she will stay with me at all times but you have to be careful.

She is ready for rally and her beginner novice... long sits are hard for wolfhounds because of their curved spines... they prefer to lay down or stand but sitting is not the most comfortable position for them. We will get there... you don't see alot of wolfhounds in performance venues because they are not the easiest to train and even natalie.. she is different than the goldens or the flats... she is not in it for you... she is in it for natalie (again a bit smarter) and if she does it once and doesn't get the treat... and she does it twice and doesn't get the treat.. she walks away.. she won't even bother to try it again and getting her back is tough and she is one of the more biddable hounds. She is a hound and they are different... she does enjoy it as long as there is something in it for her

I had her entered for rally and obedience about 6 weeks ago and she decided she wasn't going to sit on the floor mats and that was it... done deal... we are going to try outside this spring as we do most of our practicing out there ... we shall see... she has made me a better trainer. I do not do agiity I am not personally agile enough and I don't want her having to crawl through tunnels and pounding on joints doing that so we don't ... but yes they can.

She is not an in your face dog... she wants to be with her people and the rest of the world she doesn't care about... if they want to pet her thats fine with her... and if they don't pet her thats fine with her to... she loves her people. When I tell her no... she listens... she doesn't try it again in ten minutes to see if I have changed my mind. She doesn't pull on her leash... never has... I didn't have to train her not to pull... she just doesn't... she is the easiest dog in my house...

as for age I also have trouble with the question ... especially when it is not followed or preceded by a ... gee she is cute or pretty or whatever... just a how long do they live? to me that is the least important thing about having a wolfhound... do they live as long typically as a golden... NO they are a giant breed... but it doesn't matter how long a dog lives it will never be long enough... some wolfhounds die at 6... some goldens die at 6 ... some wolfhounds live to be 11 ... more and more wolfhounds are living to be 9 and 10
but I would rather have 6 years with Natalie than be without her ... the darned dog totally has my heart...

I stalked the wolfhounds for years... and when I finally got on a list for her all the wolfhound people said that once I had a wolfhound that would be it... and I honestly didn't believe them... I adore my goldens (the wolfhound people thought that goldens were to high energy) and my flat coats (talk about high energy) but they said that wolfhounds were different... and they are right... there is something about that scruffy face and the joy....

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Shalva and the Milbrose Retrievers and Irish Wolfhound
Milbrose Retrievers and Irish Wolfhounds

Exactly! And that's the reason that I never understood the basis behind the question when it was asked about my Danes. What does it matter how long their life spans are...it's never enough anyway, so what's the point?

Now, the saddle question/comment...that one I get.

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Karen, Chance, Lucy and Savanah RB



“Everyone needs a dog to adore him, and a cat to bring him back to reality”

The point? To learn. To become knowledgable. I wanted to know the same when I was researching goldens.

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I understand the research aspect of it, it's just that I, personally, wouldn't ask an owner what their pet's life span is supposed to be. I would definitely ask a breeder what the longevity is of their lines. But...everyone's different in what questions they feel are okay to ask, and everyone's different in what questions they want to answer.

And for the record, I have never been asked how long my Golden will live or how long my Terrier mix will live, but almost everyone had a comment or a question on my Dane's life span.

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Karen, Chance, Lucy and Savanah RB



“Everyone needs a dog to adore him, and a cat to bring him back to reality”

Think people ask questions of our breeds to honestly keep a conversation up and going. Nothing intended, just to be friendly and question the breed. I am bombarded with questions because my goldens are very light and no one has seen a light colored golden before. I didn't pick their colors but use this always asked question as time to explain all the colors the goldens can come in. Feel it is the same for any question people ask, they ask to be friendly and keep a conversation going. No harm.

I have always been facinated with Natalie and her breed. I saw a short film in college a zillion years ago where a naturalist and her dog (wolfhound) did research in the mountains outside of Romania. The young woman had the dog from a young pup and the dog was so in tune to every move of the Dr. The hills, rocks, the whole landscape was surreal. They moved almost as one. Gave me a facination with the breed I still have. I read every post I see on Nat and the crew.

Finally got my chance to put my hands on one at an Int'l show in Okla a few yrs ago. Male who was 4 yrs and they are much bigger than I had in my mind. He made you smile with his goofy hairs sticking out and he had the cute face of a pup. Coat was harder to the touch than I guessed, and he only had eyes for his Momma! I moved my chair closer so I could watch him the whole day. Really was a special show for us getting to see that great boy. What grabbed me was that he looked like a messy little boy (though he was groomed well and brushed) it was all the mixed colors, the crazy loving hairs sticking out on his face...you just wanted to grab that face and plant a kiss on his head! Remarkable breed, and I feel honored I was finally able to see a real live one. Beautiful, loyal and goofy..who could ask for more?

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Oh gosh the saddle question.... "so ya got a saddle for that thing"
at ths point I just smile... sometimes I say "gosh nobody has ever asked me that before" and laugh...

Deber: I took Natalie to a show a couple weeks past and we were hanging out with the flat coat folks and they all commented on her hard coat... which surprised me cause she feels soft to me... but I am used to her... for that matter she honestly does't even look that big to me anymore... until one of the goldens walks under her... and she is very much like the dog you met... totally in tune with me... it is amazing and a very different kind of connection.

and here is my issue with the age thing... I get asked that all the time... ALL the time... lots of folks will meet her and say things like "dream dog" or whatever but they are afraid of the longevity. I was to and thats why i waited so long to get a hound BUT they are always precipitated by

wow isn't she cool how long do they live
pretty dog how long do they live
wow big dog how long do they live....

NEVER on its own.... NEVER just a

So how long do they live.... no niceties, no nothing just

So how long do they live... i mean honestly why bother... go google... if you can't think or don't want to say anything nice about her then go to google.

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Shalva and the Milbrose Retrievers and Irish Wolfhound
Milbrose Retrievers and Irish Wolfhounds

I think it is a natural question to ask,about life span, like how much do they eat? Just basic questions.

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WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE BECOMES A MEMORY,THE MEMORIES BECOME TREASURES,OF THE HEART.

It's just a statistic not a personal attack. To each his own.


I got it. You took it the wrong way. I did google it.


It is. And I would think a dog forum is where you could ask such a question without sarcasm. Apparantly not.

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Same old same old

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