Some folks have asked to see baby pictures of the hound...
These two are from her first weekend home... she was 33 lbs as I recall, the flat coat she is harassing is my Meir (they are still best friends) and he is about 63 lbs





She is 7 weeks in this picture.....

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

Wow! Irish Wolfhounds sure are huge no matter what age they are! Natalie's a cutie.

wow just adorable! When they're born do they already have long legs? it seems like it would take more than 7 weeks for legs to grow that long.

Love the first pic, it looks like Natalie was already in charge

__________________

As very young babies they don't seem that much different from regular golden pups or any others... by 7 weeks the breeders start talking about "air" and how much air is under them... so they look for the long legs and the look of the space under them... by 11 weeks or so they start looking like deer... and will actually fall over their rear legs... I watched a four month old owned by a friend of mine in a match and he tripped himself over his rear legs.. they just don't know what to do with them at that age ....

she is about 11 weeks here


and 5 mos. here

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

Love her, she looks like such a gentle soul!

__________________
I Brew

I have to say I am totally smitten.... I wish I hadnt been so afraid of the longevity years ago but I honestly cant imagine not having a wolfhound ever again. She is so different from my retrievers and so soulful... its a very different relationship... I absolutely adore her in a very different way.

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

She is absolutely adorable! How are they related to goldens in training? You mention longevity I am assuming based on their size to be about half the GRs.
Spank me, I showed the pics to my daughter!

Love the pics! I think I mentioned before I do not remember my neighbors when I was 6 but have a vivid memory of the Irish Wolfhound because he ran me over as a little kid while running and playing with our standard poodle.

I get the impression the breed is more popular in the North East than other parts of the country.

Thanks for posting... I don't remember seeing some of those before... she is really amazing. How I would love to meet her. I love the one of her slouching up against the door, it does look like she is all legs and doesn't know quite what to do with herself. Your household must be never a dull moment

__________________

Ellie and Mack

Training is very very different than a retriever.... Wolfhounds do very little "for you" it is all about them and what is in it for them ... they also won't continue to TRY if they aren't getting anywhere so shaping behaviors wil treats often is important... I was thrying to get natalie to do the Rally 3 fronts where you do the front then take a step back and do another and then take two steps back and do another and the finally 3 steps back and do another and for for the longest time I couldn't get her to do the third front... she would do the first enthusiastically... and then the second (less enthusiastically) but if I didn't give her a treat for doing the two she would basically look at me with annoyance and walk off. Two behaviors without a treat seems to be her limit and then all you see is the butt end of a wolfhound walking away. She is not as eager to please a golden will do something over and over and over again just to make you happy... not a wolfhound. She has the attention span of a carrot and if she sees something in the distance you are totally done... She has made me a better trainer ... I do have a wolfhound that I can call back (many don't) and she is ready for the obedience ring and rally rings... which has been a challenge and I know that we won't get leg after leg after leg and it will take us some time unlike my retrievers who once they are ready bam bam bam done... but thats ok... there are so few wolfhounds in the ring ... it will be nice to show folks that they aren't just big ole lugs

longevity, well they area giant breed... some will die at 6.... many are living to 9... and some are living to 11. Osteosarcoma and heart problems are the biggest issue, bloat and torsion run in lines but is always a risk... with improved medical care comes improved longevity. Natalie has more comprehensive insurance than the other dogs.... she also has prescription coverage that the other dogs don't have. But here is the thing... dogs don't live long enough... none of them live long enough and it doesn't matter how long they live it is not long enough... I would rather have 9 years with a wolfhound than 17 years with a toy poodle (no offense to poodle lovers)

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