Our Breeding Practices
We like our girls to have attained at least their conformation championship before they are bred
The reason for this is to ensure we are only breeding quality hounds that adhere to the standard. That is not to say the system is not flawed but for now it is the only subjective evaluation system we have. Our girls are always owner handled so that we can say they finished on their own merit.
Our hounds are x-rayed and we like them to have a hip rating of good or excellent before they are bred
Hip and elbow displaysia do exist in this breed and need to be screened for
Our hounds are heart checked before they are bred
heart problems are one of the biggest killers of Irish Wolfhounds
We will not use a male before his second birthday
this allows for at least a minimal amount of maturity before the hound is used and OFA will not certify hips before this age
We try to breed carefully for depth of quality. Hounds with sound minds and bodies. Intelligent loyal hounds that are a pleasure to live with and a pleasure to watch perform. We strive for hounds that are athletic and have good sense of self. That means they are not for everyone. If you are not in charge then they are perfectly willing to take over. If you work, you can not leave them confined and alone and expect them to not do damage to your home. They were bred to be able to hunt all day they need exercise and fresh air. For comparison's sake imagine spending 8-10 hours a day 5 days a week locked in your bathroom with nothing to do. They are not solitary creatures.
We sell all of our puppies with contracts. Everyone is expected to keep in touch and let us know how the hound is doing into it's old age. If for ANY reason you find your self unable to care for one of our hounds then it is to come back to us. All companions are sold with a limited registration and a spay/neuter clause in their contracts. All puppies are seen by a Veterinarian at least 3 times before they leave, to insure they are in good health.