Ask Curry! - March 8, 2010

Meet jet-setting show dog Curry, Paw Nation's newest advice columnist. In between competing at the top dog shows, Curry finds time to answer the questions all dogs long to ask. From grooming advice (Curry just won Best in Breed at Westminster, so she knows a thing or two about looking gorgeous) to tips on getting along with the craziest of canines (she lives in Manhattan so she has to make friends with the many other dogs on the block), this 3-year-old Glen of Imaal terrier has all the answers to your crucial canine queries.

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Like you, I'm proud to be from Ireland and have big plans for St. Patrick's Day. What about you? I would also love to meet some of the other terriers from the great Emerald and Isle – what do you know about them?
-- Polly. a 5-year old Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

Hi Polly,

I am planning on going to see the parade in NYC to celebrate the great day. My daddy brings out my special green leash, which is a huge improvement from the Leprechaun outfit he once tried to squeeze me into.

But getting back to your question, nine dog breeds were developed in Ireland to hunt and retrieve birds, herd sheep, track down fox and badger, turn the spit on the fire, rid the farm of vermin and keep the bed warm at night. These include the Irish Wolfhound and the Irish Setter -- but let's be honest, you and I only, really care about the terriers. They are:

The Glen of Imaal Terrier
This is me. Glen of Imaal Terriers are rough-and-ready working terriers -- big dogs on short legs that were originally bred to rid the home of vermin and rotate the turnspit over the hearth. (To this day, we are all excellent cooks.)

The Kerry Blue Terrier.
Originally bred to hunt and retrieve, the Kerry Blue's trademark soft wavy coat looks like velvet. They have a typical terrier personality and are true hunters -- so cats beware!

The Irish Terrier
Known for their fire red coats that are short and wiry, the Irish Terrier is one of the oldest terrier breeds known. If you ever find yourself at a museum, look at the dogs in the old pictures. Bet some of them look like Irish Terriers!

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Any dog that is named after the coat it is wearing is definitely something out of the ordinary -- which is exactly the case with a Soft-Coated Wheaten. Polly, you already know of course, but my other fans will be interested to learn that these elegant and friendly dogs sport a soft, warm, wheaten colored coat with a texture that is so silky they should be in ads for hair product.

Clearly, all of us Irish terriers are gorgeous -- even if we've earned our reputation for being a wee bit stubborn. But one thing is sure, if you're lucky enough to live with one of us, I think you will agree it's better than finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow!

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Ask Curry your questions by e-mailing her at curry@pawnation.com.

Tags: ask curry, AskCurry, curry, dog breeds, DogBreeds, irish dog breed, irish terriers, IrishDogBreed, IrishTerriers, St. Patricks Day, St.PatricksDay