Wendy & Chris Sanderson - 0114 264 6311 - looking for two Irish Wolfhound puppies - Brothers.

Hi Wendy & Chris. Try these numbers:

IRISH WOLFHOUND SOCIETY. Sec. Mrs E Murray. Tel No: 01302 722166
IRISH WOLFHOUND CLUB. Sec. Mr D Malley. Tel No: 01704 822779

You could also ring the Kennel Club and get the Irish Wolfhound Puppy List, but imo you'd be better going through one of the clubs.

Alternatively if you want to e-mail me, I know of a few upcoming litters, and I'm sure that Phillipa and Nicky will reply later and will know of more.

Wolfhounds do well in pairs and don't seem to bond with each other instead of their owners to the same degree as some breeds. So if you have had wolfies in the past, two brothers should be fine. But if you haven't, think hard about taking on two at once, because bringing up a wolfhound pup has its own worries and problems, and can be quite different to raising smaller breeds.

Hi guest, Oooo dear me, you are asking a lot!! Its very unlikely that a reputable breeder will sell you two litter brothers or sisters for that matter, UNLESS you are very experienced in the breed. As Sharon so rightly says rearing one wolfhound puppy straight and strong and well balanced is not an easy task.Part of the problem with Wolfhound pups is the restricted exercise they must have in their early days, so unless you have kennel accomadation, two babies together will run their little white socks off. Also two brothers are likely to try and decide who is the alpha dog as they mature. Gentle as they are Wolfhounds are still dogs. so unless you can watch them all the time, you may come home to find there has been a bad fight. The same apllies to bitches. If you are set on having two ( and I dont blame you :) ) I would suggest you have one now, and one in about a years time, so there is no question as to who will be boss. Hope this helps a bit. It is essential that you start off with a properly reared, weaned and healthy pup. If I can helpyou at all in your search to find a good breeder, you can e mail me on
sighthounds@hotmail.com

Hi Phil, interested to see that you come down so firmly against two siblings. I was extrapolating from deerhounds, where as long as you know what you're doing, in some ways two are better than one. With deerhounds, I don't worry too much about them running each other's little white socks off, though I do limit the time they get to do it in. In fact I'm far more cautious about a puppy with an adolescent, because the adolescent is still keen to play hard and fast, but is big and mature enough to be an immoveable object if they run into each other. I know of a couple of cases where 6-9 month deerhound pups have got badly broken in completely accidental collisions with youngsters about a year older. But then Lewis wolfhound might not have had the problems he's had if he hadn't been with his brother :-(.

With deerhounds, I also worry more about the young fella feeling his hormones having a run in with a fully mature male than I do about two males of the same age sorting out the pecking order. That said, I don't worry all that much in either situation. Touch wood, the only real male/male fight I've had was my own fault. (Years ago we kept an adult male called Gelert for 10 months while his adoring owner sorted out some problems. After a couple of weeks all was well, and I stupidly assumed that Gelert had been fully accepted into the pack. But then the ladies came into season, and a few days after that Buchan, the then alpha male, and Gelert had a real go at each other. The result was a draw: Gelert lost a canine tooth and some skin, while the tooth was found embedded in Buchan's leg over a hairline fracture - but before the blood had dried they were best of friends again, and so they remained for the rest of the time Gelert was with us.)

Nor do I worry about deerhound females of the same age fighting. OK I recently had the sisters who hate each other, but when whatever went wrong between them started they were both mature and had already found their places in the pack. And I've heard of many ongoing spite fights between females of different ages who had previously been friends. Sometimes you get a dominant little monster like Teelin or Corrib and by the time they are 3 months old, you know that they are going to be pack leader one day. But in my experience, a bitch like that quietly eases her way into the top job - just as Teelin is doing now :-) - with no obvious opposition.

So while I wouldn't sell deerhound siblings to a first time deerhound owner, I'd be happy enough if they had some experience with the breed. But if the owner of a one year old deerhound wanted a pup, I'd strongly recommend them to wait for another year or so until the older dog had settled down a bit, and unless they were experienced multiple deerhound owners, I probably wouldn't let them have a pup of mine.

PS sorry for the long off-topic ramble - was just thinking aloud again :-).

PPS ROLL ON MID JUNE! :D :D.

Hi sharon, I like your ramblings, we ramble so well together!! lol
As I said if these prospective owners are used to the problems of giant breed rearing, I MIGHT give in, but it does depend on so many things. ie
amount of time the owner is at home, how sensible they are, how much dog experience they have, if they have had giant before, come to that if they have had Wolfhounds before. A s you know only too well, Wolfhounds are the gentlest of dogs, but when they do go, boy!! not a nice thing to see, and its not like trying to seperate two litle uns. Only ever had it once, never ever want to have it again. Perhaphs its me, Mrs.over cautious, probably is!!
Dagmar came down today, and we made arrangements for the mating, hurray,will keep you informed.

Hi Mrs Cautious :-). Thanks for all the pics. Cai looks like a lovely little furry toy sitting at Star's feet :-). Sorry I haven't got any sorted for you yet. It was a bit of a gunk having to get Lewis' other shoulder operated on after being so confident that we were going to get away without more surgery. I was sorry to have to cancel the planned trip down to see his breeders this weekend too. So it's cheered me up to hear that things are progressing at your end - wield that ovulation detector with care :-)

Oh sharon, Im so sorry about Lewis, I didnt know he was due to have the other shoulder done!! When was this?
This time Star is going to be swabbed to make sure she isnt carrying any sort of infection. I have no reason to think that she is, but after last time I am going to cover all eventualities!! Also vitamin e will be in use :) Kai is so very bright after the Wolfies (sorry Star)) At nine weeks of age he has learnt to sit, down, and has started doing proper obedience finishes, what a little man he is!! Could get mega addicted to these, without a doubt. I bet you are dissapointed at not being able to go down to Wales.:( Please give Lewis a big hug and kiss from Auntie Phil.Bye the way, tried the ovulation detector last time. Cant really advise anyone on how good they are, Star gave me the following message.......Mum, the real thing is fine, but that>>? You must be joking lol

Hi Phil, Lewis wasn't due to have the other shoulder done until he had a little adventure on top of the ferret count just after the last time we talked on the phone. Then he started limping just a wee bit on the left fore. The orthopaedic vet said I could try resting him again, but was able to demonstrate that his left shoulder was less well muscled than the right operated one. So he had another great big flap removed late on Thursday, and I got him back today. Hugs from Auntie Phil have been given :-)

I've no idea how good ovulation detectors are as the only time I've tested I used vaginal cytology done by the vet. That or getting the vet to check blood progesterone levels might be an option as Star dislikes the detector?

Of course Cai isn't brighter than my mate Star. He just has some of those dimbo "Please, please, give me an order now. Please ..." working breeds in his genes :D. Star is simply to clever to fall for that sort of repetitive nonsense!

Hi sharon, dimbo response indeed!!! lol Hes as bright as a button, and will probably finish up too clever for his own good. Tell you something though, when you meet him you will certainly want one :):)
Of course you are soooooo right about Star, she does what she likes when she likes, but never anything really naughty, now that IS a clever dog.
The ovulation detector has a kind of thin metal rod on one end which you are supposed to insert into the bitch. Star took great exception to this, and told me in no uncertain terms......the real thing, yes mum fine, but that? What do you think you are doing? So it will be vets tests this time for sure.
Poor Lewis really has been through it, but at least its all done now and he soon will be as good as new. More hugs and kisses for him please.
More piccies on the way later.

Hi All
Sorry I'm a bit behind you all but haven't been online for a while.
Well, what can I say except that I totally agree with everything said already by Sharon & Phillipa. I would endorse Phil's idea of having two in stages then you would be able to dedicate time to rearing each one well. Talking of the KC puppy register I've actually checked it out and there is only one litter reg'd at the mo, in Cullompton Devon by a breeder I've not heard of. Sorry I can't be more enthusiastic about having two pup's together guest.
Nicky

Hi Trevor, I heard this week that there are loads of litters about, in fact one lady has a litter of 11 x nine week old pups still unsold. Obviously some breeders havnt got around to registering them yet. What a worry that must be to have all those pups to run on!!

Hi Phillipa
Goodness, 11! Bit worrying if they are all still unsold at 9 weeks. But there it is a problem of breeding a litter if you haven't got any homes lined up. How are your mating plans going? Sorry to hear Lewis had to have his other shoulder done too, poor Sharon it must be so worrying. Bayley 2nd in NB (even with me handling!) and Roddy 3rd in PGD at Bath, 3 Counties Monday so fingers crossed please. Don't know if you've found it yet but there is a brilliant site out there wholly dedicated to I W pedigree's,( www.iwpedigrees.com ) watch out though it is compulsive, I have spent hours of on it.
catch ya later, Nicky

Well done Nicky, Bayley & Roddy! Thanks for the kind thoughts about Lewis. He is 9 days post-op now, and judging by the struggle to keep him at reat this time, he really did need the left shoulder done. After the op on the right shoulder he was greatly improved, and once he was allowed to exercise again, I'd put the fact that he chased and ran to be chased less than I expected down to the fact that its been a long time since Megan wolfhound (aged 11) was a pup, and there have been quite a few hyperactive deerhounds in the interim. Which was a load of nonsense! I (foolishly) walked down the paddock with him off lead this morning, and he was galloped in circles, leapt in the air and generally was as much of an idiot as any young deerhound until I caught him.

The IW pedigrees site is terrific, and imo better than the KCBS or home created database because it allows you to track back imports, but covers UK and Irish IWs well too.

Hi Sharon
Thank goodness he's on the road to recovery now, and rareing to go by the sound of it! It will be challenging keeping him quiet!?! Glad you liked the pedigree site, it is not only fun but quite a useful reference tool too, I'm totally addicted. Do you know if the oringinator of this post found a pup/puppy's in the end?
Good luck with Lewis, regards Nicky

Hi Nicky,

Keeping Lewis quiet this time is going to be a nightmare, because he's feeling his oats in more ways than one - the bitches are in season, and the big lad is hot to trot! Poor Phil has discovered the disadvantage of iw.pedigrees plus my having two 'phone lines a few times. There she is chatting blithely away and getting nothing but distracted mumbles in reply because I'm still looking at the pedigree of the IW she mentioned ten minutes ago on-line :D.

Hi Sharon
Of course he's not a puppy anymore, now he's getting older he will want to know what it's all about. Bayley due end July time, so l'll have my fun then! Keeping them apart. Just got back from our daily constitutional, we have a field nearby so they can just run & run till they've had it then they jump back in the Discovery waiting to go home.
Nicky

Nicky, my ladies are usually good at coming in together, but Miss Teelin having her first season seems to have thrown them off so that they are trickling in one after the other. Also the boys would usual spend the 'interesting' times out in the kennel, but I don't want Lewis outside at the moment. So he's fog-horning love songs from the back hall, and Cal all alone in the kennel, is singing sad songs of lonliness and lust :-).

Hi Trevor, Yes the IW pedigree site is brilliant. Sharon and I have had many a chat over its contents. The people who wanted the pups in the forst place have now booked one of my Stars babies.

Hi Phillipa
So it was a happy ending then? Did they follow advice and just book 1? Glad you both like the pedigree site.
Nicky

Hi Trevor, Im afraid it was book one, or none, no other option Im afraid.
Just my way of doing things :) :(

Hi Phillipa
Wonder if they'd like to book one of my Bayley's babies for puppy No:2. Will hope to mate her Jan/Feb so puppies will be ready for homing towards the end of June '03, could be about right timing, what do you think?
Nicky

Hi Nicky, sounds a good idea. Will mention it next time I speak to them.

Good one, thanx. Not able to let on about prospective sire yet as I haven't made my approach yet. But can tell you I shortlisted 3 and all have done v.v.well this year, have fave now and hope to approach owner at Leeds if not before. Let you know as things develop.
Nicky

Excellent Phil! Just be sure to tell them that they're in a queue :-)

Thought you'd booked a girl?
Nicky

Nicky, yes I'm waiting for a pretty female Star look alike :-).

Hi Sharon, You know the situation, after me you are first for choosing, come what may!!! No puppy could wish for a better, more knowledgeable home.(pass the sick bucket please lol) Seriously, I mean it.

Phil, many sincere thanks for a lovely compliment ..... and ROLFFFFFFFFFFFFFF :D

Hi Sharon
It's nice to know that you've got an excellent home! Seriously though I know what you mean, it is just so reassuring to know the home is good.
I take it Phillipa is keeping a little girl then. I bet they'll be cracking pups.
Nicky

Nicky, Thank you for that, I hope they will be, they have been planned for long enough!! Five long years since I had my last litter. Not sure where you live, but you are welcome to come and see the pups if you would like to.

Hi Phillipa
Would love to see pups but may be a bit far away from you for an afternoon out, we live on the edge of a small village in deepest Devon.
Will be interested to have news of them as it happens though.
Nicky

Nicky, an excellent messy home in our case! Last time I talked to Phil she thought she'd keep a girl, but said she might be tempted by a nice male. Whatever she lets me have from Star's litter, I'm well sure that it will be a beauty :-).If all goes well early next year, Phil will be getting one of Teelin's little deers so that will be one pup I don't have to worry about either :-).

Hi Sharon
Sounds like a good deal to me. I hope to keep a girl from Bayley (if we're successful with her mating, fingers crossed, turn round three times etc)
and I think I have at least another two or three sorted, but hey I've got 12months yet to worry about homes so I've got plenty of time. Going grooming shortly ready for tomorrow, Roddy loves it, Bayley hates it so I'm in for a few rounds of aerobic exersize!
Nicky

Sharon, Thank you so much, I will do my best :)