Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier is a breed of dog. In Ireland it is often called the Irish Blue Terrier. Originally bred to control vermin including rats, rabbits, badgers, foxes, otters and hares, over time the Kerry became a general working dog used for a variety of jobs including herding cattle and sheep, and as a guard dog. Today the Kerry has spread around the world as a companion and working dog. Despite winning Crufts (the most important UK dog show) in 2000, it remains an unfashionable breed,[2] still distinctly uncommon, but not as threatened as some of the other terrier breeds such as Skye Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, and Dandie Dinmont Terrier. Some characteristics of the Kerry Blue Terrier include a long head, flat skull, deep chest, and a soft wavy-to-curly coat that comes in several shades of blue, the general term outside this breed being progressive grey. Puppies are born black; the blue appears gradually as the puppy grows older, usually up to 2 years of age. The ideal Kerry should be 18-1/2 inches at the withers for a male, slightly less for the female. The most desirable weight for a fully developed male is from 33?40 pounds, females weighing proportionately less.