Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier comes from County Kerry in Ireland, where it was an all-round farm dog: hunting vermin, guarding, herding cattle and even retrieving game.

Puppies are born black and their coat gradually lightens to blue-grey between 18 months and two years.

Cheerful, intelligent and very attached to its family, the Kerry Blue is a good watchdog. It can be dominant and intolerant of other dogs.

It needs firm, positive training and early socialisation.

This is a fairly robust breed. Some eye diseases, skin cysts and a rare inherited neurological condition should be monitored.

Regular veterinary follow-up is recommended.

Good-quality food matched to its activity suits it.

Watch its weight.

It needs about an hour of daily activity: games, walks, obedience and agility.

Keep it on a lead near other dogs.

Walk it during the cool hours in summer. It can live in an apartment if it gets enough exercise, and because it sheds little it suits tidy households.

Its soft, wavy coat grows continuously and hardly sheds, but it tangles: brush several times a week and trim every six to eight weeks.

Clean its beard.