| Species | Dog |
|---|---|
| Origin | Ireland |
| Size Category | Giant |
| Category | Dog |
| Original Purpose | Hunting wolves, protecting people and livestock, war dog |
| Weight Range | 47.6–80 kg |
|---|---|
| Height Range | 76–90 cm |
| Lifespan | 6–8 years |
| Juvenile Stage Ends | 24 months |
| Senior Age Threshold | 6 years |
| Exercise Needs | 40-60 min/day, moderate exercise like daily walks, free running in a securely fenced area |
|---|---|
| Grooming | Weekly brushing, hand-stripping every 6 months, bathing every 1-3 months |
| Annual Exam Focus | Echocardiogram, EKG, orthopedic evaluation (hips/elbows), eye examination, cancer screening (especially bone cancer) |
| Condition | Onset Stage | Risk | Hereditary | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) | adult | high | Yes | Recommended |
| Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) | adult | high | Yes | Recommended |
| Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV/Bloat) | adult | high | Yes | N/A |
| Hip Dysplasia | puppy | medium | Yes | Recommended |
| Liver Shunt (Hepatic Portosystemic Shunt) | puppy | medium | Yes | Recommended |
| Risk Level | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Ideal BCS | 4/9 |
| Daily Activity | 60 minutes |
| Litter Size | 4–10 |
|---|---|
| Dystocia Risk | High |
| CHIC Required Tests | Cardiac Evaluation (Echocardiogram), Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, Eye Examination (CAER), DNA test for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM/SOD1) |
| Neonatal Weight | 400–800 g |
|---|
| Anxiety Proneness | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Top Triggers | Prolonged isolation, lack of exercise, sudden loud noises |
| Separation Anxiety Risk | Moderate |
| Calming Interventions | Positive reinforcement training, early socialization, regular moderate exercise, avoiding prolonged isolation, providing a secure fenced area |
| Cognitive Dysfunction Risk | Moderate |
| Locomotion | Galloping, trotting, pacing, walking |
|---|---|
| Social | Gentle greeting, leaning against people, patient interaction with children, observing from a distance |
| Comfort | Resting on soft surfaces, stretching out fully, gentle leaning |
| Stress/Displacement | Pacing, panting, lip licking, avoiding eye contact, tucking tail |
| Breed-Specific | Galloping, sight-hunting, gentle leaning against people, soft grumbling |
| Types | Barking, howling, soft grumbling, whimpering |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | 160-2630 Hz |
| Tendency | Low |
| AI-Trainable Signals | Ears standing when intrigued, floppy ears when relaxed, tail position, body posture (standing vs lying down), facial expressions |
|---|---|
| Context-Dependent Vocalizations | Soft grumble/talking sounds during handling, barking when alerting, howling in response to sirens or other dogs |
| Interspecies Communication | Generally patient with children and other dogs if socialized early, but strong prey drive may cause them to chase smaller animals like cats or rodents |