The double-coated Glen of Imaal Terrier is named for one of Ireland’s most remote regions. It is gentler and less energetic than most terriers, yet it is still aggressive and feisty. Glen is a robust, uncomplicated dog who is made for hard labor. He is courageous but docile. Glens are low-slung, scruffy terriers that stand no taller than 14 inches at the shoulder. Glens is not a glamorous or fussed-over place. Instead, their unfussy wiry coat, large head, and bowed front legs imply a working farm dog from a time and place where function overflowed into fashion. Yet they’re also absurdly adorable. It takes a heart of stone to not reach down and stroke Glen’s well-muscled rump and scratch him behind the ear.
Glen of Imaal Terrier
spirited / gentle / bold
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
12.5-14 inches
Weight
32-40 pounds
Life Expectancy
10-15 years
Breed Traits & Characteristics
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Glen of Imaal Terrier
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
Health
Although Glen of Imaal Terriers typically have good health, there are several health and genetic screening issues that are exclusive to the breed. These include eye conditions such cone rod dystrophy and hip dysplasia. Breeders who are responsible will check their stock for illnesses that the breed may be predisposed to. During their first nine months of life, care should be made to prevent unneeded stress on the front legs. As with all breeds, the Glen's ears should be periodically examined for indications of illness, and its teeth should be brushed frequently using dog-specific toothpaste.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) crd3 DNA Test
- Elbow Evaluation
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Grooming
The Glen of Imaal Terrier's weather-resistant double coat, consisting of a rough outer coat and a soft undercoat, requires moderate brushing weekly to prevent matting of the furnishings (the soft hair around the ears, neck, legs and belly) and should also be stripped two or three times a year. They shed very little as a result of this effort. It does not take a great amount of time, and the bonding you achieve with your pup is well worth the time involved. Since Glens are a dwarf breed, a small but sturdy grooming table is a very good investment. It will make the process much easier on both of you. The nails should be trimmed regularly, and the ears checked weekly for debris or excess wax buildup.
Exercise
A little more laid-back than the typical terrier, Glens require moderate exercise to stay healthy and happy. As a dwarf breed with slightly curved front legs, Glens should not be rushed into strenuous exercise such as long walks on leash'¿it's good to start leash training, but keep the walks short and fun. A small handful of the pup's regular kibble can be used to reward him for staying close while on leash. Let him run around the house or a fenced yard, perhaps chasing a toy or ball. He will flop down for a rest when he has had enough. Owners should prevent puppies from jumping off couches, going down steep stairs, or engaging in anything that might put undue stress on their growing front legs and joints. Pups need time for the growth plates in their legs to close before they do any jumping or start climbing or descending stairs. Going down stairs is more stressful on the front legs than going up. Some breeders have pups avoid stairs and jumping as much as possible until they are at least 9 months of age, as the growth plates will close sometime between 9 and 12 months. This is a normal part of the developmental process but especially important in dwarf breeds whose legs are short in relation to their body weight.
Training
Glens are adaptable, trainable, and extremely intelligent. They adore people but typically avoid becoming friends with canines. They are more subdued and less spiky than other terriers, but they are still terriers—brave, somewhat unyielding, and intensely curious about the antics of their natural prey, little fuzzy animals. They have a lot of character and pick things up fast, like most terriers, which may make training fun, however they might get bored with repetition. The objective is to reinforce positive behavior. Keep workouts brief: Two or three five-minute workouts throughout the day are significantly preferable to one 30-minute workout. It is advised to enroll your dog in puppy training sessions as well as early socialization.
Nutrition
The Glen of Imaal Terrier should be fed high-quality dog food appropriate to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior) and activity level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet or the dog's breeder if you have any questions or concerns about your dog's weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should always be available.
History
The lonely and rugged Glen of Imaal in the hilly County Wicklow is where the strong terriers known as Glens call home. Old-time farmers struggled to make a livelihood off the barren land, and they expected their dogs to do the same.
Glens were bred to hunt badgers, but they also helped out around the farm with numerous odd duties. Glens were allegedly used in kitchens to turn the meat over an open flame in a hamster wheel device, hence the term “Turnspit Dog” that has stuck with them. The Glen was perfectly suited for this thanks to its extremely individual bowed front legs, well-padded loin, and muscular hindquarters. These tough canines did their work in this rural part of Ireland for several hundred years, undetected by everyone but those who loved them.
There are scattered tales of Glens traveling to America with their owners as early as 1930, but the breed did not take root in the US until the 1980s when a number of devoted breeders and fanciers brought foundation stock over from Ireland and the UK. These pioneers established the Glen of Imaal Terrier Club of America in 1986.