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Introduction
Sunstag Wolfbane "Balin" Cridhe Cu Galadriel "Kili"
Our family
has admired the 
Irish
wolfhound for many years, and are now lucky enough to be the proud parents
of six magnificent hounds (Balin, Kili, Arwen, Keller, Kady and Maddy).
Helen and Jonathan Cullum Plenty of room to play
Our hounds are all in house companions, of course. Each and every one of them has the run of the house, so if you visit do not expect to be seated on the couch, there is never any room left. I am blessed to be able to spend 24 hours a day with them, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year, nor do I take vacations unless they can all come along. In fact the only time spent away from home is for conformation shows and events the dogs are asked to attend, such as parades and Irish Festivals. Our daily routine consists of play time very early in the morning before the sun comes up when in the summer it can get a little too hot to be outside. Once we've finished working with the horses around 10am we retire to the house when they take their mid day naps then they have their lunch. Once the horses are fed and turned out at night, we go to either the hay fields, or the forest, where I have permission from the owners to run the hounds on several hundred acres of private land. So they keep me fit too. However, after their evening run they are all happy to retire to the great room where they all have queen size futons to laze around on, that's when we (the humans) get to relax on the couch. Then it's supper time and finally late at night when I do my check on the horses they get one more run out so everyone is ready for bed by midnight.
Our home
Since moving from Minnesota down to Florida I get asked about how the dogs cope with the heat. Well, FL is actually a little cooler than the steamy, humid summers of Minnesota, with a lot less mosquitoes thank fully without the harsh, harsh winters we encountered where we had to be careful of frostbite on their toes. Most of the United States are actually just as hot during the summer as Florida, some states far worse than Florida and we are lucky because we have the sea breeze. So it's actually been easier for them down here. Of course pets have special needs during the summer, especially those with a heavy coat. Their sweat glands are on their paws, so they do not sweat the way we do. Panting helps them cool themselves, and our treed property provides plenty of shade for when they are out during the day helping me on the farm. We have gallons of fresh water all over the property so they always have refreshment and baby pools for them to cool their tummies in. And when we do our vigorous exercise, we always do so during the cooler time of the day during the summer months. i.e. very early morning and late afternoon. All areas the dogs are heavily exercised have ponds for cooling down in, which they love. They'll splash around in those all day long. We keep them all in great shape, none are overweight, and their coats are stripped out a little more than we used to up in MN. They also occasionally go to the doggy beaches. So as you can see, as long as you just common sense to care for your dog, you should never have any problems with the climate.
And if you
decide you want an Irish Wolfhound to add to your family, please, sit down and
really think about what you are about to undertake, not all breeds suit
certain lifestyles. The Irish
wolfhound is not a guard dog, and although you may love the breed, who
wouldn't, it may not be right the right dog for you or your family. For instance,
we had admired the breed for many years, and had longed for one for just as
long, but it was only over the last seven years that we were in a position to
seriously consider one.
Most breeders, well those of good standing will interrogate you and ask you lots of questions, the adoption process should be long and can be quite invasive.
Stop the Misery and Suffering ~ Puppy Mills only exist because people keep buying their dogs.
STOP BUYING FROM PUPPY FARMERS & PET STORES NOW!!!!
Can you imagine forcing your pet dog to live their entire life in a small wire cage, covered in filth and sores, with no human companionship, no toys, no love or comfort, to be bred and bred until you are of no use to the puppy miller, with very little hope of ever becoming part of a family? Most of these puppies end up in Pet Stores or are advertised on internet sites ~ never buy a puppy/kitten from a Pet Store.
That is what life is like for a puppy mill breeding dog. Help us stop this cycle of cruelty that contributes to pet overpopulation and the suffering of countless dogs.
Puppy mills have been around for decades. They continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for-words puppies in pet store windows and on legitimate-seeming websites. Puppy mills house dogs in shockingly poor conditions. After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are often killed, abandoned or sold cheaply to another mill to try and get "one more litter" out of the dog. The annual result of all this breeding is millions of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.
Buy from someone that truly loves their dogs. If you can't go and see where the puppy was born raised and interact to see for yourself, it is likely to be a puppy mill.
Dogs are not our WHOLE life,
But they make our lives whole - Roger Caras
