Irish Wolfhound Puppies: Adopt or Buy?

Should you adopt or buy an Irish Wolfhound?

It depends on whether it has to be a puppy. Purebred Irish Wolfhound puppies are rare across the rescues we aggregate, and the Irish Wolfhound club site says there are only around 24 breeders across Australia, so if you want a puppy from health-tested parents, a registered breeder with a waiting list is the realistic route. If what you want is the dog (the calm house manner, the size, the gentle sighthound nature), an adult Wolfhound or Wolfhound cross from rescue comes with a known size, temperament and health record, which matters a great deal in a breed with a short life.

The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase suggests the RSPCA or a reputable rescue first, and if you go to a breeder, making sure they are registered, visiting where the puppies were born and meeting the parents. Our guide to adopting a dog in Australia covers the rescue process step by step.

Reference only, not quotes. Figures read on 11 November 2026; breeders and rescues set their own prices and change them, so check with them.

How much is an Irish Wolfhound puppy from a registered breeder?

There is no published figure to quote. No Australian Irish Wolfhound club publishes a price. The club site shared by the Irish Wolfhound Clubs of NSW, SA and Queensland says only that “Your new Irish Wolfhound puppy may cost more from a reputable breeder”, because there is a huge cost in raising a healthy litter and you are also buying the breeder's ongoing support.

In November 2026 we read the own websites of 9 Australian Irish Wolfhound breeders, found through the club breeder lists and state body directories. None published a puppy price. One says its pet price includes desexing, a microchip, vaccinations and a puppy pack, but gives no figure; the others show past or planned litters and contact details. Prices on listing sites are left out, because we cannot check who is selling. So the honest answer is: ask each breeder, and compare what the price includes.

Reference only, not quotes. Fees change, so check with the rescue. RSPCA NSW says its fees ensure pets are desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and health-checked.

Two things a pet buyer should expect for the money. The club site says a pet puppy should come on the Limited Register (orange) pedigree papers, which certify a purebred Irish Wolfhound that cannot be shown, bred from or exported, and that the puppy's pedigree should be complete with no blanks; ask to see five generations. It also says the mother should generally be over two and have had a maximum of three litters.

Which health tests should an Irish Wolfhound breeder show you?

The liver shunt test first, then heart, hips and elbows. The Irish Wolfhound Club of NSW code of ethics makes it mandatory that all litters are tested for portosystemic shunt (liver shunt) and that only puppies clear of it are sold. The club health page says to ask for a written copy of the test by a vet, and that it rings alarm bells if a breeder does not have it.

Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of NSW, Irish Wolfhound Club of SA, Irish Wolfhound Club of Victoria and the Royal Kennel Club (UK), read 11 November 2026. This is a buying checklist, not veterinary advice. Our Irish Wolfhound health guide covers what these conditions mean once you own one.

Testing lowers risk; it does not remove it. Bone cancer, heart disease and bloat have no puppy test like the liver shunt test. Dogs Australia's breed profile says a Wolfhound that has health problems before its time will most often have bone cancers, heart problems or bloat, and that breeders have made concerted efforts to reduce these. A 2007 review of the published research by Urfer, Gaillard and Steiger in Veterinary Quarterly found the diseases reported most often were dilated cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle), osteosarcoma (bone cancer), gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat) and the osteochondrosis group of joint conditions, with liver shunt also important.

The club health page says bone cancer is a known cause of death for many Irish Wolfhounds, particularly as they age, that heart disease is another common cause and regular heart checks help pick up symptoms early, and that pneumonia is a medical emergency in this deep-chested giant, with a treatment protocol for Irish Wolfhounds that your vet should know. The same review reported that routine castration of males was associated with a higher osteosarcoma risk, so the timing of desexing is a question to raise with your vet and breeder.

Bloat needs its own word because it is an emergency. The club calls it an extreme emergency that needs veterinary attention. In a US study that followed 1,914 dogs of 11 large and giant breeds, Irish Wolfhounds among them, the four giant breeds had 26 cases of bloat per 1,000 dog-years (Glickman and others, 2000). If your dog retches with nothing coming up, has a swollen belly or is restless and drooling, call or go to your nearest vet now. Our dog bloat (GDV) guide covers the signs and what to ask your vet about prevention.

How long do Irish Wolfhounds live?

Usually well under 10 years, and owners should go in knowing that. The figures from each source:

That has two practical meanings. A puppy gives you the most years, but they are still few. An adult from rescue gives you fewer years, with the size, nature and health already known. Neither choice is wrong, and our senior dog adoption guide covers what to expect when you take on an older dog.

How big does an Irish Wolfhound get?

Very. The Dogs Australia breed standard asks for a dog “of great size and commanding appearance, very muscular, strongly though gracefully built”. It sets a minimum height of 79 cm for dogs and 71 cm for bitches, with dogs averaging 81 to 86 cm, and a minimum weight of 54.5 kg for dogs and 40.5 kg for bitches. Recognised colours are grey, brindle, red, black, pure white, fawn or any colour that appears in the Deerhound, and the coat is rough and hard, especially wiry.

Growth is slow. The Irish Wolfhound Club of Victoria says a Wolfhound usually reaches full height between 18 and 24 months of age but may not reach full maturity until 3 years or later. Dogs Australia's profile says the breed is low maintenance once mature, at around two to three years: a weekly brush and a monthly wash is a good guide.

How much exercise does an Irish Wolfhound need?

Regular exercise as an adult, and a lot of care as a puppy. The Royal Kennel Club in the UK rates the breed at more than 2 hours of exercise a day and lists it as suited to a large house, a large garden and the country. Dogs Australia's profile paints a quieter adult that spends much of its day finding a cosy spot to snooze and enjoys a daily walk. Both can be true: a fit adult Wolfhound needs room to move every day, then rests.

Puppies are different. The Irish Wolfhound Club of Victoria says plenty of rest is needed, particularly for puppies, and the club site says a growing Wolfhound's joints need a lot of care because of their fast growth: teach children never to climb on a puppy's back, pull or drag it about or stand it on two legs. The dog exercise calculator shows the Kennel Club breed ratings side by side, with RSPCA advice for puppies and hot days.

Fencing matters more than distance. Dogs Australia says a fully fenced yard is a must. A sighthound bred to chase may not come back once it sees something run, so let it off lead only in a secure area.

Can an Irish Wolfhound cope with an Australian summer?

Yes, with planning. The club health page asks owners not to exercise a Wolfhound in the heat of the day. The RSPCA Knowledgebase on heatstroke says to exercise dogs at the coolest times of day, to give a cool, shaded, well-ventilated area and water at all times, to avoid hot surfaces, to keep dogs lean because overweight dogs overheat faster, and never to leave a dog in a car. Our dogs in hot weather guide has the full first aid and state hot-car rules.

What does a giant dog cost to keep?

More than the purchase price, every year. The Animal Medicines Australia Pets in Australia 2025 release estimated that dog-owning households spent $2,520 a year on average, for dogs of every size. A dog with a minimum adult weight of 54.5 kg eats more, needs a bigger bed, crate and car, and costs more at the vet than an average dog, because many medicines are dosed by weight. That figure is a national survey average, not a quote, and a Wolfhound's bills may well sit above it.

Add the breed's own risks: heart, bone cancer and bloat treatment can all be costly, so price up pet insurance before you bring a puppy home. The dog cost calculator estimates the first year for a giant dog, and our giant-breed ownership guide covers space, fencing and day-to-day life.

What do Irish Wolfhounds in rescue look like?

Mostly adults and crosses. Across the rescues, shelters and council pounds we aggregate, a purebred Irish Wolfhound is listed only now and then, so an alert on the Irish Wolfhound breed page matters more than checking once.

The breed clubs run their own rescue help. The Irish Wolfhound Club of Victoria says it provides a rescue service for dogs that have been surrendered, abandoned or identified in pounds, and fundraises to care for them. The Irish Wolfhound Club of NSW committee lists a puppy referral and rescue officer, and the SA and Queensland clubs say they have rescue officers for abandoned Wolfhounds in their states. If you would take an adult, tell your state club; that is often how a surrendered Wolfhound finds a home.

An adult has finished growing, so you can see its full size, how it behaves in a house and how it gets on with children and other pets. For a first-time giant-dog owner, that knowledge is worth a lot.

How do Irish Wolfhound puppy scams work?

The club's scam warning page says it is very unlikely there are Irish Wolfhound puppies available for adoption, that a responsible breeder would never advertise puppies on a Facebook group, and never to send the whole price in advance. Scamwatch says scammers set up fake websites and fake social media and marketplace profiles to sell popular breeds and pets that do not exist, and that a very cheap pet is likely a scam.

• “Shunt tested, ready at 8 weeks.” The club lists a seller who says puppies are shunt tested and then ready to go home at 8 weeks as a scam sign. The club site says around 10 to 12 weeks is a nice age to take on a Wolfhound puppy.
• No written liver shunt result. The club says never to buy a puppy without written proof of the test from the breeder's vet.
• A mother bred too young, too old or too often. The club flags females under 2 or over 7 having puppies, and one female with 5 or more litters in her lifetime.
• No breeder number. The Queensland Government says not to buy a puppy from a person who does not have a valid breeder identification number (BIN). NSW, Victoria, South Australia and the ACT also require an identifying number in puppy ads. Look it up on the official register, not through a link the seller sends.
• A membership number you cannot check. Ask for the breeder's Dogs Australia membership number and check it with the state body yourself. The club notes there is no club endorsement process, so do your own checks with every breeder.

Our guide to puppies for sale in Australia has the full state-by-state table of breeder numbers and what to do if you have already paid.

When is a registered breeder the better choice?

Rescue is not right for everyone. A registered breeder makes sense if you want a puppy from liver shunt tested stock and heart and joint checked parents, if you want to show or do lure coursing, or if you have watched the rescue listings and asked the club rescue officers for months and no adult has suited your home.

1. Registration. Check the membership number with Dogs Australia or your state body, and your state's breeder number on the official register.
2. A club check. The state clubs keep breeder lists; the club site says there is no club endorsement, so a listing is a starting point, not a guarantee.
3. Health results: the puppy's written liver shunt test, and the parents' heart, hip and elbow results.
4. The mother, in person, and where the puppies are raised. The Irish Wolfhound Club of Victoria lists a chance to visit and view the dogs as the first thing to look for.
5. A breeder who stands behind the puppy. The Victorian club asks: will the breeder take a puppy back, or help you place it, if for any reason you cannot keep it?

Is an Irish Wolfhound the right dog for you?

The Dogs Australia standard gives the breed's temperament in five words: “Lambs at home, lions in the chase”. Be honest about five things.

Not sure a giant breed fits? The what dog breed is right for me quiz and the adoption readiness check each take a few minutes, and big dog breeds compares the Irish Wolfhound with other large and giant dogs.

Find an Irish Wolfhound near you

Irish Wolfhounds and Wolfhound crosses listed by rescues, by city:

• Irish Wolfhounds for adoption in Sydney
• Irish Wolfhounds for adoption in Melbourne
• Irish Wolfhounds for adoption in Brisbane
• Irish Wolfhounds for adoption in Perth
• Irish Wolfhounds for adoption in Adelaide

Local guides to adopting an Irish Wolfhound, with the rescues that serve each city: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide.

Weighing up other giant breeds? Our Great Dane, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Mastiff and Bullmastiff guides cover the same questions, and the Belgian Malinois guide covers a very different big working dog. The large dogs in Sydney and in Melbourne are worth a look too.