Under the FCI standard, a young Kerry Blue may be black until 18 months old, and a tan tinge is also permitted until then. Afterwards, only blue counts, in any shade. The colour that gives the breed its name therefore develops only in the second year of life.
| FCI | Group 3 (Terriers), Section 1 Large and medium-sized Terriers, Standard No. 3, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Size (height at the withers) | males 45.5 to 49.5 cm, females 44.5 to 48 cm |
| Weight | males 15 to 18 kg, females proportionately less |
| Life expectancy | median 12.4 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | soft, abundant and wavy; harsh, wiry or bristly hair is considered faulty |
| Colours in the standard | blue in any shade, with or without black markings; black and a tan tinge allowed only up to 18 months old |
Otters, badgers and rats
The standard describes the tasks plainly: tackling otters in deep water, confronting badgers underground and hunting vermin. As ratters and all-purpose farm dogs, they left few written traces before the 20th century. A first description of a slate-blue dog dates from 1847; the breed appeared in the show ring in 1913. As a mascot of Irish patriots, the Kerry became so popular that four clubs represented the breed between 1922 and 1924. The same homeland gave us the Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and the Irish Terrier.
A terrier who does nothing by halves
“A terrier through and through”, says the standard, calling for a keen, alert expression. It also describes a good watchdog and loyal companion. In daily life, they reliably announce visitors and accept a boundary only when it is consistent every day. The standard excludes aggressive or excessively fearful dogs from breeding.
Work for the mind
At almost 50 cm and up to 18 kg, the Kerry is no lapdog. Long walks are part of life, but work for nose and mind matters even more: searching games, mantrailing, retrieving or a fast-paced dog sport. An underoccupied Kerry will dig up the garden.
A wavy coat needing scissors and a brush
Unlike many terriers, this coat is not stripped to maintain harshness: the standard wants soft, abundant, wavy hair and regards wiry hair as faulty. It grows continuously and therefore needs shaping with scissors every few weeks. Between trims, brushing right down to the skin prevents matting, especially behind the ears. The standard makes no promise for allergy sufferers.
Health in figures
With a median lifespan of 12.4 years, the Kerry Blue is close to crossbreeds (12.0 years) in McMillan and colleagues’ analysis; no conclusive difference emerged. An inherited movement disorder, multiple system degeneration, is known. From three to six months old, affected puppies tremble during purposeful movements and walk unsteadily; later, they fall more often. Zeng and colleagues identified the responsible variant in the SERAC1 gene in 2024. Among 228 Kerry Blues tested, five were affected and all were homozygous; another eleven carried the variant without symptoms. As the disease occurs only with two copies, genetic testing of the parents can prevent litters containing affected puppies.
A good partner for
People seeking a medium-sized, robust dog with humour and watchfulness, who enjoy the outdoors and budget for regular haircuts. Families whose children follow the rules are also a good fit.
Less suited to
Households expecting a quiet dog without a hunting instinct, allowing small animals to roam freely or lacking time or money for regular coat care.
The breed quiz helps you assess how well a Kerry Blue fits your daily life; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) provides more background. If a puppy is arriving soon, try the free Puppy Starter Pack. The blue coat looks striking as a magazine cover on canvas; find more ideas among our dog portraits from your own photo.
Further reading
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and when it is not
- The socialisation period: why “as much as possible” is the wrong advice
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 3 Kerry Blue Terrier (fci.be, German version dated 11.05.2005; English original version dated 11.05.2005, published on 19.04.2005); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Zeng R et al., Canine Multiple System Degeneration Associated with Sequence Variants in SERAC1, Genes 2024.
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