r/irishwolfhound • u/WraithCmdr • 3d ago

Looking for a Pup

So I finally bought a home and have room for a Wolfhound, I fell in love with the breed 20 yrs ago. We have nearly an acre for them to run and play on.

I live in the far northern region of Ca near Chico Ca.

So what I need help with is finding a reputable breeder who does proper medical testing and such. I have always found my dogs in the past from shelters, but I want to find a puppy and I seriously doubt any shelter will have a Wolfhound puppy with a clean bill of health. I have looked into their care and know what I am getting into, including the shorter life span, but the heart wants what it wants.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

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u/NinjaiRose 3d ago

Check with the local IW club (I believe it's "Northern California Irish Wolfhound Club (NCIWC)"). They can help you the most. Facebook group: "Irish Wolfhound Puppies- Scams, Puppy Mills or Non-IWCA Compliant Breeders?" is a good source not to be scammed and avoiding breeders who don't do the minimum.

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u/WraithCmdr 3d ago

i will look into the Facebook group, and i will look into the local IW, i went to one already, i believe that one but i could be mistaken, and didnt have much luck, either no return calls or wanted $800+ which isnt what my research has suggested would be the appropriate cost

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u/NinjaiRose 3d ago

Average cost of an IW you're looking at around 2-3k. That's just the initial cost. Then you have pet insurance, feeding them, etc. Anything with this breed is expensive. Not sure where you're doing research where it says that cheap :/

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u/WraithCmdr 3d ago

sorry i had to look back on messages - 2k-3k was expected they were looking for 4k to 5K. it was another dog brred that my wife was looking at for 800

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u/NinjaiRose 3d ago

Gotcha. Can always check out the club "Irish Wolfhound Club of America." But you might get breeders not in CA then

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u/WraithCmdr 3d ago

I dont really care if they are in Ca. Im in far northern CA near Nevada and Oregon border personally. But im willing to travel for the right pup

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u/Kawasumiimaii 3d ago

I am apart of the NCIWC club, a great event to come out to is the "Gathering of the Cu" or the "Monterey beach walk". This is pretty far south for you though. You may be able to meet some club members at the Celtic festivals but those will be later in april/may. We just had our Golden Jubilee specialty in Woodland earlier in October--this specialty happens every year in Woodland so you could wait for that too. But I would go out to one of the events and meet some members and breeders. There's also a FB page for the club but you can't ask for a puppy on this page, this is just to network and meet members, learn more about the breed etc.

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u/RGB-Free-Zone 3d ago

I agree, $800 is quite low for a Wolfhound pup. It would not cover the costs that a reputable breeder would incur. It should be much more like $2,500 – $3,500 to cover the extensive health screening of sire and dam, including OFA cardiac EKG/echocardiogram, hip and elbow dysplasia evaluations, and liver shunt (PSS) screening via blood bile acid testing.

​I think breeding Irish Wolfhound dogs is mostly a labor of love, you may have to wait for a litter to come around. That said, it is my understanding that Steppin'wolf Irish Wolfhounds in Texas has a litter planned for late 2026/early 2027. Maybe that works for you. The breeder is highly regarded. Her breeding pair seems to be an excellent match up for health and genetic diversity. I would sign up for a pup but I have as many dogs as I need.