Glen of Imaal Terrier Did You Know?

• The Glen of Imaal Terrier is AKC’s 153rd breed.
• There is a glen, Imaal, in the Wicklow mountains that has always been, and still is, celebrated for its terriers." This 19th-century reference is to the beguiling Irish breed we now know as the Glen of Imaal Terrier.
• The Glen of Imaal Terrier was initially bred to rid the home and farm of vermin, and hunt badger and fox; these rugged dogs also had a unique task for which they were expressly designed to perform (they were turnspit dogs).
• The turnspit was a large wheel paddled by the dog turning a spit over the hearth – a canine propelled rotisserie, if you will. The Glen’s highly individualized bowed front legs, well-padded loin and powerful hindquarters were ideally suited for this. For several hundred years, these hearty dogs performed their chores in this remote corner of Ireland unnoticed by all except those who treasured them.
• With the advent of dog shows in the latter half of the 19th century, the breed began to emerge into the public eye. There are documented reports of Glens at Irish dog shows as early as 1878.
• In 1934, the Glen of Imaal Terrier was given full recognition by the Irish Kennel Club. It was the third of four terrier breeds of Ireland to be so acknowledged. The Kennel Club of England followed suit in 1975.
• There are sporadic reports of Glens emigrating to America with their owners as early as 1930; however, the breed did not gain a foothold in America until the 1980’s when several dedicated breeders and fanciers imported foundation stock from Ireland and the United Kingdom. In 1986, these same pioneers founded the Glen of Imaal Terrier Club of America.