When shipwrecks have fantastical endings, they’re usually works of fiction. Think of Gilligan and friends, or the Swiss Family Robinson. But in our canine world, a centuries-old shipwreck is believed to have helped create a real-life dog breed – and one of the most eye-catching of the terriers, to boot. Now, full disclosure: This creation […]

Among the largest of AKC terriers, the Kerry Blue Terrier is famous for his show-stopping blue coat. Named for the Irish county of his birth, this onetime farm dog is today an alert, adaptable, and animated watchdog and family companion.

If a leprechaun decided to disguise himself as a dog, chances are he would choose the Kerry Blue Terrier. Like the leprechaun, these joyful, full-of-life, and mischievous dogs are from Ireland, and it’s often said their hearts are sprinkled with Irish humor. The Kerry Blue Terrier is known as the Irish Blue Terrier in its […]

AKV 1.7 1948-1965 4 linear ft in 4 boxes Processed by Brynn White, 2017 Click here to the view complete inventory and/or to search all AKC archival collections Click here for a printable PDF of the collection guide Biographical Note Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lewis Wiel were well-reknowned exhibitors, judges, and breeders upon whom numerous […]

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is full of energy, loves people, and makes a great family pet. Here are some interesting facts about this lovable breed. 1. They are native to Ireland. The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is one of four terrier breeds that are native to Ireland. According to legend, when the Spanish Armada […]

Let’s just admit it: Getting started in showing purebred dogs can be intimidating. For newbies, it can seem like the other exhibitors have been given the steps to a choreographed dance that they execute with fluidity and flair, while you are left to lurch around the ring with two left feet. And if you happen […]

In 2004, the multifunctional, even-tempered, and powerfully built Glen of Imaal Terrier became part of the AKC registry's stellar ranks. In doing so, this native Irish breed joined its cousins, the Kerry Blue, Soft Coated Wheaten, and Irish terriers, in the registry. A Tough Terrain, An Even Tougher Terrier The Glen of Imaal Terrier is […]

Partially shrouded by the mists of time, the history of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier sometimes reflects the Irish people's gift as storytellers rather than historians. Folklore persists that following the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, a dog swam to the shore of Ireland from a sinking ship. Supposedly, he then bred to […]

Barbara Miller of Glen Head, New York, is synonymous with Norfolk Terriers. And not just those from her top-winning Max-Well Kennel. The 2007 AKC Breeder of the Year (and 2002 AKC Terrier Breeder of the Year), Miller was the president of the parent club when her breed amicably split in 1979, creating the drop-eared Norfolk Terrier and the prick-eared Norwich Terrier. However, her earliest years in […]

Leaping over a broad jump, hopping through a hoop, and digging furiously underground to find rats. Add in a sniff-out session, some snappy switchbacks around poles, and a 100-yard dash in tizzy time and it looks like a dog in supersonic shenanigans. If this sounds like a flashy, popular breed who always stands in the […]