General Appearance
The
Glen of Imaal Terrier, named for the region in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland
where it was developed long ago, is a medium sized working terrier. Longer than
tall and sporting a double coat of medium length, the Glen possesses great strength
and should always convey the impression of maximum substance for size of dog.
Unrefined to this day, the breed still possesses "antique" features
once common to many early terrier types; its distinctive head with rose or half-prick
ears, its bowed forequarters with turned out feet, its unique outline and topline
are hallmarks of the breed and essential to the breed type. The “antique” features of the breed are emphasized as essentials of type, which include its distinctive head with rose or half-prick ears, its bowed forequarters with turned out feet, and its unique outline and topline.
Size, Proportion Substance
Height -
The maximum height is 14 inches with a minimum of 12½ inches, measured
at the highest point of the shoulder blades.Weight - Weight is approximately 35 pounds, bitches somewhat less; however, no Glen in good condition and otherwise well-balanced shall be penalized for being slightly outside the suggested weight.
Length - The length of body, measured from sternum to buttocks, and height measured from the highest point of the shoulder blades to ground, to be in a ratio of approximately 5 (length) to 3 (height). The overall balance is more important than any single specification.
The length to height ratio of 5:3 is essential to the overall balance of the breed.
Head
Head - The head must be powerful and strong with no suggestion of coarseness. Impressive in size yet in balance with, and in proportion to, the overall size and symmetry of the dog.
Eyes - Brown, medium size, round and set well apart. Light eyes should be penalized.
Ears - Small, rose or half pricked when alert, thrown back when in repose. Set wide apart and well back on the top outer edge of the skull. Full drop or prick ears undesirable.
Skull - Broad and slightly domed; tapering slightly towards the brow. Of fair length, distance from stop to occiput being approximately equal to distance between ears.
Muzzle - Foreface of power, strong and well filled below the eyes, tapering toward the nose. Ratio of length of muzzle to length of skull is approximately three (muzzle) to five (skull.) Bottlehead or narrow foreface undesirable.
Stop - Pronounced.
Nose - Black.
Teeth - Set in a strong jaw, sound, regular, and of good size. Full dentition. Scissors bite preferred; level mouth accepted.
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Eyes - medium size, round and set well apart. The muzzle is well-filled and strong, to give the appearance of strength.
The stop is to be pronounced. The nose is black.
The proportion of skull to muzzle is a ratio of 5:3.
Neck, Topline and Body
Neck - Very muscular and of moderate length.
Topline - Straight, slightly rising to a very strong well-muscled loin with no drop-off at the croup.
Body - Deep, long and fully muscled. Longer than high with the ideal ratio of body length to shoulder height approximately five (length) to three (height).
Chest - Wide, strong and deep, extending below the elbows.
Ribs - Well sprung with neither a flat nor a barrel appearance.
Loin - Strong and well muscled.
Tail - Docked to approximately half-length, in balance with the overall dog and long enough to allow a good handhold. Strong at root, well set on and carried gaily. Dogs with undocked tails not to be penalized.
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The chest is deep, extending below the elbow. The shoulders are to be well laid back, the forelegs are short, well boned. As a result of the bow in the foreleg, the feet will turn out slightly but perceptibly from the pastern. The foot is compact and strong rounded in shape.
Forequarters
Shoulder - Well laid back, broad and muscular.
Forelegs - Short, bowed and well boned. Forearm should curve slightly around the chest. Upper arm (humerus) nearly equal in length to the shoulder blades (scapula). Feet to turn out slightly but perceptibly from pasterns.
Feet - Compact and strong with rounded pads.
Hindquarters
Strong and well muscled, with ample bone and in balance with forequarters. Good bend of stifle and a well-defined second thigh. Hocks turn neither in nor out, are short, well let down and perpendicular from hock to ground.
Feet - As front, except they should point forward.
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The coat is to be of medium length, harsh in texture with a soft undercoat. The presentation is to be of a rough-and-ready working terrier. The back coat is worked by hand, never to be scissored, to maintain a neat tidied appearance.
Coat
Medium length, of harsh texture with a soft undercoat. The coat may be tidied to present a neat outline characteristic of a rough-and-ready working terrier. Over trimming of dogs is undesirable.
Color
Wheaten, blue or brindle. Wheaten includes all shades from cream to red wheaten. Blue may range from silver to deepest slate, but not black. Brindle may be any shades but is most commonly seen as blue brindle, a mixture of dark blue, light blue, and tan hairs in any combination or proportion.
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The Glen of Imaal Terrier may be any shade of wheaten ranging from cream to red. The blue may range from silver to deep slate, puppies will be darker.
The brindle may be any shades or mixture of the dark blue, light blue and tan hairs. For some blue brindle Glen of Imaal Terriers, the tan hairs may be especially prevalent on the lower legs, feet and face, not unlike a blue and tan Bedlington Terrier. This is perfectly allowable since the standard reads “dark blue, light blue, and tan hairs in any proportion or combination.”
Gait
The
action should be free and even, covering the ground effortlessly with good
reach in front and good drive behind. This is a working terrier, which must
have the agility, freedom of movement and endurance to do the work for which
it was developed. The gait of the Glen of Imaal Terrier is free and even, covering ground effortlessly with good reach in front with a strong rear drive. This is a working terrier, which must be agile.
Temperament
Game and spirited with great courage when called upon, otherwise gentle and docile. Although generally less easily excited than other terriers, the Glen is always ready to give chase. When working they are active, agile, silent and dead game.
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Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Approved: June 11, 2001
Effective: September 1, 2001
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