Above Photo By David Seall of www.bregorreyglens.co.uk

This Irish breed originated in the Imaal valley in the county of Wicklow near Dublin. It has been described variously as a rough-and-ready Sealyham, a miniature Irish Wolfhound, or a Soft Coated Wheaten on short legs, etc. While these descriptions might allude to an aspect of the Glen of Imaal’s profile, they ultimately miss the point. The Glen isn’t a rough-and-ready or miniature anything. It predates many of the breeds to which it is likened and is a truly unique and remarkable creature beloved by most everyone fortunate enough to come into contact with one.

The history of the breed finds its roots in the starkly beautiful Glen of Imaal in County Wicklow. Like its three Irish cousins–the Kerry Blue Terrier, the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and the Irish Terrier–the Glen of Imaal Terrier was initially bred to rid the home and farm of vermin, and hunt fox and badger. The European badger weighs in at 40 lbs and the Glen was tough and strong enough to go to ground and dispatch the vermin soundlessly.

According to legend the Glen of Imaal also has a unique task which it was expressly designed for: it was a turnspit dog. The turnspit was a large wheel which, when paddled by the dog, would turn the spit over the hearth–a  canine-propelled rotisserie, if you will. The Glen’s highly individualized bowed front legs and powerful hindquarters were ideally suited for this. For several hundred years, these hearty dogs performed their tasks unnoticed by all except those who treasured them.

With the advent of dog shows in the 20th century, the breed began to emerge into the public eye. In 1934, the Glen of Imaal Terrier was given full recognition by the Irish Kennel Club. It was the third of the four Irish terrier breeds to be so acknowledged. The breed is now recognized by the Kennel Club of Great Britain, FCI, and several rare breed associations. In America the Glen was fully recognized and entered the Terrier Group in October 2004 though the hard efforts of members of the Glen of Imaal Terrier Club of America. There are 500-600 Glens registered in the United States.

Information courtesy of  Glen of Imaal Terrier Club of America