Clubs and Organizations
The Canadian Kennel Club, CKC
Incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act, The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) is the primary registry body for purebred dogs in Canada and currently recognizes 187 breeds. As a national, member-based, non-profit organization, CKC is dedicated to encouraging, guiding, and advancing the interests of purebred dogs and their responsible owners and breeders in Canada and promoting knowledge and understanding of the benefits that dogs can bring to Canadian society.
The CKC maintains a system whereby clubs and associations wishing to do so may hold dog shows, obedience trials, field trials, and other trials, tests, and activities for dogs under the auspices of and in accordance with the rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures established by the Club.
The CKC's policy underscores its recognition of a single National Breed Club dedicated to each of the 187 breeds.
More than 50 years ago, the CKC recognized the IWCC as the National Breed Club for our breed.
https://www.ckc.ca/en/Choosing-a-Dog/Choosing-a-Breed/Hounds/Irish-Wolfhound
The Irish Wolfhound Club of Canada, IWCC
To be recognized by the CKC, the specific breed club shall meet all requirements listed in the CKC Policies and Procedure. All clubs recognized or seeking recognition from The Canadian Kennel Club must be governed by a constitution and by-laws providing for the orderly and democratic conduct of the club’s business.
To act in conformation with the CKC rules, the Club must conduct an election by nominations and voting for a Board consisting of one president, one vice president, one treasurer and secretary or one secretary/treasurer, and a minimum of 4 directors from 3 different regions of Canada.
The Club may hold one National Specialty event per year.
The Club is responsible for making the breed’s Standard understood and respected by the breeders and its members. The mandate is also to educate members by holding workshops and seminars on various subjects such as health, movement, conformation, grooming, etc
For more details on Club recognition by the CKC, visit their site and read their Bylaws and chapter 5 of Policies and Procedures.
Under the umbrella of the National Club, the CKC also allows local wolfhound clubs called “Area Branches” to organise one Specialty Show a year.
IWCC Area Branches
The Irish Wolfhound Club of Canada supports our local Clubs, called Area Branches.
Federation of Irish Wolfhound Clubs
Founded in 1994, the Federation of European IW organisation’s intention was to foster cooperation between clubs that utilised the common standard of the FCI, (Federation Canine International).
Almost 30 years later, the purposes of the new FIWC, Federation Irish Wolfhound Clubs, a deliberately not only European organisation, are to involve in the project as many clubs and nations as possible so that they can share experiences and those of their breeders, and -where possible -to coordinate certain activities in order better to promote and preserve this magnificent breed while remaining loyal to the standard of Captain Graham. The federation now has a legal status, having been registered as a non-profit organization in 2020 in the Netherlands
The Irish Wolfhound Club of Canada was the first associate member accepted by the FIWC in 2018. In 2022, the Irish Wolfhound Club of America was voted in as an associate member.
For more information on the FIWC, visit their website.
The Irish Wolfhound Database
The Irish Wolfhound Database is a free and open resource created for and by the Irish Wolfhound Community.
The database consists of pedigrees of all wolfhounds that have lived in the world since registration exists.
The IWDB gives us access to full pedigree of most Wolfhounds up to the breed founders, for at least 40 generations and more.
The amount of searches you can make has no limits. The standard pedigree research (from 3 to 10 generations) shows siblings, half sibling, progeny, influence on the breed, inbreeding coefficients, common ancestors but you can also see reverse pedigrees and see the influence of a sir or dam in the wolfhound community. You can create a trial mating and see the inbreeding coefficient related to the average.
When searching for a Reputable Breeder, Buyer Beware
Before you commit to the purchase of your next Irish Wolfhound, consult the iwdb. It is an excellent resource to research the pedigree of the puppy the breeder is offering to determine health history and past breeding practices of that breeder.
If you are interested in the breed in your country, you can do an advanced search and look at the breed's evolution over decades. The IWDB provides tutorials to make the most of the site and its data.
The last additions were pictures of the dogs, longevity and causes of death, leading to average lifespan in the pedigree. This part of the collection is still ongoing, and data can be added.
The data base is open for researchers’ worldwide.
Groundbreaking studies have been made on heritability of osteosarcoma and atrial fibrillation. Heritability of longevity itself has been calculated. These studies are all based on the data collected by IWDB
https://info.iwdb.org/the-makeup-of-an-irish-wolfhound/#more-301
https://info.iwdb.org/pedigrees-puppy-buyers/#more-178
The IWDB exist because of a volunteers group. The organisation relies on cooperation with and support by Breed Clubs internationally and is financed by user contributions and clubs.
Here is the link to their PayPal: PayPal.Me/iwdb
The Irish Wolfhound Foundation
Founded in 2002, the Irish Wolfhound Foundation is an all-volunteer charitable organization dedicated to the welfare of the Irish Wolfhound. The IWF conduct health studies, run health screening clinics at IW specialty shows and gatherings, disburse grants to IW-related research, sponsor educational seminars, and coordinate and fund rescue efforts.
The Goal of the Health Research Committee is to identify the types and prevalence of health problems affecting the Irish Wolfhound, and to initiate, support and provide funding for study and research projects which address them.
The IW Foundation want to produce, publish, and distribute to IW owners and veterinary health care providers educational materials relating to diseases, genetic anomalies, and injuries which occur in the Irish Wolfhound and to further the understanding of Irish Wolfhound health issues, thereby improving the quality of life for Irish Wolfhounds and their owners.
The Irish Wolfhound Foundation maintains a library of articles and links relevant to the health of the Irish Wolfhound. Some of these are specific to Irish Wolfhounds or other sighthounds, and some are applicable to any canine.
The IWF relies on donation from wolfhounds lovers. If you are one of them visit their site and become a regular donator.
The Irish Wolfhound Health Group
Establish in 2004, he Irish Wolfhound Health Group is a UK organisation that originally comprised representatives from each of the four IW breed Clubs in the United Kingdom.
The purpose of the group is to monitor and promote the health and welfare of the breed, to educate and inform, and to be a united breed voice in all matters relating to health issues.
The IWHG have a library accessible on their website and many articles are linked in our own website section related to Health.