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MediumTerrier Group

Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier is an Irish general-purpose farm and working terrier from County Kerry.

Calculate Kerry Blue Terrier age
Lifespan12.4 yrrange 11–13
SizeMediumTerrier Group
Weight33–40 lb15–18.1 kg
Senior at7 yrgeriatric at 11

Gallery (3)

About

About the Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier is an Irish general-purpose farm and working terrier from County Kerry. The soft curly blue coat emerges black in puppies and lightens with age; AKC recognition dates to 1922.

Aging

How Kerry Blue Terriers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 12.4 years (n=536). Progressive neuronal abiotrophy is the defining breed-specific inherited neurological concern — juvenile onset before age 2 — with factor XI deficiency (bleeding disorder) and cataracts secondary.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 12.4 yr · range 11–13Senior careSenior at 7 · geriatric at 11Common health issues6 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
33–40 lb(15–18.1 kg)
Height
17.5–19.5 in(44.5–49.5 cm)
Coat type
Wire
Colors
BlackBlueBlue & BlackBlue & SilverBlue & GraySilverSilver BlueSlate BlueGray
Temperament

Temperament

How Kerry Blue Terriers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

smartalertpeople-orientedspirited
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Kerry Blue Terrier physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.