A little bit of History

The Kerry is an indigenous national Terrier of Ireland, going by the name of Irish Blue Terrier. It first came to the public eye when it was adopted as the national dog of the Irish Republic. The Kerry originated in the mountainous regions of County Kerry from which its name was derived; they have been purebred in this section of Ireland for at least 175 years.

In some instances, Kerry Blue Terriers have been used in England and on the Continent for police work. During World War II in Great Britain many Kerry Blue Terriers were used for guarding factories, aerodromes, POW camps, working parties, etc. The army was, and still is, enthusiastic about the dog's guarding qualities and his ability to discriminate between friend and foe. There has been much conjecture about who was the first to import the Kerry into the United States and where they were first shown. It is known that Kerry Blues were imported shortly after the First World War and it is believed that these early dogs formed the basis of American breeding. Today, the U.S. has become the Kerry Blue breeding center of the world.