The gigantic reality of Irish Wolfhounds, captured in photos

Irish Wolfhounds are cherished for their gentle demeanor and impressive size—true gentle giants. They’re playful and loving, always ready for a game of chase or an unexpected tackle, and their kind, sensitive nature makes them incredibly endearing. While they can be a bit stubborn, especially during their awkward, clumsy puppy days, that only adds to their charm.

If you don’t mind a dog that sprawls across the whole couch, curls up on your lap as if it’s still a tiny pup, or happily takes over your bed, this breed could be your perfect companion. Just check out these hilarious photos of them enjoying time with their human families!

At This Home, Dinner Is Served Irish Wolfhound Style

Meet Zeusz, a one-year-old Irish Wolfhound from Budapest who shares his home with a smaller canine brother named Döme. This photo is downright hilarious—Zeusz’s owner captioned it: “Dog-head is served. Enjoy your meal!” Having an Irish Wolfhound around must turn mealtime into quite the adventure.

You can easily imagine Zeusz casually tilting his massive head toward your plate and swallowing the entire meal in one gulp. His head is actually bigger than the plate itself—that’s seriously impressive!

Not All Irish Wolfhound Affection Is Reciprocal

This photo pretty much speaks for itself—no caption necessary. Irish Wolfhounds are massive dogs, and when they want love and attention, they make sure to get it, no matter what you’re doing or where you’re sitting.

What makes this picture especially funny is the woman’s expression—she doesn’t look exactly thrilled to be the recipient of the wolfhound’s affection. Her body language says it all. Still, despite the surprise, it’s clear that everyone secretly loves those big, slobbery Irish Wolfhound hugs and kisses.

They Like Being On Top Of You

It’s tough to grasp just how massive an Irish Wolfhound is until you see one alongside other dogs and their owners. One owner humorously captioned this photo, “Just a lap dog.” But if you look closely, you’ll spot that this “lap dog” actually has a lap dog of its own.

Here, the wolfhound is lounging on the bed while its owner chats on the phone, and perched comfortably on the wolfhound’s fluffy coat is a tiny black dog, perfectly at ease. Life doesn’t get much cozier than this.

This One’s A Particularly Dainty-Like Lap Dog

One Instagram user commented, “He’s sitting so dainty-like!” and we couldn’t agree more. Another chimed in, “Wow!! You are a tall boy!!” This gentle giant is Enzo, an Irish Wolfhound who’s definitely not your typical lap dog—but he loves curling up on laps anyway.

When most people think of a lap dog, they picture a tiny terrier or a Chihuahua—not a towering Irish Wolfhound. But as you’ve probably gathered by now, Irish Wolfhounds love to break the mold.

Size Doesn’t Matter When It Comes To Friendship

The title says it all: “Big Ron & Big Ern……” and the contrast between these two couldn’t be more endearing. One stands tall and majestic, while the other is small but bursting with character. Despite their striking size difference, their connection is unmistakable.

Though they seem like an unlikely duo, Big Ron and Big Ern show that friendship isn’t about size. Whether relaxing or adventuring, this pair is pure heart (and plenty of fluff).

These Hungry Wolfhounds Are Ready For Breakfast

This photo is a full-on snout spectacular! The contrast between the massive Irish Wolfhounds and the tiny pups up front is downright hilarious. The caption says, “WE WANT YOUR TOAST!!” and honestly, who could say no to those faces?

Resisting a little dog begging for food is hard enough—but when a towering Irish Wolfhound is staring directly at your plate? That’s next-level pressure. Honestly, we wouldn’t judge anyone for sneaking them a bite!

Even Non-Dog Lovers Love The Breed

Not everyone claims to be a dog person—but some pups are just too cute to resist. One pet owner shared this photo with the caption, “My dad, who always complains about the dogs.” Despite all his grumbling, there he is, awkwardly holding the dog like he’s secretly smitten.

One commenter perfectly captured the moment: “Your dad is in the ‘this position is just uncomfortable enough that I feel it but so adorable that I don’t want to move’ stage.” And honestly, we couldn’t agree more.

They’re Very Cuddly

Few things are as adorable as kids and pets together—and these two are the best of buddies. The caption reads: “Navy, following in her parents’ footsteps, has decided that if Lincoln can’t be a couch dog, she’ll settle for the floor. Because wherever he can be spooned, you’ll find her … right there with the rest of us.”

First off, can we just appreciate how cool the name Navy is? And seriously, how amazing would it be to use an Irish Wolfhound as a pillow? Count us in!

They Also Like The Occasional Treat

Most dog owners understand that their furry friends love an occasional treat—ice cream included. Take a look at this Irish Wolfhound sampling some ice cream on behalf of his human. Hopefully, it’s his own special snack so she doesn’t have to deal with his drool!

Check out how effortlessly the wolfhound reaches the window, resting his paws on the truck’s ledge. Standing next to the two women, he looks impressively tall.

They Can Be Bed Hogs

We can’t get enough of this caption: “Naps & Cuddles with hoomum.” Sully the Irish Wolfhound lives in Melbourne, Australia, and according to his Instagram, his favorite activities include short walks to the couch, whipped cream, howling at the beach, and trips to the drive-in. Of course, he also loves snuggling up with his mom.

Sharing a bed with a wolfhound must be a bit tricky. They’re known to hog the covers, and if they sleep diagonally, there’s definitely not enough room for both humans and the dog!

No Paws About It, They’re Really Big Animals

Try this: open your hand and place it on a flat surface. Now imagine a dog’s paw right next to it, and it’s the exact same size—or even bigger. Hard to believe, right? Even for those with smaller hands, it’s surprising that a dog’s paw could match or surpass human hand size.

This photo shows a woman’s hand next to an Irish Wolfhound’s paw, and the dog’s paw is actually slightly larger. Pretty amazing, don’t you think?

Check Out This Irish Wolfhound Pack Ready To Feast

We can’t even imagine making Thanksgiving dinner with just one Irish Wolfhound in the house, let alone four of them underfoot! These giant pups could easily overwhelm the older woman preparing the holiday feast—but they’re not.

Instead, they’re (somewhat) patiently waiting for a snack. It makes you wonder what kind of person would keep four of these enormous dogs in her home. It must get pretty crowded with so many giant dogs roaming around!

They Think They’re Lap Dogs

Despite their enormous size, Irish Wolfhounds often don’t realize just how big they are. This affectionate pup is a perfect example—he’s a giant cuddle bug who loves the couch just as much as any lapdog. His owner posted a photo on Reddit with the caption: “My Irish Wolfhound, Sitting On Grandma’s Lap. He Has No Idea How Big He Is.”

And it’s true—he’s practically towering over his petite grandma, completely unaware that he’s more the size of a small horse than a little dog.

This Guy’s Huge & He’s Only Eight Months Old

This “puppy” might only be eight months old in the photo, but he’s already a giant. His owner shared the picture on Facebook with the caption: “Murphy at 8 months, he’s now 4 years old and 165lb.” Even standing beside a toy car, Murphy looks absolutely massive. And apparently, he’s never been a fan of car rides.

A friend of the owner chimed in with their own hilarious story: “My two Irish wolfhounds… were perfectly happy riding in the back seat of our 3-door Ford Focus Hatchback. They did not like the bigger car. People used to go nuts watching first one pony then the other exit that little car. And they were so well behaved.” Giant dogs, small cars, and the best manners—it’s a funny and heartwarming combo.

This Particular Family Tradition Includes The Dog

Families often have their own special holiday traditions, and one popular favorite is wearing matching pajamas while unwrapping presents on Christmas morning. This family clearly keeps that festive tradition alive—and of course, their dog is no exception.

Dram, a four-year-old Irish Wolfhound, gets to join in on the cozy fun right alongside his human little brother, Warren, who isn’t even two yet. Despite the major size difference, the two are said to be the best of buddies, proving that friendship knows no bounds—or sizes!

Irish Wolfhound Puppies Don’t Look That Big

This Irish Wolfhound is named Storm, and apparently she’s a great mom. She takes care of her little ones and keeps them very clean and well fed. According to her owner, “She is so careful that she will not stand up until I have gathered the puppies into the overflow box, and won’t get back in until they are safely contained.”

This dog knows that’s she’s pretty big and won’t move a muscle until her puppies are safely out of the way. She is without a doubt a good mom to her youngsters.

Very Little Stands In The Way Of An Irish Wolfhound On A Mission

Check out the caption of this photo: “My buddy #Chester named after #gkchesterton is an almost one year old #Irishwolfhound He wanted to look out the window.” Yup, when a wolfhound wants to do something not much can stand in its way, which includes furniture and humans.

The one great benefit to being so large is you can do pretty much anything you want — unless you want to fit in a small space. That is one thing that may be a little challenging for an Irish Wolfhound.

When Pizza Is Around, Look Out

Like most dogs, Irish Wolfhounds like to eat. And if they spot their owners eating something delicious such as pizza, you better watch out. Just take a look at this pack of wolfhounds and what appears to be a shepherd among their midst. They are absolutely surrounding their human just waiting for a morsel of food.

It’s a good thing these dogs are such gentle creatures, otherwise it would be absolutely terrifying to have them on stand by just waiting for you to drop a piece of pepperoni on the floor.

Love And Affection Comes In All Sizes

We should mention that Amber, the woman in the photo, is just five feet tall — yet Moose, the Irish Wolfhound, still towers over her! This picture was shared by a dog resort known for its five-star services for furry guests, and it seems Moose was a short-term visitor.

Running a dog boarding facility must be a blast, especially when you get to hang out with dogs of all sizes — including massive Irish Wolfhounds like Moose. Judging by Amber’s big smile, it’s clear she had a great time with him.

They’re Protective Of Their Pack

Here is a photo of a wolfhound named Jarvis who is “watching his boy.” He has one arm draped protectively around this little man, either for comfort or because he wants to make sure the little guy is under his watch. It’s really heart-warming.

It must be so nice to be loved by an Irish Wolfhound. According to experts, the breed is often calm, sometimes playful and silly, and always easygoing and reliable. One thing is for sure: they make great companions for people of all ages.