Greek Hound

Hellenic Hound, Hellinikos Ichnilatis

The Greek Hound is and will remain an exceptional hound for hunting, but not necessarily ideal for all families. He is an excellent dog and will make a good companion, but it will take time and patience to provide him with a firm and proper education. He can become an excellent family dog, but must first be trained as such. Few specimens live outside Greece, his country of origin. This country is therefore the best place to discover the breed.

Height 45 to 55 cm
Weight 17 to 20 kg
Life expectancy 12 to 13 years
Home country Greece

Quick Overview of the Greek Hound

Temperament

  • Attentive and lively
  • Passionate
  • Affectionate and gentle
  • Independent and stubborn

Appearance

  • Strong and muscular build
  • Vigorous
  • Short, dense, solid coat
  • Brown eyes

Health

  • Hardy and robust
  • Rarely ill

Temperament of the Greek Hound

Attentive, passionate, lively, vigorous and endowed with a beautiful voice that carries far, the Greek Hound can be affectionate and gentle.

Hierarchy must be instilled in him because it is not innate. Endowed with a strong character, he must be taught to socialize at an early age.

Independent, stubborn, lively and passionate about hunting, he can be gentle and affectionate in the family, but being the household pet dog is not in his primary nature.

He is more of a hunter at heart and can make an excellent companion with a good education.

He has a very fine sense of smell and is very resistant. He can hunt alone or in group and his dynamism is always there. This all-terrain dog can work anywhere and with all types of game.

However, he is suitable for everyone, provided he can get daily exercise and a firm hand to train him.

Breed Appearance

Greek hound

The Greek Hound is a strong, muscular dog of medium size. He is sagacious and vigorous.

His beautiful silhouette is nevertheless slender, with a strong and harmonious look. This strong, lively dog leaves a beautiful, robust and healthy impression.

Height

Between 47 and 55 cm (18.50 to 21.65 inches) for the male
Between 45 and 53 cm (17.72 to 20.87 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 17 and 20 kg (37.48 to 44.09 pounds) for the male
Between 17 and 20 kg (37.48 to 44.09 pounds) for the female

Color

His coat color is black and red, and sometimes with a slight white spot on the chest.

Hair

His hair is short, even, dense and slightly hard and adheres well to his body.

Morphology

His head is composed of a flat skull and slightly pronounced stop.

His eyes are a beautiful brown color. His ears are rounded at the tip and medium length, falling vertically. His pretty nose is completely black.

His tail, although quite strong, is not very long, reaches almost to the tip of the hock and is carried in the shape of a sabre.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 6, section 1 and is #214

Tips About this breed

He's a bit stubborn and tends to do as he pleases if he's not well controlled and educated at a young age.

His socialization and family hierarchy must be imposed on him at an early stage. He is not aggressive by nature, but must still learn to behave well in society.

However, he is friendly with children and likes to play with them.

He is a born hunter who can make a good companion if properly trained and well surrounded.

He is not adapted to city life and the neighbours do not appreciate him because of his powerful and frequent barking.

He is really made for wide open spaces and freedom and does not like apartments.

Health of the Greek Hound

This hardy dog is very robust and rarely sick.

He has good health and the breed does not suffer from any particular pathology. The specimens are also endowed with a long life expectancy.

GROOMING

The Greek Hound's drooping ears should be monitored, especially after hunting episodes, and his short coat brushed regularly to keep it healthy.

No other special care is required.

History of this breed

His origins are totally unknown, but it appears that the Greek Hound has ancestors in common with French and Italian hounds.

It would also seem that today's dog comes from hounds brought from Egypt by the Phoenicians. There are practically no specimens outside Greece, and even in Greek territory, he remains quite rare and difficult to find.

This dog, used in packs or alone is extraordinarily hardy and has a very keen sense of smell.

All terrains are suitable for hunting, on plains and in mountains, on rocky ground and even on terrains that are impassable for others.

He also has a harmonious and vocal bark.

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