Greek Harehound

The Greek Harehound is an energetic, resilient, and active dog. This breed is characterized by confidence, independence, and excitement. All these qualities are qualities that are very important for the hunting breed. Although primarily used for hunting, these hounds by nature can be good human companions and live as pets in a family.

Breed Photos

Origin History

The history of the Greek Harehound is the history of a venerable and ancient breed whose origins date back to southern Greece. It dates back thousands of years. The Greek Harehounds are the heirs of the Egyptian sniffer dogs brought to Greece by the Phoenicians. Later these bloodhounds were crossed with the Italian Segugio and the Balkan Hound.

The Greek Harehound is a breed that was bred specifically for hare hunting in Greece, which makes it exclusive, excellent hare hunting skills increase hunters’ interest in this breed.

The Greek Hound is the only Greek breed that was recognized by the International Canine Federation in 1996. This very rare breed is under the patronage of its amateur club. The members of this club work hard to prevent the extinction of the Greek Hound.

Appearance

The Greek Harehound is a medium-sized dog characterized by an athletic build and rectangular shape. This breed has muscular, high limbs that allow it to develop enough speed to catch a hare.

The Hare Hound has a fairly strong jaw and humped muzzle, an elongated black nose, and saggy lips. The breed has a keen sense of smell and loud bark, which also makes them excellent hunters.

The coat of the hare hound is short, smooth, and close-fitting. Dogs of this breed have a black color with spots on the head, chest, and limbs. The spots can be beige, coffee-colored, reddish, or even reddish. Sometimes the Greek Harehounds have a white spot on the chest. Representatives of the breed are characterized by saggy ears of medium size, a short tail, dark brown eyes.

Character

The Greek Harehound is an energetic, resilient, and active dog. This breed is characterized by confidence, independence, and excitement. All these qualities are qualities that are very important for the hunting breed.

Although primarily used for hunting, these hounds by nature can be good human companions and live as pets in a family. They are not aggressive at all, showing obedience and loyalty to their owner. Because of their hunting nature, they can be a good guardian and protector of the home in which they live.

Care

The Greek Harehound is not an apartment dog; it needs to provide open space and plenty of physical activity. Members of this breed need work activity, namely hunting. If the dog owner is not a hunter, work activity can be replaced by active play with the pet.

The care of the Greek Harehound is generally not very complicated. The pet needs to be brushed weekly, regular ear and eye hygiene procedures, and claw trimming every two months.

Training

The hunting nature of the Greek Harehound can sometimes make this breed difficult to train. The independence and cunning of this pet make it stubborn in training. The use of encouragement and avoidance of disrespectful behavior toward these dogs is recommended in these breeds’ practice.

When training a Greek Harehound, the person must be a leader in its eyes. If the trainer succeeds in becoming an authority in the pet’s eyes, it will show obedience and the ability to learn commands quickly.

Common Diseases

Greek Harehounds are owners of strong health, for the maintenance of which it is enough to do routine vaccinations, provide a balanced diet and physical activity.

Diseases that can occur among this breed are musculoskeletal and digestive related. Tall limbs and the ability to develop high speeds can lead to arthritis and dislocated kneecaps, while improper nutrition can lead to bloating and food allergies.

Nutrition

Greek Harehounds can be kept on premium adult dog food or natural food. From natural food, feed the pet raw lean meat, supplementing it with porridges and thick vegetable soups. It is not recommended to feed this breed with what the owners eat.

The diet of Greek Harehounds should be balanced, moderately caloric, and with a good content of vitamins and minerals, the rate of which can be maintained with the help of special supplements. It is better to use supplements after consulting a veterinarian.