Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic vs Cyprus Poodle - Breed Comparison

Unfortunately the Island of Cyprus may well be beautiful and have a wonderful climate, but when you take a deeper look, the island has a serious problem with feral cats and stray dogs.

The many sanctuaries battle to keep up with the volume of neglected and abandoned animals on the island. One of the dogs found on the Island of Cyprus is the Cyprus Poodle. Some people say that the Cyprus Poodle is a cross between a poodle and a terrier.

Today this small dog is sought after in other countries for his loving personality and attractive looks.

The Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic, also referred to as the Istrian wire-haired or short-haired scenthound is a very ancient dog breed. Apparently the dog has been found in paintings that go way back to the early 1700s.

The dog can either have a short, smooth coat or a rough, wiry longer coat. He has always been popular with hunters, used for hunting rabbits and fox.

An interesting fact with this dog is the correlation between the Dalmatian dog and the Istrian short-haired hound. According to veterinary investigations, there are strong likenesses between the two breeds.

The truth is, the origin of the Istrian has been a matter of dispute for some time but in 2003 the Federation Cynologique Internationale recognized the breed as hailing from Croatia.

The Cyprus Poodle is such an attractive little dog with his jaunty personality and his dense, curly hair.

He stands in the region of 20 to 30cm and can weigh roughly 3 to 6kg. His hair is essentially cream or white with orangey tips and some people claim he is a cross between a poodle and a terrier.

He is a small dog. His curly coat is woolly and can be in a number of different colors such as white, ivory or apricot or even other colors.

The curly haired Cyprus Poodle isn’t a huge shedder but regular clipping keeps him looking nice and makes sure the coat doesn’t matt.

He has floppy ears, a long tail and brown eyes. He loves to go for a swim and then to dart around the place so he may require a bath every now and again to keep his beautiful coat clean and free of matting.

Temperament:

The Cyprus Poodle is an even tempered dog and he makes the perfect family pet, forming close bonds with his human family members.

He is playful, social and friendly and gets on well with children in the home as well as any other pets. He may be a small, friendly dog, but he will need training and socialization if you want him to be obedient and relaxed around other people.

Medium in size, the Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic stands at roughly 43 to 60cm at the withers and weighs roughly 12 to 27kg. The chest of the dog is broad and deep, the skull slightly rounded while the muzzle is strong and rectangular shaped. The nose is dark brown or black.

The ears are floppy and are nearly always in the orange color while the tail is long and is carried low. The coat of the rough haired dog is of medium length. In fact the coat can either be short and smooth or longish and wiry with a woolly undercoat. The color of the coat is white with orange markings.

Temperament:

This breed of dog is sought after for his cheerful personality. He is loyal to his human family and is a social dog, loving to spend time around his family.

He is energetic, confident and strong-willed and this is why, as with most other dogs, he will benefit from training and socialization, as this makes him obedient and responsive to his owner. He is evenly tempered, being gentle and docile.

Your Cyprus Poodle is just dying to be a member of a human family because he has a lot of love and friendliness to give.

He wants lots of love and attention in return though. He doesn’t like to be put out in the garden and forgotten about. Make sure that he is a fully involved family member.

He is such a friendly, loving, social little dog and in exchange for your love and care, he is guaranteed to make you a most wonderful and loyal friend.

The Istrian Wire-haired Scenthound or Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic as he is also referred to is a strong, well built hound which is elegant in appearance.

He has a remarkably striking coat - bright white with orange markings. He has always been an excellent hunting dog, even to this day. This background hunting of his will require that he receives ongoing exercise as well as mental stimulation.

Treat this beautiful dog well - exercise him, groom him, feed him well and love him and you will be rewarded with the loyal and devoted friendship of an amazing dog.

Because the Cyprus Poodle is a cross-breed, he is a robust, long-life dog and not likely to get ill very easily.

Your Cyprus Poodle can have between 1 to 6 puppies but there are tremendous health benefits waiting for your pet when you ensure that he is rather neutered or spayed in the case of a female. Make sure too that he has all his vaccinations up to date. Make sure he has an excellent diet, a warm, dry place to sleep, he is exercised and that he gets regular check-ups from the vet.

There are some common dog illnesses that you want to look out for. When he is a puppy make sure that he gets the necessary vaccination against life threatening illnesses such as parvovirus, distemper and rabies.

There are some diseases that do affect poodles a little more than with other breeds, and one of these is Cushing’s Disease.

Cushing's Disease:

This is an illness that comes about when the body of your dogs makes too much cortisol. It is difficult for you to see symptoms of this disease in your pet, but if he is displaying unusual behavior, then you want to get him to the vet who can decide on treatment for him.

Dental Disease:

There are people who don’t take dental disease seriously in dogs as they think that it simply affects the teeth, when in fact dental disease can affect the dog’s entire body.

Dental- and gum disease is to be regarded with concern as it can be painful and even life threatening. It affects many dogs, and unfortunately your Istarski is also likely to have problems with his teeth. Tartar build-up and infection of the gums can lead to tooth loss but also damage to the kidneys, heart and joints.

Dogs need to have their teeth attended to regularly and if this is something new to you, speak to your vet and find out about special canine toothpaste and toothbrush and how to use them.

Infections:

Dogs can be susceptible to bacterial and viral infections such as rabies, distemper and parvo, and that is why visits to your vet are so important. These life-threatening diseases for your Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic are preventable through vaccinations.

Diet:

A cyprus poodle makes such a good pet and you will want to ensure that you feed your one an excellent diet so that he remains healthy and content.

Some people are overwhelmed at the sheer variety of commercially manufactured dog foods today, but the choice can be made a lot simpler by sticking to the better quality ones where protein is at the top of the ingredients list.

Home made food such as cooked brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken will be excellent for your Cyprus Poodle as well as including some raw meat in the diet. Make sure he always has access to cool, clean water as this water is essential to his health, making it possible for all his bodily functions.

Grooming:

Brush his hair regularly and brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week. Make sure to use toothpaste and toothbrush specially designed for dogs.

Exercise:

Your poodle will happily slot into life with you in the city or the country, but even if you have a garden, you can’t expect your dog to always find his own entertainment. Take your poodle for walks and play games with him so that he remains healthy and content.

Taking care of an Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic dog is much like caring for a child – doing everything you can to keep him healthy and happy, after all, he is a member of your family.

You want to be watching his diet and making sure that it is the best quality there is, full of vitamins and minerals to keep his eyes bright, his nose wet and his tail wagging.

There are excellent commercially manufactured dog foods on the market today and the best ones ensure excellent nutrition for your dog to keep him in optimal condition through each stage that he goes through. Try to include some home-made food into this kibble such as cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables and it can be to his benefit to just to include some raw meat from time to time.

Make sure your Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic is well exercised, that you check his teeth and ears to ensure there are no infections and to call the vet immediately you suspect something is wrong. Make sure you have him examined as a puppy and that he gets his necessary injections as there are diseases that can kill your dog.