Russian Harlequin Hound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison

Cretan Hound is originated from Greece but Russian Harlequin Hound is originated from Russia. Both Cretan Hound and Russian Harlequin Hound are of same height. Both Cretan Hound and Russian Harlequin Hound are having almost same weight. Both Cretan Hound and Russian Harlequin Hound has almost same life span. Both Cretan Hound and Russian Harlequin Hound has almost same litter size. Cretan Hound requires Moderate Maintenance. But Russian Harlequin Hound requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Hound dog
undefined
Greece
Russia
Height Male:
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
55 - 68 cm
21 - 27 inches
Height Female:
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
55 - 68 cm
21 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
18 - 31 kg
39 - 69 pounds
Weight Female:
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
18 - 31 kg
39 - 69 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 7
6 - 8
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Kritikos Lagonikos, Kressa Kyon, Ntopio
Anglo-Russkaya Gontjaja, Russian Spotted Hound
Colors Available:
grey, Fawn, sandy, tri-colored , white, black or brindle
White with tan and black markings
Coat:
Short and smooth
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Detached, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

cretan houndAlthough the Cretan Hound or the Kritikos Lagonikos is recognized in both Greece and Germany, the hunting dog breed is from the island of Crete, Greece. The dog’s history goes back thousands of years. It is an ancient breed and some believe it is one of the oldest hunting breeds in Europe.

The Cretan Hound has been bred as a working dog, combining sight and scent to track down their prey. Today it is still a rare dog breed that you won’t easily find outside of Crete.

Greece kennels recognize this dog as well as some European kennels, but it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club.

The origins of the Russian Harlequin Hound are somewhat vague as there are many Russian hunting hounds and many of them have a similar ancestry.

The Russian Harlequin Hound is an indigenous hound whose origins go back to the 18th century. The first breed standard was published in 1925.

The breed was then developed during the early 1900s – being a mix of Russian Hound and English Foxhound. The Russian Harlequin Hound is a rare dog breed and you will find it almost exclusively in Russia.

Description

cretan hound puppy - descriptionKnown for its extraordinary scent abilities as well as its speed, this dog has always been used as a hare hunter because of these skills.

It’s a slender dog of medium to large size and stands at about 60-68cm in height and weighs between 20 – 30kg. It is lean, strong, muscular and swift with a body that is inclined to be longer than tall.

He is slightly heavier than other scenthounds and his ribs aren’t seen. The head is wedge-shaped and the ears drop down, are folded back or can be semi-erect. The eyes are dark and the tail is long and curves upwards with longer hair being found on the tail.

The coat is short and smooth, and coat colors of the dog are varied and can be fawn, sandy, grey, white, black or brindle, and it can be tri-colored too.

Temperament:

The Cretan Hound is alert to sight, sound and scent and when it senses prey, the tail moves in a circular way and the dog becomes rigid for a while before he is off on the hunt.

He is a gentle, intelligent dog, reserved around strangers but making an excellent family pet as he gets on well with all his human family members as well as pets in the house. With good training and socialization, the dog becomes more relaxed around strangers.

He isn’t an aggressive dog, and while he is alert to sounds and smells, he doesn’t make a particularly good watchdog.

The Russian Harlequin Hound is a medium to large sized dog that stands between 55 – 68cm in height and weighs between 18 – 31kg.

He has a solid build with long, straight legs with a long tail that can be slightly curved. The head is broad and square with medium sized ears which are floppy. The short coat is essentially white with tri-colored markings of white, tan and black.

Temperament:

The Russian Harlequin Hound has an amicable expression to his face and is a friendly social dog breed. He is lively and energetic, and with his hunting background will required a good deal of exercise.

They make great family pets, getting on well with children in the home and making friends with any other pets in the family. He is a gentle dog and with training and socialization is well mannered and obedient.

He loves his human family and wants to spend time with them in their company. He isn't suited to life in the city and a small property, but will require a home with bigger grounds.

Characteristics

cretan hound dog - characteristicsThe Cretan Hound is an energetic, curious dog, but when it comes to being a family pet, he is affectionate and gentle.

He is a reserved dog around strangers. He likes to be busy and will love his walks and games with his human family members. He is smart so is readily trained and he likes to be obedient and to please.

The Cretan Hound will live in harmony with other dogs in the home and they’re also patient and good around disciplined children who have learned to respect animals.

Provide your Cretan Hound with his fair share of love and attention and he will go out of his way to be a loyal and loving family friend.

The Russian Harlequin Hound has always been a hunting dog, known for his excellent hunting skills. He isn’t only a good hunting dog, but he makes a good family pet too.

If you’re looking for an unusual dog breed that is also intelligent, loyal and loving, then you might want to consider this Russian Harlequin Hound.

Health Problems

cretan hound puppies - health problemsThe Cretan Hound is a healthy, robust dog breed, but even so, he can suffer from some common health problems that other dogs are also susceptible to. Some of these are hip dysplasia , cancer, ear infections, bloat and cherry eye.

Remember that if you don’t want your dog to have puppies, they can actually benefit health-wise from being spayed or neutered. Doing this for your pet can prevent a number of health issues later on down the line.

Make sure too, that your puppy receives his vaccinations in a timely fashion so as to avoid terrible, life threatening illnesses such as parvo and rabies.

Your Russian Harlequin Hound is a rare dog breed that can reach 12 years of age if well cared for. There are some dog ailments that must be watched for. Cancer, ear infections and skin allergies can be problems to look out for. Other troublesome ailments can be -

Bloat:

This is a more common disease with deep-chested dogs, and the deep chested Russian Harlequin Hound is prone to bloat. Gas is trapped in the stomach and the stomach can actually twist. It can be life threatening. Your pet will have a hard, swollen belly and will be restless and salivating. Get him to the vet immediately. He may well require immediate surgery.

Hip Dysplasia:

This condition is all about problems with the hip joints. It is sad for any dog with this disease as it can be painful for your pet to walk. Inflammation and arthritis can mean your pet being in pain. He can become lame too.

There are anti-inflammatory medications and your vet will suggest other treatments to make sure your pet is as comfortable as can be.

Caring The Pet

cretan hound dogs - caringYou’re certainly not going to have to do too much grooming with the Cretan Hound as he is a low maintenance breed.

The dog is a short haired breed and an average shedder, so a good brush twice a week will keep the coat free of loose hairs and maintain the condition of the hair.

As with all dogs, the nails as well as the ears must be checked and attended to. The veterinarian can advise you on how to keep his ears clean and free of infection, as prodding around without knowing can damage his ears.

Exercise:

This Cretan Hound has high activity needs. He is energetic and also hard-working, and you’ll need to be taking him on long walks and providing him with some highly energetic playing sessions. Throw ball for him and take him with you when you go jogging or cycling.

Exercise:

The Russian Harlequin Hound needs both mental and physical stimulation. He is a curious dog and wants to be out and about sniffing around and exploring. He will need to have a walk every day as well as lots of ball- and rope games. He will suit being the pet of a busy, outdoorsy family as opposed to a family of couch potatoes.

Grooming:

The Russian Harlequin Hound is looked upon as a low maintenance dog breed, and with his short, dense coat you can get by with just brushing him twice a week. Because he is such a lover of the outdoors check him over for ticks and fleas when you brush him.

Check inside his ears for redness and infection.

Open his mouth and look for bad, rotting teeth.

Check him over for any unusual lumps.

Make sure his eyes are clear and free of discharge.

Trim his nails.

Diet:

Every dog should be fed excellent food as this encourages good health. Commercially manufactured dog foods can be wonderfully convenient and nutritious if you get the better quality ones.

Try and include some simple, tasty home-made food to his diet . High-quality dry dog food will provide a balanced diet, but you want to make it a little more tasty for him by giving him some chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. This can be added into the dry kibble twice a week.

Try and include some raw meat occasionally. Fresh, cool water should always be available around the clock.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Russian Harlequin Hound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Russian Harlequin Hound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Russian Harlequin Hound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Russian Harlequin Hound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Russian Harlequin Hound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Russian Harlequin Hound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Russian Harlequin Hound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Cretan Hound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Cretan Hound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Cretan Hound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Cretan Hound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Cretan Hound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Cretan Hound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Cretan Hound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Cretan Hound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Cretan Hound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Cretan Hound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Cretan Hound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Cretan Hound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Cretan Hound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Cretan Hound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Cretan Hound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Cretan Hound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Cretan Hound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Cretan Hound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Cretan Hound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Cretan Hound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Cretan Hound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Cretan Hound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Cretan Hound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Cretan Hound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Cretan Hound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison