Petzlover
Lithuanian Hound is originated from Lithuania but Hortaya Borzaya is originated from Russia. Lithuanian Hound may grow 14 cm / 5 inches shorter than Hortaya Borzaya. Both Lithuanian Hound and Hortaya Borzaya are having almost same weight. Both Lithuanian Hound and Hortaya Borzaya has almost same life span. Lithuanian Hound may have more litter size than Hortaya Borzaya. Both Lithuanian Hound and Hortaya Borzaya requires Low Maintenance.
This attractive dog hails from Lithuania.This is an old dog breed that has been used as a hunting dog.
It is believed that this dog dates way back to the 16th century and that it was developed from the mixing of hound breeds – Bloodhounds, Beagles, Polish Hounds and Russian Hounds.
The numbers of the dogs decreased and in the late 1970s, the Lithuanian Cytological Council developed a kennel facility for restoring Lithuanian Hound numbers, and a standard was also written. This breed is rare and is not usually found outside the Republic of Lithuania.
The Hortaya Borzaya is an ancient sighthound from Asia with its origins in Kievan Rus = Grand Duchy of Lithuania = Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Empire of Russia. The Hortaya is a large dog, especially a long in body dog with a muscular build suitable for running fast. He is one of the most talented of sighthounds, able to track moving prey at quite great distances. He is an intensely active when running prey and quiet and well balanced when not working.
In Asia and Russia, it is still a working hunting dog, hunting a variety of game such as Saiga antelopes, wolves, foxes, and hares. With tremendous endurance, the Hortaya can run at great speeds and great distances on the hunt. The Hortaya Borzaya is a long distance runner rather than a sprinter like the greyhound we are all so familiar with. He also needs very little rest between runs of up to 4 km. The Hortaya uses his sense of smell as well as sight in the hunt. They hunt solo, in pairs or in packs.
It was not until 2004 that the Hortaya was first exported to Europe and given full breeding papers. They went to Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in 2004. They went to Switzerland and Finland in 2005 and to the United States around 2005. Prior to this the Hortaya Borzaya was bred only in its original territory for thousands of years.
Unlike Western breeding programs, the Hortaya is not bred for the purpose of improving the breed. Like Asian thoroughbred horses the breed is considered “finished”. Because of this there was no inbreeding, linebreeding or incest. This is true for about 4-6 generations of a line. This helps the breed to stay healthy.
The breed was developed centuries ago being bred by many different groups of people throughout the region, making it impossible to say exactly where and how this Central Asian/Afghanistan/ southern Russian breed developed. The Russian Kynological Federation (RKF) member of the FCI, developed a standard for the Hortaya Borzaya, which unlike most breed standards, does not tell you what the Hortaya must be like. Instead it tells you what he cannot be.
It gives boundaries that the dog must fit inside in order to be considered a Hortaya Borzaya. This is because the breeds of these dogs in their native territories want to preserve as many different types and sub-types as possible under the banner of one breed. To most people these dogs would look like very different breeds. For this reason, they have not been accepted into International Breed Groups and Associations. The breeders of these dogs do not want to be tied down to one standard. They do not want the breed to be separated into western lines and the original line or show lines and working lines. They wish to keep all the dogs within one grouping.
The breed is recognized on the national level by the originating countries and federations, including Russia’s. There are an estimated 2500-3500 dog of this breed in existence to day. Only a few dozen of the breed exist outside of the original countries. In other Eastern and European countries, the dogs may be registered with hunting associations instead of a breed association.
The breed is held mostly by hunters in remote, local areas and villages that are fairly isolated. Here the Hortaya is seen as a partner in feeding the hunters family and the dog is invaluable. In these remote areas a good hunting dog is equal in value to the good horse. Both are essential to the hunter and his family’s livelihood.
The Hortaya Borzaya is a pack dog and does well with the family as well as an athletic hunter. They hunt in packs, small groups or alone and bring their catch back to the hunter for the family meal. No hunter had to go with the dog. In fact, the hunters would send the dogs several times for food. The Hortaya might travel for miles across tough terrain to get food for the family.
The Lithuanian Hound is a medium-sized dog which stands at between 53 - 61 cm in height and weighs between 27 to 32kg.
He is a well proportioned, sturdy dog, heavily boned and muscular with straight, strong legs. The coat of the dog is short, smooth and essentially black with some tan markings. He has a large head, bright brown eyes, black nose, deep, broad chest and long, floppy ears with rounded tips. The tail of the dog is long and held low.
The attractive Lithuanian Hound is a sighthound known for his hunting skills which he does with great determination and stamina.
He loves going on the hunt and forms a strong bond with his hunting handler, being reserved with people he doesn’t know. Lithuanian Hounds are generally easy to train and are eager to please. Training and socialization will be easy with a dog like this as he is intelligent and keen to please.They respond well to an owner who is confident, fair, patient and consistent.
His attachment to the family makes him a good watchdog too. After the hunt, he becomes an amicable, friendly, loving dog, loving to spend a quiet evening with his human family. He is energetic and doesn’t take too kindly to sitting around for long periods. He loves to be on the go and will require a good deal of vigorous exercise.
This athletic sighthound is a handsome dog, ranging from large to giant. Remember there are many different ‘types’ of dogs within the one line/breed of Hortaya. Breed standards are exclusionary, and performance based rather than inclusionary, and appearance based. Still most of the breed lines share many of the same traits.
They are a long legged breed with a very deep chest and flexible spine. They have immensely strong lungs and a narrow but long skull. Their gait is fluid, effortless trotting when not hunting. When she is hunting, they gallop like a horse and cover a lot of ground.
There eyes are usually black but can be any color and their fur is also any color. It is thick and dense. Finally, in the 2000’s, there were some dogs in a subline exported to Europe and to North America. Here, for this subgroup, a standard was established based on appearance and the color or the coat was now set at only white, blue, black, cream, red, sable and brindle, and piebald. They might or might not have a saddle. Definition of this type is still going on and has not been entirely settled yet. This standard is only for the European and American market show dogs.
These dogs, bred for show, have the same ability to run like the wind and for a very long time with his muscled body and long legs. The breed has strength and stamina that will fool you. He also has a long neck and broad back. He has thin, short ears.
The Lithuanian Hound has always been a dog used for hunting, so he wants to belong to a family where hunting is still practiced or where there is a large garden.
He is smart and easy to train, and what’s more he’s a healthy, robust, low maintenance dog. He’s an amicable dog too, calm, independent and confident, and will make a splendid companion to his human family. He gets on well with children and is willing to share his space with other dogs too.
By choosing the Lithuanian Hound, you’re allowing a wonderful canine friend into your home and heart.
Children friendliness - yes, they are very good with children and will play with them for hours.
They have tremendous stamina, speed and intelligence to hunt on their own without the hunter and bring the prey back in good shape for the hunter’s family to eat.
No they are not very adaptable in terms of living arrangements. They will not do well in an apartment and probably not in the city as they need land to run.
Learning ability yes, they are intelligent and learn easily.
Lithuanian Hounds can reach 12 – 14 years of age when they’re loved and well cared for. You won’t find many medical problems with this robust dog breed, but it pays to know some of the more common dog illnesses.
This is a genetic condition that affects the hips and which can lead to painful arthritis. Dogs prone to hip and elbow dysplasia always benefit by avoiding obesity.
Deep chested dogs are more prone to Bloat, occurring when gas builds up in the stomach and can’t escape. This is a life threatening illness and immediate medical attention will be required.
As previously mentioned, the original breed is isolated and therefore has a pretty good health track record. Most of the breed specific illnesses or conditions that usually are inherited barely exist in this breed.
They have a propensity toward obesity and diet is essential to prevent other issues.
Chronic or acute pancreatitis is possible because the breed developed eating small meals and hardly any meat. Too much meat or fat could cause this.
No tolerance for high protein dog food. Can cause puppies to have life threatening damage to bones and cartilage that is irreversible.
Bloat – because of the deep chest and the intolerance for large meals they are prone to bloat.
This energetic dog is going to want a lot of exercise as he has always been a hunting dog. While a long, brisk walk will be excellent for him, he will want more activity than that. He’ll want to be included in all your activities – walks, hikes, camping trips and swimming.
A big positive with the beautiful, sleek Lithuanian Hound is that he is looked upon as a low maintenance dog. The short coat will require a good brush down twice a week.
He sheds a couple of times during the year. He’s the kind of dog who thrives on these grooming sessions and it’s a time to check him over for ticks and fleas as well as for odd lumps.
Look inside his ears too, particularly since he is a floppy eared dog. Open his mouth too and keep his teeth brushed and clean. There is special canine toothpaste and toothbrush for this purpose. Never try to use human toothpaste as it can be toxic for your dog.
There are a number of things to consider when it comes to feeding your dog, but it goes without saying that the best, most nutritious food will ensure health and longevity.
If you feed your pet commercially manufactured pet food, use the feeding guidelines found on the packaging labelling. With any new food types you give your dog, keep an eye on him for reactions.
Your dog’s metabolism and energy levels as well as his age will determine how much to feed him.
There are many excellent dog foods available – choose an excellent one and make sure to feed your dog some tasty, nutritious home-made food too.
You can’t go wrong with some cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and some raw and cooked vegetables. Chop up and add to his dry kibble from time to time and he’ll be happy and healthy. Raw meat is expensive but try and include some every now and then as it contributes to allergy-free skins, bright eyes, shiny coats, wet noses and wagging tails.
As mentioned above do not overfeed a Hortaya Borzaya puppy. There is serious risk of irreversible damage if you do. Feed small meals 3-6 times a day with lower protein.
3 cups of an average protein high quality dog food served at least 3-4 times per day. To avoid bloat do not feed large meals before or after exercise and don’t let your dog drink a lot of water at one time.
This is an extremely active dog bred to hunt 5-6 times a day over wide expanses of various and rough terrain. They need exercise. If you run, they will run with you happily and they will outlast you. They are good at and enjoy fetch, chase, agility, and field trials. They will last hours at any game they play.