Talbot vs Circassian Orloff Wolfhound - Breed Comparison

Very little is known of the history and development of the Circassian Orloff Wolfhound. It is suspected that it is related to the Hare Hound, Deerhound and the Greyhound. They were taken from Siberia to the Circassian southern mountains to hunt hare and small prey. The breed is also like the Borzoi but more intelligent and it is much faster than the other sighthounds.

The color and some other minor characteristics have evolved over the centuries to be different from the Siberian that was originally brought to the mountains. All the historical data suggests that the original parents of all these sighthounds was the Celtic Greyhound

Known as the Talbot Hound, nobody really seems to have accurate records as to the origins of the Talbot dog breed but it seems to have originated in France.

It is believed that the Talbot, with his excellent nose, was a hunting dog, but he is now extinct.

It is thought that the dog descends from the beagle and the bloodhound. It came to England in 1066 and vanished towards the end of the 18th century.

The Circassian Orloff Wolfhound had many of the characteristics of any sighthound. He has strong straight legs and they are longer than most sighthounds which allows the Circassian to run amazingly fast. The head is long, the muzzle is wide, and the eyes are large and dark. They have a deep chest and medium tail. They also have a graceful and aristocratic demeanor.

The Talbot hound was a large, white purebred dog. He stood at roughly 58 to 69cm and weighed between 36 and 50kg.

He had a large head and a short, smooth, coarse pure white coat. He has a long tail which he held upright and fairly long floppy ears. He was a slow but efficient scenthound.

Temperament:

It is believed that this strong, hard working dog was gentle, loving and loyal and that he would have made an excellent family pet.

They were the kind of dogs that needed lots of social interaction with his human family. His amicable nature would have meant him getting on well with children and other dogs.

Slow, it’s a dog that had low intelligence and he may have taken a long time to learn any simple tricks or commands. If he were around today he wouldn’t have been suited to city living as he was a vocal breed – having quite a selection of barks and howls to voice his opinion.

Fun and games are right in this breeds wheelhouse. They love to run. They need to run. Their activity level is very high, and they need lots of space and regular exercise. They are very intelligent and need mental stimulation as well. They are great at lure coursing and they love racing of course

The Talbot is extinct, but he was no doubt a docile, calm kind of dog that would have made a great family pet.

He would have been an ideal dog for first time dog owners too as he was a gentle, affectionate dog.They were tough, protective, stubborn but loving and loyal, and more’s the pity that this dog has disappeared.

Again, little is known about the health of this ancient breed, except to propose that it faces many of the same challenges as the Greyhound. This would include skin irritation, bloat, osteosarcoma and esophageal achalasia.

Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer.

Esophageal achalasia is rare and affects the esophagus’ muscles. The upper muscles can’t relax and that causes the lower muscle or sphincter not to open and no food can get to the stomach.

Nobody can say what the health status of the Talbot dog was, but being a hunting dog, out in the open and getting plenty of exercise, he was no doubt a healthy dog. But all dogs can fall ill at some time or another with any one of the many dog illnesses there are -

Ear Infections:

Ear infections in dogs are quite common, but more so with dogs that have floppy ears.

You’ll see your pet scratching and pawing at his ears and shaking his head. There will in all likelihood be redness in your pets ears and you may even detect an abnormal odor.

There are quite a few things that can cause these ear infections in dogs such as ear mites, an excess of dirt and wax and bacteria.

Don’t allow your pet to suffer – get him to the vet. Your veterinarian will also show you how you can clean the ear for future times with a gentle cleanser. You have to be so careful not to rupture the ear drum, and some people prefer to get their vet to do this or professional groomers.

Ectropion - eyelid abnormalities:

The Talbot could have suffered with ectropion – when the lower lids are turned out. Ectropion disrupts the function of the lower lid so that it can't protect the eye, and there is abrasion of the surface of the eye.

This condition can also bring on conjunctivitis. Get your pet to the vet for treatment and relief.

The lifespan of the Talbot was anything from 9 to 12 years of age, and one or two other health problems that could have shortened his life were dermatitis, cancer, hip dysplasia and eye infections.

This dog is a lean running machine. Do not overfeed. It is also better to feed him two to three times a day in smaller portions rather than one large meal.

Health issues

They tend to be allergic to insecticide and anesthesia. It’s best not to treat your yard for insects if your Circassian Orloff Wolfhound will be out in it.

Exercise and games

Fun and games are right in this breeds wheelhouse. They love to run. They need to run. Their activity level is very high, and they need lots of space and regular exercise. They are very intelligent and need mental stimulation as well. They are great at lure coursing and they love racing of course.

Grooming:

The Talbot with his short hair would have been looked upon as a low maintenance breed and would have required a brush now and again.

Because of the floppy ears, they would have needed to be checked inside for infection.

Diet:

The Talbot was a strong, hard-working kind of dog so if commercially manufactured dog food was available in that time, you would have ensured a good quality one for strong, energetic dogs.

At that time, Talbot dog owners tossed their dogs bits of raw meat. Home-made food like boiled chicken, brown rice, spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes without any exotic flavorings would have been an excellent diet.

Any dog will need a constant supply of fresh, cool water to drink.