Scottish Deerhound vs Hellenic Hound - Breed Comparison

Scottish Deerhound vs Hellenic Hound - Breed ComparisonHellenic Hound is originated from Greece but Scottish Deerhound is originated from United Kingdom. Hellenic Hound may grow 26 cm / 10 inches shorter than Scottish Deerhound. Hellenic Hound may weigh 30 kg / 66 pounds lesser than Scottish Deerhound. Hellenic Hound may live 3 years more than Scottish Deerhound. Hellenic Hound may have less litter size than Scottish Deerhound. Both Hellenic Hound and Scottish Deerhound requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Hound dog
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Greece
United Kingdom
Height Male:
47 - 55 cm
18 - 22 inches
76 - 81 cm
29 - 32 inches
Height Female:
45 - 53 cm
17 - 21 inches
71 - 76 cm
27 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
17 - 20 kg
37 - 45 pounds
39 - 50 kg
85 - 111 pounds
Weight Female:
15 - 18 kg
33 - 40 pounds
34 - 43 kg
74 - 95 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
8 - 9 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 8
14 - 15
Size:
Medium
Giant
Other Names:
Greek Hound or the Hellenikos Ichnilatis The Hellenic Hound, Greek Harehound
Deerhound
Colors Available:
Black with tan markings
gray, brindle, red, Blue, fawn, yellow
Coat:
Short, smooth, sleek
wiry
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Playful, Stubborn, Sweet
Docile, Friendly, Gentle, Sweet
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

hellenic houndDeveloped in Southern Greece, the Hellenic Hound was bred to hunt hare and is an ancient breed. It is a medium sized breed with strong scent and tracking skills. It is believed to have been in existence for thousands of years. The ancestry of the breed included the Lagonikoi or laconikoi, native to southern Greece in ancient times. The breed was spread by sailors on Greece trading ships and colonization.

Todays Hellenic Hound is found throughout Europe. Kept somewhat isolated by the mountains, the breed was protected from outside breeding and they remained pure for centuries. It is a fearless, smart and hyped up purebred. The Hellenic Hound needs to have a job and if you don’t give him one, he will find one. He is smart and independent which sometimes makes him stubborn. It also takes this dog longer to mature than others, sometime between two and three years. It is not good for first time owners. Today’s hound is still a popular hunting dog and companion animal as well. They are rarely seen outside of the Greek country.

In 1996 the Hellenic Hound was recognized as the first Greek dog breed into the FCI. They are not recognized by the AKC. Its numbers continue to decline.

scottish deerhoundThe Scottish Deerhound is considered the Royal Dog of Scotland. It is a sighthound that is large and bred to hunt large Red Deer. They are similar in appearance to the Greyhound, but they are bigger and heavier. Closely related to the Irish Wolfhound, they were used in creating it. The Scottish Deerhound is an ancient breed that is now very rare. It can trace its lineage to the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Deerhound was a favorite of hunting nobility and could not be kept by any person or household that did not have at least the rank of earl. Despite this history the Scottish Deerhound was not considered separate from the Highland Greyhound and other staghounds until the 19th century. They were bred to stalk or “course” the red deer and were used extensively for this purpose until the beginning of the 20th century. At that time there was a need for smaller, slower deer tracking dogs.

At the start of the 20th century, the land for deer hunting had grown smaller and so had the deer. Also, the invention of the rifle made the fast Deerhounds who could cover large tracks of ground in minutes, no longer a necessity for successful hunting. As the clan systems fell and the nobility rose, the Deerhounds became the dog for nobility and landowners. There were a few non-nobilities who also kept them and hunted with them. As they were less needed for hunting a few households kept them as show dogs.

In the United States and Canada, both the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound were used for hunting wolves and deer. In Australia, the Kangaroo Dog – a deerhound crossbreed, and Deerhounds were used to hunt wild boar, emu and kangaroos. The Deerhound is one of the oldest of the breeds that are Greyhound-like. The Deerhound is not as fast as the Greyhound if they are running on a smooth surface. Get them on a rough surface and the will out that Greyhound. They appear to be larger and rougher than they really are. This gives them an advantage over the lighter, smaller Greyhound.

The Deerhound was a contributor to development of the Irish Wolfhound toward the end of the 19th century.

Description

hellenic hound puppy - descriptionToday’s Hellenic Hound is not a big dog but rather very average or medium. It is an athletic dog and looks like it. It has a balanced body with a deep chest and thick neck. It has medium height legs that are strong and muscular with paws that are prepared for the terrain it always works on. Its coat is short and tight. The colors of the Hellenic Hound are black with tan or white on the chest. Their heads are noble and rounded with a rectangle shaped muzzle. They have v shaped, long ears and round eyes. Their toe nails are black and so is their nose. It has excellent scent glands, very quick responses, speed and stamina. Their tail is thick and tapers off.

scottish deerhound puppy - descriptionThe Scottish Deerhound looks a lot like the Greyhound, except it is heavily boned and larger in size. The Deerhound is also different in several other ways. Instead of the Greyhound, the Scottish Deerhound is more closely related to the Irish Wolfhound than the Deerhound. The Deerhound is a large, rough coated breed. It is a very tall breed; in fact, it is the tallest of all sighthounds.

The Deerhound has a long head with a flat skull and a muzzle that tapers at the end. They have dark eyes and a scissor bite with a tail that can be either curved or straight. The hair on their tails almost touches the ground. The rest of its coat is wiry and harsh with a beard, mustache and mane. The ears are soft and can be either held semi erect or folded against their head. Their coat is gray or grey-blue today but in the past, it might have been brindle, red fawn or yellow.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

hellenic hound dog - characteristicsyes, they are very fond of children as long as they are carefully socialized.

Special talents

Great hunter, stamina ,scent, voice

Adaptable

He needs to have a yard or land. He doesn’t do well in apartments.

Learning

The breed is very intelligent and can be very trainable. However, they can also be stubborn and that makes training harder.

1.Children friendliness – yes but watch out for little ones.

2.Special talents - speed and distance.

3.Adaptability - some but needs space to run.

scottish deerhound dog - characteristics4.Learning ability – intelligent but hunting and running instincts overcome all else.

Health Problems

hellenic hound puppies - health problemsThe Hellenic Hound is a fairly healthy breed having been isolated on the Island of Greece for the most part. They are susceptible to:

Joint dysplasia

Could be hips, elbows or knees. If untreated can lead to lameness or inability to walk.

Arthritis

Causes joint pain and can cause lameness or inability to walk.

Bloat

Can be fatal if not treated immediately. To avoid it don’t feed a large meal before or after exercise.

Hunting injuries

Can be a variety of things that occur during the hunt.

Ear infections

Need to keep the ears clean and dry in order to avoid infections.

scottish deerhound puppies - health problemsThe Scottish Deerhound does face some serious challenges on the health front. These include:

  • Cardiomyopathy – heart disease.
  • Osteosarcoma – Bone cancer.

• Cystinuria – recessive disorder that causes an inability for cystine to be filtered from the urine.

• Gastric Dilatation Volvulus – otherwise known as bloat and it can be life threatening if not treated quickly.

  • Hypothyroidism – easily treated with medication.
  • Neck pain – if no serious condition – medication can be taken.
  • Factor VII deficiency.
  • Stress is not handled well in this breed.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

hellenic hound dogs - caringFeed the puppy 2-3 times a day a total of 2 cups

Feeding the adult

Feed the adult twice a day a total of 2-3 cups

Points for Good Health

The Hellenic Hound has excellent stamina, speed and scenting ability.

Games and Exercises

This is a very active, athletic dog that needs to work and needs exercise. He is powerful, quick and has great endurance. It thrives on hunting but will need other activities on the days it doesn’t hunt. It needs a yard or land to play in. Agility, Field Trials, tracking, hunting and fly ball are all activities the Hellenic Hound will enjoy.

scottish deerhound dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy – Feed a high quality large or x large puppy dogfood at least 3-4 times a day. Do not overfeed.

2.Feeding the adult – Feed a high-quality adult large or x large dog food once or twice a day. Do not overfeed.

3.Points for Good Health - Stamina and speed.

4. Games and Exercises – The Deerhound needs plenty of exercise in a safe place where they have plenty of room to run. A small yard or life on a leash are not enough for this energetic breed. Play fetch, course running, Like the Greyhound they will be couch potatoes if you let them but that will hurt their health. Lure Coursing or hare coursing are good. Coyote hunting. Find space where they can run for the joy of running. Never force them to run – like along a bicycle

Comparison with other breeds

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  25. Hellenic Hound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Scottish Deerhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Scottish Deerhound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Scottish Deerhound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Scottish Deerhound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Scottish Deerhound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Scottish Deerhound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Scottish Deerhound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Scottish Deerhound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Scottish Deerhound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Scottish Deerhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Scottish Deerhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Scottish Deerhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Scottish Deerhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Scottish Deerhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Scottish Deerhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Scottish Deerhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Scottish Deerhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Scottish Deerhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Scottish Deerhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Scottish Deerhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Scottish Deerhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Scottish Deerhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Scottish Deerhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Scottish Deerhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Scottish Deerhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison