Greek Harehound - Facts and Information

Appearance
Just like the ancient Greek Olympians, the Greek Harehound is on the first sight very athletic and strong dog breed. Overall, the Greek Harehound has very appealing appearance. This is a well proportionate dog with average height between 45-55 cm, which is 18-22 inch and weight is typically between 17-20 kg, which is 37-44 pounds. The females are little bit smaller than males.
The Greek Harehound has a beautiful black and tan coat which is very dense, short and smooth. They can also have white spot on the chest.
The ears are set high and hangs down, muzzle is slightly arched and jaws are very powerful. The Greek Harehound has brown eyes which gives the dog lively and smart expression.
Temperament
The Greek Harehound is a hunting dog breed and their hunting utilization formed their personality over the centuries. They are very endurat and agile dogs with great resistance and extraordinary sense of smell. They are also very adaptable and they can easily hunt even in harsh terrain.
When they are hunting, these dogs are known for being very confident, brave, fearless and they are very strong. Just like majority of scenthounds, even the Greek Harehound is little bit independent and strong willed.

Because of this strong willed temperament, the training can be sometimes little bit challenging and these dogs need consistent, patient and firm trainer to become completely obedient. This is not a dog for novices.

The Greek Harehound is known for being totally devoted and loyal to its owners. They are also very playful and social and they tend to create a very strong bond with its owners and family and they definitely make good companions for active people. I can guarantee you, that you will never be bored with the lively and outgoing Greek Harehound.

This is very friendly dog who typically does not have problem with other dogs, kids or strangers. They can happily live with other dogs in the family, but i would not trust them around smaller household pets. They are also good playful partners for kids, but just like with all breeds, you should always supervise them with very young children.

This is very energetic breed, who needs daily proper outdoor exercise, where they can run, explore and sniff. This breed does best in large open spaces where it can stretch its legs offleash.
Interesting fact
The Greek Harehound is also known under some other names. The most important ones are Hellenic Hound and Hellenikos Ichnilatis.
History
This is a very old dog breed with its roots dating back thousands of years. Because their history is so long, it is not well documented and we are not sure how the breed originated. One theory suggest, that they developed from a Greek scenthound called Laconikoi Kynes.

This breed remained pure, mostly thanks to the mountainous region of Greece and the breed we know today is very similar to the Greek Harehound that was used for hunting hundreads years ago.

When sea travel became commonplace, Greek Harehounds accompanied Greek traders on their ways and the breed spread to other parts of the world. Back in the days, Greece covered a large part of the Balkans and thanks to that, the Greek Harehound quickly spread to those neighboring countries.

Throughout the history, the Greek harehound was always used for the same purpose, which is hunting and tracking hares and other small game. Today you can find this breed in Greece and in other Balkan countries, but it is quite rare outside Balkan.

Health and grooming

The coat of Greek Harehound is short and smooth, but also very dense and it needs regular brushing to remove dirt and dead hair and minimize the shedding. Other than that, no additional grooming is needed and these dogs do not require much bathing, only when its really necessary. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, teeth and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.

There is not enough studies about the breeds health, but it is reported, that this is usually a healthy dog breed, that only ocassionaly suffer from hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and ear infections. The average lifespan is between 11-12 years.