Petzlover
Atlas Terrier is originated from United States but Cretan Hound is originated from Greece. Atlas Terrier may grow 40 cm / 15 inches shorter than Cretan Hound. Atlas Terrier may weigh 24 kg / 52 pounds lesser than Cretan Hound. Atlas Terrier may live 3 years more than Cretan Hound. Both Atlas Terrier and Cretan Hound has almost same litter size. Both Atlas Terrier and Cretan Hound requires Moderate Maintenance.
The Atlas Terrier is a rare dog. He was developed in the USA and is a blend of Jack Russell Terriers, Rat Terriers, Border Terriers and Patterdale Terriers. It was in 1990 that Lauren Wolfe developed a breed similar to the Jack Russell, but with a solid colour, and in fact she had two dogs that were solid red in colour. This was as a result of a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Border Terrier.
With the crossing of different terriers, the foundation for the Atlas Terrier was formed. Lauren Wolfe named the breed ‘Atlas Terrier’ because many terriers from various parts of the world were used to develop this specific breed. It was in 2001 that the Atlas Terrier Association was founded.
Although 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.
Atlas Terrier dogs are a small to medium sized dog but with a strong personality. With their two coat varieties – smooth and wire – and coming directly from the Jack Russell Terrier, this feisty dog suits those who want a low maintenance, fun breed who will join them on their walks or jogs. These dogs are brave and loyal and will double as a watch dog and family pet.The breed is accepted for registry and it is classified under the Terrier dog category.
There are 3 sizes of Atlas Terrier – toy, miniature, and standard. The toy variety is 23 to 28 cm tall at the shoulder and weighs 2.7 to 5.4 kg. All three varieties are the same except for height and weight.
The coat of this dog is thick and may come in a variety of colours such as brindle or merle. The Atlas Terrier is also found in solid colours and sometimes you will find that they have white markings on the face, feet or chest. Most times the tail of the Atlas Terrier is docked, but if not, the tail curls over the back. The ears of the Atlas Terrier are V-shaped and they fold forward.
Known 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.
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.
Atlas Terriers most certainly have a bit of the Jack Russell in them and these dogs are social, outgoing, mischievous and affectionate. They’re just like your regular naughty child and having one of them in your home will mean energy and lots of fun and games.
This is a highly social breed and he won’t like to be left alone every day. Just like a human child, he will need to be stimulated to ward off boredom and to prevent him from becoming destructive.
The Atlas Terrier just loves games and if you’re ready for a game, he will be more than ready to take part. He is intelligent and will therefore responds well to training and socialization. When properly socialized, Atlas Terriers get along well with children, and because they’re not an aggressive breed, if they’re properly trained and socialized they will get along with other pets too. Atlas Terriers make excellent pets, but he is a strong willed dog and will require an owner who is firm, but fair.
The 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 selective breeding program of Atlas Terriers has meant that this is a robust, spunky breed free of any major health concerns. While they are a low maintenance breed with longevity on their side, you still have to be a responsible pet owner and see that your Atlas Terrier puppy gets all those must have injections.
Tiny puppies are susceptible to infectious diseases and will have to be vaccinated against them from 8 weeks on and then also get an annual booster. The diseases to be vaccinated against include hepatitis, distemper, parvovirus, coronavirus, eptospirosis and parainfluenza. Vaccinations must be kept up to date and it is mandatory for your puppy to be vaccinated against rabies.
The 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.
As a medium shedder, the Atlas Terrier will require some grooming. Grooming is easy and a brush twice a week with a rubber-bristled brush will remove those loose hairs and give his coat a sheen.
Always make sure you’re feeding your tiny puppy the right quantities of a food type. Always feed your puppy food which is appropriate to his age. Your 8 week old puppy will require 4 meals a day. A highly active breed such as the Atlas Terrier will require more protein for energy.
Speak to your veterinarian about the perfect diet for your puppy and about wet- or dry foods. There is the choice of feeding your puppy commercial dog food or your own home-prepared meals, but then you want to be sure that your puppy is getting the right balance of minerals and vitamins.
Once your Atlas Terrier is about a year of age, he can go onto one meal a day or a lighter meal in the morning and the evening. Remember to ensure that there is always clean, cool water available for your puppy.
You’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.
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.