Cretan Hound vs Bulgarian Shepherd - Breed Comparison

Cretan Hound vs Bulgarian Shepherd - Breed ComparisonBulgarian Shepherd is originated from Bulgaria but Cretan Hound is originated from Greece. Bulgarian Shepherd may grow 7 cm / 3 inches higher than Cretan Hound. Bulgarian Shepherd may weigh 27 kg / 60 pounds more than Cretan Hound. Bulgarian Shepherd may live 43 years more than Cretan Hound. Bulgarian Shepherd may have more litter size than Cretan Hound. Both Bulgarian Shepherd and Cretan Hound requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Hound dog
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Bulgaria
Greece
Height Male:
65 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Height Female:
63 - 72 cm
24 - 29 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
45 - 57 kg
99 - 126 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
40 - 52 kg
88 - 115 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Life Span:
45 - 57 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 10
3 - 7
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
Karakachan Shepherd Dog, Karakachan
Kritikos Lagonikos, Kressa Kyon, Ntopio
Colors Available:
BlackWhiteTricolor
grey, Fawn, sandy, tri-colored , white, black or brindle
Coat:
Single
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Alert, Courageous, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

bulgarian shepherdThe Bulgarian Shepard Dog comes from the ancient line of Molossers of Central Asia and Tibet, and the shepherds of the Balkans, Turkey and Caucasus. Among the oldest and most valued of the working dogs of Europe, the Bulgarian Shepherd breed was created by mixing the Balkan breeds with the dogs from Central Asia by the proto-Bulgarians around the 7th century. The Karakachanskoto Kuche was introduced to Bulgaria and accepted by the sheep herders. Mixing this breed in with the Balkan and Central Asian mix developed the Bulgarian Shepherd we know today. In the long run the original Karakachanskoto Kuche became extinct, replaced entirely by the Bulgarian Shepherd even in places where the new breed is still called by the Kuche name. Although the breeds are not the same, most of the dog world does not know the difference.

In Bulgaria however the Karakachan is a national treasure and the history of the breed runs deep. One Kuche could run up to 1200 animals and hundreds were used by the herdsmen in the mountains of Bulgaria. There were many regional types of Bulgarian Shepherds with very little difference between those types. These dogs were so prized by the shepherds that the dogs ate first before the people. The dogs however ate a vegetarian diet of milk, wheat, water and oats. The Bulgarian Shepherd lives a long life of often over 20 years. The Bulgarian Army made good use of these dogs early in the 20th century.

Following World War II, the wolves were close to extinction and property in Bulgaria was nationalized. There was no longer a need for a large force of working dogs. The Communist government exterminated large numbers of sheep dogs including the Bulgarian Shepherd. Only those species on government owned farms and in remote regions survived. When the government farms were disbanded in the early 20th century, these dogs were exterminated as well. Only those in the mountains survived. Commercial breeding of the Bulgarian Shepherd in the end of the century has resulted in controversy as other breeds came into the breeding program.

Use of breeds such as Sarplaninacs, Caucasian Ovcharkas, St. Bernards, Central Asian Ovcharkas and Bosnian Tornjaks in these programs resulted in Bulgarian Shepherd or Karakachans that were a lot different from the original breed. There is therefore some concern about the future of the breed in Bulgaria, yet they received official Bulgarian national recognition in 2000. Today’s Bulgarian Shepherd is a guard dog for both property and livestock.

The official standard for the breed came about in 1991 and in 2005 it was recognized by the Bulgarian State Commission for Animal Breeds. Only those dogs that meet this standard are considered “true” Karakachans. The Bulgarian Shepherds are willing to fight bears and wolves in defense of its family and flock. The dog is brave and loyal, dignified and powerful. They are recognized by both the Dog Registry of America, Inc. (DRA) and the Bulgarian Republican Federation of Cynology (BRFC) a member of the FCI.

cretan houndAlthough 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.

Description

bulgarian shepherd puppy - descriptionA massive, powerful and muscular Molosser, the Bulgarian Shepherd is strong, agile, powerful and fast. They are intelligent and reliable. They have a long, thick, harsh coat in white with patches of black. Their skull is massive and broad with a furrowed forehead. The muzzle is massive as well while the nose has wide nostrils and is fairly large. It has close fitting, thick lips with strong, scissor bite jaws. The Bulgarian Shepherd’s eyes are deep, oblique and small. They are either hazel or dark. They have an intelligent and confident, yet firm almost grim expression.

Their ears are low set, small and v-shaped. They sit close to the head which sits on a powerful but short neck. They have a broad back, well-muscled body with a deep chest and long, rough tail. Their gait is a trot with a spring in their step. There are two types of coats – longhaired and shorthaired with no undercoats.

cretan hound puppy - descriptionKnown 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.

Temperament:

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.

Characteristics

bulgarian shepherd dog - characteristicsThis is a working dog, intelligent and independent guard dog. Reserved around strangers but loyal and devoted with his family. Tolerant of children in their family if they were raised with them. Not only will she defend human family members, she will guard and defend household pets as well. He is quite capable of making her own independent decisions. These are very intense guard dogs that will respond aggressively if they think their people are being attacked.

cretan hound dog - characteristicsThe 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.

Health Problems

bulgarian shepherd puppies - health problemsThe breed itself is known to be healthy but they do face some of the usual health issues of the massive, giant breeds. This includes knee and elbow dislocation; hip dysplasia; bloat; entropion and osteosarcoma. All of these conditions require medical intervention, but bloat and osteosarcoma are the deadliest. Bloat needs immediate attention and osteosarcoma is a deadly bone cancer.

cretan hound puppies - health problemsThe 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.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

bulgarian shepherd dogs - caringThese are large dogs with large appetites, but you want to keep them lean and active. Feed them at least twice a day with a high quality large or giant dog dry food. Four to five cups of food per day is the maximum.

Health issues

Patellar Luxation – a floating kneecap or dislocated knee. Will cause lameness.

Bloat - distended or twisted stomach. Can cause death.

Osteosarcoma – bone cancer must be treated immediately as it is potentially fatal.

Entropion – eye issues when the eyelid turns inward and damages the eye.

Hip Dysplasia – May cause lameness and arthritis.

Exercise and games

The Bulgarian Shepherd needs a good amount of exercise every day. Remember this is a working breed and they need a job. Long walks every day are essential for his well-being.

cretan hound dogs - caringYou’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.

Exercise:

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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Cretan Hound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Cretan Hound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Cretan Hound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Cretan Hound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Cretan Hound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Cretan Hound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Cretan Hound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Cretan Hound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Cretan Hound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Cretan Hound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Cretan Hound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Cretan Hound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Cretan Hound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Cretan Hound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Cretan Hound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Cretan Hound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Cretan Hound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Cretan Hound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Cretan Hound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Cretan Hound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Cretan Hound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Cretan Hound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Cretan Hound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Cretan Hound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Cretan Hound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Bulgarian Shepherd vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Bulgarian Shepherd vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Bulgarian Shepherd vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Bulgarian Shepherd vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Bulgarian Shepherd vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Bulgarian Shepherd vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Bulgarian Shepherd vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison