Cretan Hound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison

Cretan Hound vs German Shepherd - Breed ComparisonGerman Shepherd is originated from Germany but Cretan Hound is originated from Greece. Both German Shepherd and Cretan Hound are having almost same height. German Shepherd may weigh 14 kg / 31 pounds more than Cretan Hound. Both German Shepherd and Cretan Hound has almost same life span. German Shepherd may have more litter size than Cretan Hound. German Shepherd requires Low Maintenance. But Cretan Hound requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Hound dog
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Germany
Greece
Height Male:
61 - 67 cm
24 - 27 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Height Female:
55 - 61 cm
21 - 25 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
34 - 44 kg
74 - 98 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
34 - 44 kg
74 - 98 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Life Span:
9 - 13 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 15
3 - 7
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
Alsatian, Alsatian wolf dog, Berger Allemand, Deutscher Schaferhund, Schaferhund
Kritikos Lagonikos, Kressa Kyon, Ntopio
Colors Available:
Black and Tan, Sable, Bicolor, Black and White
grey, Fawn, sandy, tri-colored , white, black or brindle
Coat:
dense and thick, short, medium thick, thick and fluffy, long, furry around their chest, ears, tail or backs of their legs
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Constant, Seasonal
Moderate
Temperament:
Aggressive, Alert, Gentle, Intelligent, Loyal, Outgoing, Protective, Quiet
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

​​

german shepherdIn 1882 german shepherd was introduced in a show at Hanover. They were created by the cross breeding of the rural sheep dogs by a man named Max. In 1906 they were first exported to America. After that the breed became very popular in UK.

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

german shepherd puppy - descriptionThe GSD is very good for being a watchdog and hence it do not welcome guests to home. But when trained from a puppy it will suit itself for making new friends. GSD like to be always with somebody and they can be its master or his family members or else its partner. The GSD is very intelligent and active hence they should be always kept busy, exercised and playing. Nowadays many of them are trained well and made as four legged stars.

When we see all around the world many of them are involved in helping the physically challenged people. Also they are very important personnels in working with police and military for finding the criminals. Their excellent sniffing power works very good when given proper training for finding illegal smuggling. But basically the breed was set in to herd the sheep and protect them from predators.

Based on the popularity they are ranked 2nd in US and 4th in UK.

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

Children friendliness

german shepherd dog - characteristicsThe GSD is a very good child friendly dog, they love to play with kids.

Adaptability

They adopts both hot and cold climates, but they like cold weather very much and also their body is suitable for cold than hot.

Learning ability

The GSD has high ability to learn tricks and also they are interested in learning. As they have very high intelligence they learn very easily and quickly.

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

german shepherd puppies - health problemsThe GSD has the chances for getting orthopaedic diseases such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Other common orthopaedic problems which affects GSD are Panosteitis, Osteochondritis and cruciate ligament rupture.They also get some skin problems such as allergies and pyoderma. Digestive problems such as chronic diarrhea and colitis are also seen in GSD.

Hair fall

GSD is a continuous shedder. They are having a two layer coat. They should be brushed daily as it will remove the dead fur and thus prevents shedding.

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

german shepherd dogs - caringThe GSD should be given an cool environment which they will enjoy a lot.

Feeding the puppy

The GSD puppy should be fed small quantities of food but several times per day as it needs to gain 2 gms weight per day. The preferred food for them is dry food along with raw liver pieces which would provide them excellent energy. The protein food given to puppy should contain 25 to 30% calories. Puppies consume more food when compared with adults.

Feeding the adult

The GSD needs a food which has a considerable amount of protein. They are carnivores in the nature. The protein can be given from cooked meat. The artificial food products will not be suitable for them. When are provided with protein food they will gain fat from itself. The recommended fat content for GSD is 5% to 8%.

Points for Good Health

The GSD should be provided with a nutritional food for their good health.

Games and Exercises

Physical exercises are very much needed for GSD since they are very energetic and power packed. It is highly recommended to make them play and run daily as they don't need to get bored. They can be made to climb in hilly areas as they want to explore their surroundings. They can be made to swim or play hide and seek and find the missing objects. Regular morning walk will be very good for them.

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

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  36. English Pointer vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  37. Siberian Husky vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  38. Doberman Pinscher vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  39. American Bully vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  40. Abruzzenhund vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  41. Affenpinscher vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  42. Afghan Hound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  43. Aidi vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  44. Airedale Terrier vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  45. Akbash Dog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  46. Akita vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  47. Africanis vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  48. Askal vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  49. Atlas Terrier vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
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