Circassian Orloff Wolfhound vs Billy - Breed Comparison

Billy is originated from France but Circassian Orloff Wolfhound is originated from Russia. Billy may grow 8 cm / 3 inches shorter than Circassian Orloff Wolfhound. Billy may weigh 8 kg / 17 pounds lesser than Circassian Orloff Wolfhound. Billy may live 3 years more than Circassian Orloff Wolfhound. Billy may have less litter size than Circassian Orloff Wolfhound. Both Billy and Circassian Orloff Wolfhound requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Hound dog
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France
Russia
Height Male:
58 - 68 cm
22 - 27 inches
71 - 76 cm
27 - 30 inches
Height Female:
56 - 66 cm
22 - 26 inches
68 - 73 cm
26 - 29 inches
Weight Male:
22 - 32 kg
48 - 71 pounds
27 - 40 kg
59 - 89 pounds
Weight Female:
20 - 29 kg
44 - 64 pounds
27 - 36 kg
59 - 80 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 5
1 - 12
Size:
Giant
Large
Other Names:
Chien de France-Comte
Hare hound
Colors Available:
White or off-white; may have orange or lemon patches or mantle.
is dark fawn or black
Coat:
harsh, short
thick and long
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Alert, Courageous, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Outgoing, Stubborn
Alert, Courageous, Energetic, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Playful
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

The Billy (or Billie) Dog is a rare breed developed in France and mostly still only found in France. Created in the 19th century by Monsieur Gaston Hublot de Rivault and named after his home, Chateau de Billy, he is hunting dog of high quality. The Billy dog was developed by crossing the Poitevin’s original three lines – the Larrye, the Ceris and the Montemboeuf. In developing the Billy, Rivault favored the colors found in the Ceris and Montemboeuf strains as opposed to the tricolors of the Larrye strain. The Billy is a scent hound from all the lines leading back to the monks of the Saint Hubert Monastery in the middle ages, in Belgium, then refined in Gaul (France). The Billy line was considered the most elegant French breed and they were the last breed to come from that large scent hound type that the French nobility and royalty loved to breed.

In 1886 the Federation Cynoloquique Internationale established the standard for the Billy breed. The breed was a great hunter with resilience, speed, scenting and fortitude. The Billy hunted in large packs in pursuit of Wild Boar and Roe Deer. This was accomplished by the crossing of great hunters developed for their specific skills. The Ceris was amazing in its skill to hunt down wolves and hares. The Montemboeuf was a large, elegant dog that hunted wild boar and Larrye for his strong scent ability. Since these three breeds were true French breeds, the Billy was a true aristocratic scent hound in a pure scent hound line.

This gregarious, handsome dog became extremely popular in France in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the World Wars of the 20th century would take their toll on this rare breed and they were almost extinct by the late 1900’. There were only two hounds left by the end of the Second World War. Anthony Rivault, the son of Gaston, set about saving the breed by incorporating the lines of Harrier, the Poilevin and the Porcelaine with the two remaining hounds. From there the breed has been revived and is no longer on the verge of extinction. They are still rare and certainly not “popular”, but they are excellent hunters, especially hunting in packs. Today they are considered one of the breeds used to develop the Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Orange in France and there are several packs that hunt roe deer in France, while a couple packs are used to hunt wild boar.

Very little is known of the history and development of the Circassian Orloff Wolfhound. It is suspected that it is related to the Hare Hound, Deerhound and the Greyhound. They were taken from Siberia to the Circassian southern mountains to hunt hare and small prey. The breed is also like the Borzoi but more intelligent and it is much faster than the other sighthounds.

The color and some other minor characteristics have evolved over the centuries to be different from the Siberian that was originally brought to the mountains. All the historical data suggests that the original parents of all these sighthounds was the Celtic Greyhound

Description

The Billy dog is powerful, beautiful and built extremely well. He is large but he should also be light weight and lean. He has an athletic look, powerful muscles, and strong bones. He has floppy ears, dark eyes with dark rims and a white coat. This breed has a medium size head with a domed forehead and square muzzle. The ears are high on the head, flat and floppy while the neck is long and strong. Shoulders are also long and the back broad, the thighs muscular and the feet round. He has a long fluffy tail. The coat is short and can be seen through to the skin. He has white skin with brown spots and the fur is white or off white. The females are smaller than the males. He is a great family companion as well as a hunter. They have high pitched voices and they can be howlers. They have a strong prey drive and are great hunters. They can be great companion dogs for any family, just watch them with small children and small animals. They are big enough to need a lot of space and a lot of exercise. Scent hounds can be stubborn, and that trait is not lost on the Billy dog.

The Circassian Orloff Wolfhound had many of the characteristics of any sighthound. He has strong straight legs and they are longer than most sighthounds which allows the Circassian to run amazingly fast. The head is long, the muzzle is wide, and the eyes are large and dark. They have a deep chest and medium tail. They also have a graceful and aristocratic demeanor.

Characteristics

Even though the Billy Breed is very rare and faced potential extinction it is a terrific sporting dog who loves children, other dogs, and adults. He could be a good family dog if his exercise needs are met. He is social, gregarious, and gentle with people. They are happiest in a pack and do not do well in a one dog household. They form extremely strong bonds with their people and household. They are friendly and outgoing. This makes them a poor choice for guard dog. They have an exceptionally well-developed prey drive do they might be aggressive toward any animal smaller than them. This includes the family cat, other smaller dogs, hamsters etc.

Fun and games are right in this breeds wheelhouse. They love to run. They need to run. Their activity level is very high, and they need lots of space and regular exercise. They are very intelligent and need mental stimulation as well. They are great at lure coursing and they love racing of course

Health Problems

Despite their history of almost becoming extinct the Billy dog is a hearty and healthy group. They do tend to get Bronchitis and colds due to the short, thin coat. Keep them indoors during winter. Another area of concern is the ears. They are prone to ear infections so keep their ears clean. They should not be exposed to cold weather. The Billy life expectancy is 10-14 years which is very good for such a large dog.

Again, little is known about the health of this ancient breed, except to propose that it faces many of the same challenges as the Greyhound. This would include skin irritation, bloat, osteosarcoma and esophageal achalasia.

Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer.

Esophageal achalasia is rare and affects the esophagus’ muscles. The upper muscles can’t relax and that causes the lower muscle or sphincter not to open and no food can get to the stomach.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

The Billy dog is large, muscular and lean. Do not overfeed him, but you can safely free feed. Watch to be sure he does not gain too much weight and if he does go to two feedings per day.

Health issues

As previously mentioned this is a healthy, long-lived dog. Watch for ear infections and keep him out of extreme cold.

Exercise/Games

This is a very athletic, active hunter, who needs a lot of exercise. Daily walks are good, but he needs 45 to 60 minutes of exercise every day. Remember he was bred to hunt and loves to do so. Find activities that let him use his athletic skills and strong sense of smell. He needs a big yard to romp in. He will excel at obedience, barn hunt and agility. A lure game might be good also, but he would be happier with a scent oriented “find it” game.

This dog is a lean running machine. Do not overfeed. It is also better to feed him two to three times a day in smaller portions rather than one large meal.

Health issues

They tend to be allergic to insecticide and anesthesia. It’s best not to treat your yard for insects if your Circassian Orloff Wolfhound will be out in it.

Exercise and games

Fun and games are right in this breeds wheelhouse. They love to run. They need to run. Their activity level is very high, and they need lots of space and regular exercise. They are very intelligent and need mental stimulation as well. They are great at lure coursing and they love racing of course.

Comparison with other breeds

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