Hellenic Hound vs German Coolie - Breed Comparison

Hellenic Hound vs German Coolie - Breed ComparisonHellenic Hound is originated from Greece but German Coolie is originated from Australia. Both Hellenic Hound and German Coolie are having almost same height. Both Hellenic Hound and German Coolie are having almost same weight. Hellenic Hound may live 6 years less than German Coolie. Both Hellenic Hound and German Coolie has almost same litter size. Both Hellenic Hound and German Coolie requires Low maintenance.

History

hellenic hound - historyDeveloped in Southern Greece, the Hellenic Hound was bred to hunt hare and is an ancient breed. It is a medium sized breed with strong scent and tracking skills. It is believed to have been in existence for thousands of years. The ancestry of the breed included the Lagonikoi or laconikoi, native to southern Greece in ancient times. The breed was spread by sailors on Greece trading ships and colonization.

Todays Hellenic Hound is found throughout Europe. Kept somewhat isolated by the mountains, the breed was protected from outside breeding and they remained pure for centuries. It is a fearless, smart and hyped up purebred. The Hellenic Hound needs to have a job and if you don’t give him one, he will find one. He is smart and independent which sometimes makes him stubborn. It also takes this dog longer to mature than others, sometime between two and three years. It is not good for first time owners. Today’s hound is still a popular hunting dog and companion animal as well. They are rarely seen outside of the Greek country.

In 1996 the Hellenic Hound was recognized as the first Greek dog breed into the FCI. They are not recognized by the AKC. Its numbers continue to decline.

german coolie - historyThe German Coolie is misnamed as it is an Australian bred dog and often called the Australian Koolie or Coolie. This Australian breed is more often just called a Coolie. The breed is a typical herding breed and a working dog that needs a job all the time. They have been a favorite of Australians since the late 1800’s when local dogs were bred with British working dogs.

Although all Coolie’s are not the same. Within the breed there is a lot of variation. This is because the Coolie was bred individually for different regions in Australia. In a very different writing the Koolie Club of Australia does not define the Coolie breed on confirmation as all other purebred dogs are defined. Instead the Coolie is defined by ability to work. In light of this most Coolie breeders state that the Coolie is a breed and the variations you see among regions are types within the breed.

As a herding dog, the Coolie brought a lot of skill to the Australian farmers and sheep herders. The Coolie will round up the sheep and bring them back to their enclosure at the shepherd’s command. They are upright, silent, working dogs. Not only do they herd sheep they are important at sheering to “cut out” the sheep or assist in the close quarters of lambing.

In Queensland North and New South Wales, the Coolie is medium boned, tall and agile ready to herd cattle over a long stretch of miles. In the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales and the Hunter Valley Region, the Coolie is shorter and thicker in order to be able to get cattle that are lying low out from the gullies and dense bush. The Coolies found in Victoria are the smallest of all.

No matter where they live and work, the Coolie is bred to help the workers there, the farmers, the stockman, and the grazier. All Coolies are adaptable and very agile. They all have a strong willfulness to accomplish what they are asked to do. The ancestors of these various Coolie was the British Collie – a smooth coated, blue merle. This Collie was crossed with the Black and Tan Collie from the Scottish Highlands. It is believed that these are the same Collie breeds that came to Australia to create the Heeler.

The name may come from the German immigrants working in South Australia and unable to pronounce Collie incorrectly they called the dogs German Coolies. There is also a fraction of German breeders who believe that the German Tiger dog was brought to Australia in the 18th century and then when the Collies came they were bred together. Many Coolie breeders have records showing that the breed has been in Australia for at least 160 years. It is also believed that the Border Collie and Kelpie (Blue Heeler) were mixed into the breed at sometime as well.

No bench standard exists for the German Coolie even though there is the Koolie Club of Australia. The mission of the club is to protect, preserve and promote the breed. The Australian Sporting Register was recognizing the Coolies in 2004. They are eligible to participate in the Australian National Kennel Council sanctioned sporting trials. They participate in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria through the individual states sporting register. Here they participate in herding, jumping, obedience, agility and tracking.

Several other recognitions as a herding breed soon followed. The Australian Shepherd Club of America, the American Herding Breed Association, were followed by recognition from others as well. They are not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Herding dogs
Origin:
Greece
Australia
Height Male:
47 - 55 cm
18 - 22 inches
40 - 60 cm
15 - 24 inches
Height Female:
45 - 53 cm
17 - 21 inches
38 - 58 cm
14 - 23 inches
Weight Male:
17 - 20 kg
37 - 45 pounds
15 - 24 kg
33 - 53 pounds
Weight Female:
15 - 18 kg
33 - 40 pounds
13 - 22 kg
28 - 49 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
16 - 18 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 8
4 - 6
Size:
Medium dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Greek Hound or the Hellenikos Ichnilatis The Hellenic Hound, Greek Harehound
Australian Koolie - German Koolie - Coulie - German Collie
Colors Available:
Black with tan markings
Black, Red, merle
Coat:
Short, smooth, sleek
smooth and comes in short or medium lengths
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Playful, Stubborn, Sweet
Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Social
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

Description

hellenic hound puppy - descriptionToday’s Hellenic Hound is not a big dog but rather very average or medium. It is an athletic dog and looks like it. It has a balanced body with a deep chest and thick neck. It has medium height legs that are strong and muscular with paws that are prepared for the terrain it always works on. Its coat is short and tight. The colors of the Hellenic Hound are black with tan or white on the chest. Their heads are noble and rounded with a rectangle shaped muzzle. They have v shaped, long ears and round eyes. Their toe nails are black and so is their nose. It has excellent scent glands, very quick responses, speed and stamina. Their tail is thick and tapers off.

german coolie puppy - descriptionWith their strong ancestry among the family of collies and herders, the German Coolie shares the look of collies and shepherds. Even though they differ from region to region and there is no actual standard, they are medium sized dogs with blue or brown eyes or even one of each. The ears are folded over on top when relaxed but they are rigid and straight when he is more alert. The nose is either chocolate or red depending on the color of their coat.

They can have either a long, medium or short coat but most owners want the short coat that is smooth as well. The coat can be one color – red/chocolate or black; Bi – red/white or black/white; Tri – solid black or red with white and brown; Tri merle -merle with white and brown; Merle – red merles and blue merles. Regardless of color, the German Coolie has the look of a collie or German Shepherd.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

hellenic hound dog - characteristicsyes, they are very fond of children as long as they are carefully socialized.

Special talents

Great hunter, stamina ,scent, voice

Adaptable

He needs to have a yard or land. He doesn’t do well in apartments.

Learning

The breed is very intelligent and can be very trainable. However, they can also be stubborn and that makes training harder.

Children friendliness

german coolie dog - characteristicsYes, they can be very friendly with children is they are socialized and supervised.

Special talents

They have enough stamina to work for 14 hours a day.

Adaptability

They are very adaptable. They can be calm and steady when working a mother and baby lamb and then be able to forcefully move steers, bull, rams or weathers.

Learning ability

The breed is highly intelligent, and their learning ability is excellent because they want to please you.

Health Problems

hellenic hound puppies - health problemsThe Hellenic Hound is a fairly healthy breed having been isolated on the Island of Greece for the most part. They are susceptible to:

Joint dysplasia

Could be hips, elbows or knees. If untreated can lead to lameness or inability to walk.

Arthritis

Causes joint pain and can cause lameness or inability to walk.

Bloat

Can be fatal if not treated immediately. To avoid it don’t feed a large meal before or after exercise.

Hunting injuries

Can be a variety of things that occur during the hunt.

Ear infections

Need to keep the ears clean and dry in order to avoid infections.

german coolie puppies - health problemsThis is a relatively healthy breed without many genetic disorders found in purebreds due to the 160 years they have spent fairly isolated and allowing natural selection to take its course.

Blindness/Deafness

In Merle dogs there can be deafness and/or blindness. If you breed a solid to a merle you can eliminate that.

Joint Issues

These are not inherited but rather acquired due to the immense amount of jumping and running.

  1. Allergies
  2. Minor skin allergies are possible in some.
  3. Seizures

Rare but it does occur and can be fatal if not treated

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

hellenic hound dogs - caringFeed the puppy 2-3 times a day a total of 2 cups

Feeding the adult

Feed the adult twice a day a total of 2-3 cups

Points for Good Health

The Hellenic Hound has excellent stamina, speed and scenting ability.

Games and Exercises

This is a very active, athletic dog that needs to work and needs exercise. He is powerful, quick and has great endurance. It thrives on hunting but will need other activities on the days it doesn’t hunt. It needs a yard or land to play in. Agility, Field Trials, tracking, hunting and fly ball are all activities the Hellenic Hound will enjoy.

Feeding the puppy

german coolie dogs - caringBreak meals into 3 a day feeding a high quality dry puppy food designed for dogs of his size. 11/2 to 2 cups per day.

Feeding the adult

Break meals into 2 a day feeding a high quality dry adult food designed for dogs of his size.

Points for Good Health

Traditionally good health. Great energy, intensity and devotion to work and owner.

Games and Exercises

This is an energetic dog that loves to work and needs to work. Regular routine exercise is needed daily. He needs to be stimulated mentally and physically. Find him a job. Make sure he knows what you want him to do. They work well with a human partner in games such as agility, tracking, flyball and herding. They need a large yard and a lot of play time. They are not couch potatoes and would be unhappy if they were stuck in a house or apartment

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