Koolie vs Circassian Orloff Wolfhound - Breed Comparison

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

The Koolie's ancestors were both the smooth coated blue merle Collie as well as the Black and Tan Collie. The dog hails from Australia.

Looking much like the Heeler dog, the Koolie is thought to have got its name from German immigrants to Australia who couldn’t pronounce the name ‘collie’ properly, so the name came out as Koolie. The Koolie of today is a product of a cross between the German Koolie and the Australian Dingo.

The dog has been around for a long time and in 2000, the Koolie Club of Australia was formed. It was in 2004 that the Koolie was recognized by the Australian Sporting Registrar. In May 2006, the Stockdog Committee of the Australian Shepherd Club of America accepted the Koolie as a recognized and accepted herding breed.

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.

Known also as the German Koolie or German Collie, the Koolie is a working- or herding dog standing at between 40 – 60cm in height and weighing up to 24kg.

The Koolie's coat is a merle coat pattern in red or black and possibly with some tan and is mostly short and smooth, though it can be medium length too. Depending on the coat color – red or black – the nose and eyes can be either brown or black, although eye color can also be blue or yellowish.

Temperament:

The Koolie is such a wonderful pet who has some excellent characteristics to his name. He is active, energetic, fun, clever, friendly and playful, but if you have him trained and socialized he becomes even more of a great family pet. He is intelligent too and will require an owner who is steady, firm, fair and consistent. You wouldn't call him an aggressive dog

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

Many people today like the idea of a ‘wild’ animal as a pet, and the Koolie, with his Dingo ancestry, can be a challenging dog breed to keep. People eventually blame these animals for having a poor temperament – meantime all they are essentially, are high-energy animals.

If you keep a Koolie, it will be better if you were a firm, kind, patient, consistent dog owner who understands the special needs of these kinds of dogs. They’re an energetic, care-free animals who will do better on a large property or farm as he is lively and will need a good deal of exercise.

He is quite capable of being a splendid pet with training and socialization and will settle down well to family life when he is loved and cared for.

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.

The Koolie is a long-lived dog and there are records of it being able to reach 18 years of age. Because they have a diverse gene pool, you won’t find many genetic problems with this dog.

It is always wise when you’re the owner of a dog, to look out for his health and wellbeing -

Vaccination:

This is to prevent your Koolie picking up fatal diseases such as distemper and parvo-virus. Dogs can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age for protection.

Parasites:

Working dogs like the Koolie are susceptible to parasites such as tapeworm. Worming of your dog can be included in your vet visit. Dogs with worms may show tell-tale signs such as being pot bellied, very pale gums, anemia and a dull, thinned coat.

A look at his droppings may reveal white segments or worms. Fleas are another kind of parasite and they breed quickly in warm months. Mange is a skin disease caused by small parasitic mites which can actually live inside the hair follicles of dogs. Veterinary treatment will be required.

Heat Stroke:

This is when your pet’s temperature rises out of control. Dogs pant to reduce their body temperature so a dog puffing heavily is putting in extra work to reduce his body temperature.

Never leave you pet in a boiling hot car as the body becomes weak and he has difficulty with breathing. Without immediate treatment, the dog will collapse and die.

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.

Training:

The Koolie is an intelligent dog that will benefit from training and socialization to make him obedient and able to cope in diverse situations.

Exercise:

These dogs show an untiring enthusiasm for exercise and work and wherever you live, you will need to ensure that he gets regular exercise.

Diet:

Only the very best - both home-made and commercially manufactured food - will be good enough for this energetic dog. Good quality food ensures health and longevity. Always see that there is a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Relaxing Time:

Make sure that your dog has a warm, dry place to sleep inside and that when outside, he has a cool, sheltered spot from the sun.