Meliteo Kinidio vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison

Both Cretan Hound and Meliteo Kinidio are originated from Greece. Cretan Hound may grow 36 cm / 15 inches higher than Meliteo Kinidio. Cretan Hound may weigh 22 kg / 49 pounds more than Meliteo Kinidio. Both Cretan Hound and Meliteo Kinidio has almost same life span. Both Cretan Hound and Meliteo Kinidio has same litter size. Cretan Hound requires Moderate Maintenance. But Meliteo Kinidio requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Companion dog
undefined
Greece
Greece
Height Male:
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
23 - 32 cm
9 - 13 inches
Height Female:
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
23 - 32 cm
9 - 13 inches
Weight Male:
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
3 - 8 kg
6 - 18 pounds
Weight Female:
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
3 - 8 kg
6 - 18 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 7
3 - 7
Size:
Medium
Small
Other Names:
Kritikos Lagonikos, Kressa Kyon, Ntopio
Small Greek Domestic Dog
Colors Available:
grey, Fawn, sandy, tri-colored , white, black or brindle
white or black, Beige, blonde
Coat:
Short and smooth
Long- and short-haired
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

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.

Originating in Greece, the Melitea Kinidio is also known as the Small Greek Domestic Dog. It is an ancient dog breed. The dog has always been a skillful hunter of small game and birds.

It is believed that the dog breed originated from Malta, explaining its Greek name, Melitaion Kunidion.

There are efforts to recognize the Meliteo Kinidio as a separate and unique Greek dog breed but no formal breed clubs exist so far today. The dog also hasn’t been recognized by any reputable registry. Today these common dogs are found in high numbers throughout most of Greece.  

Description

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.

The Meliteo Kinidio is a deep chested small sized dog which weighs about 3 to 8kg and stands at about 23 – 32cm in height.

The dog has a bright, fox shaped face, floppy ears and a tail which curls over the back and which is feathery or plumed. The body is longer than being tall.

He is available with two coat types – long- and short-haired, with the long haired one being the more common of the two. People often confuse this dog with the long-haired Dachshund. The coat is dense, weatherproof, silky and wavy.

The coat colors can be beige, blonde, white or black, with there being no standardization with color.

Temperament:

These Greek dogs are no pushover and in fact they are fairly fearless dogs, possessive of the human family, wanting to protect them and therefore being territorial as well. They make excellent pets, being very sensitive to their owners, sensing their different moods.

He has always been a hunting dog so he loves to be busy, making a good dog to have on the farm. They are even tempered and gentle, but have a loud, robust bark for their size.

Characteristics

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.

These feisty Small Greek Domestic Dogs are loving, loyal dogs who enjoy being around their human family but who don’t mind spending some time on their own either.

They’re dogs which are in tune with their owners and they’re intelligent too so they learn easily. You can expect to a have a good friend when you allow this companion dog into your home.

Health Problems

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.

This dog breed enjoys good longevity and can live to be about 12 to 15 years of age with good care.

One thing you have to be careful of with a dog like this is that because he is active he loves to running around and jumping. However, with his long back, jumping off a fairly high bed for instance, can lead to injury and should be discouraged rather. Apart from ear infections, other health issues can be dental.

Dental Issues:

Brushing your dog’s teeth 2 or 3 times a week can prevent dental problems. Small dogs are more prone to plaque formation and gum recession. Many small dogs loose their teeth with dental issues. Plaque that is left on the surface of the tooth is detrimental to the dog’s immune system, starting an inflammatory response. Without good oral hygiene, other health issues such as heart disease and diabetes can become a factor.

Ear Infections:

Ear infections in dogs, particularly those with floppy ears, are common and can be painful.

Scratching at the ear with head shaking is a common sign that your dog has an ear infection as well as the presence of redness and swelling. The inside of the ear needs to be gently cleaned with ear cleanser, but many people don’t like to do this, fearing they may damage the ear. Then it becomes important for your vet or professional groomer to do it for you.

Caring The Pet

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.

The Small Greek Domestic Dog is easy to groom and the coat which sheds moderately will simply require brushing twice a week to keep it silky and vibrant.

Diet:

The Small Greek Domestic Dog is sleek lean and muscular and you want to keep him like that at all costs and avoid obesity. To keep him happy and fit feed him two smaller meals as opposed to one. If you buy commercially manufactured food, make sure its the best quality one as the lower quality foods have inferior ingredients devoid of minerals and vitamins. When you have bought the best quality kibble, treat your dog to some home-made food from time to time – nothing exotic – just plain boiled chicken, brown rice and pasta and cooked vegetables such as potato, carrots and spinach. Some raw meat added in occasionaly is also excellent. Feeding your dog a simple but nutritious meal like this will ensure your dog is healthy, content and free of stomach problems. Fresh, cool water must be availabe around the clock.

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. Meliteo Kinidio vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Meliteo Kinidio vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Meliteo Kinidio vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Meliteo Kinidio vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Meliteo Kinidio vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Meliteo Kinidio vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Meliteo Kinidio vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Meliteo Kinidio vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Meliteo Kinidio vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Meliteo Kinidio vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Meliteo Kinidio vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Meliteo Kinidio vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Meliteo Kinidio vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Meliteo Kinidio vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Meliteo Kinidio vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Meliteo Kinidio vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Meliteo Kinidio vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Meliteo Kinidio vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Meliteo Kinidio vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Meliteo Kinidio vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Meliteo Kinidio vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Meliteo Kinidio vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Meliteo Kinidio vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Meliteo Kinidio vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Meliteo Kinidio vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison