Greek Harehound vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison

Greek Harehound vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed ComparisonGreek Harehound is originated from Greece but Belgian Shepherd is originated from Belgium. Greek Harehound may grow 11 cm / 4 inches shorter than Belgian Shepherd. Greek Harehound may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Belgian Shepherd. Both Greek Harehound and Belgian Shepherd has almost same life span. Both Greek Harehound and Belgian Shepherd has almost same litter size. Greek Harehound requires Low maintenance. But Belgian Shepherd requires Moderate maintenance

History

greek harehound - historyKnown also as the Hellenic Hound, the Greek Harehound is an ancient breed, and it is a dog which has come down through the ages with very little change to the way he looks.

The ancestors of the Greek Harehound go back thousands of years and are believed to be the ancient ‘Laconikoi’ dogs of the Peloponnese.

In was in 1996 that the Federation Cynologique Internationale recognized the Hellenic Hound. The Greek Harehound was also recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 2006.

belgian shepherd - historyThere are different varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – but these all differ only in color, length and texture of coat. The interesting aspect of the names of the different Belgian Shepherds, is that the names of the different varieties are taken from the individual towns in Belguim from which each variety comes from.

This breed dates back to the middle ages, but it was only in 1891 that Professor A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School established standards for the types and actually separated- and distinguishing them. In the UK they are shown as one breed.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
Origin:
Greece
Belgium
Height Male:
47 - 55 cm
18 - 22 inches
60 - 66 cm
23 - 26 inches
Height Female:
47 - 55 cm
18 - 22 inches
52 - 62 cm
20 - 25 inches
Weight Male:
17 - 20 kg
37 - 45 pounds
25 - 30 kg
55 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
47 - 20 kg
103 - 45 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
10 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 8
6 - 10
Size:
Medium dog
Large dog
Other Names:
Hellenic Hound
Belgian Sheepdog Chien de Berger Belge
Colors Available:
Black with tan markings
depends on variety - black with white, brown
Coat:
Short and smooth
short- and long-haired varieties
Shedding:
Minimal
Constant, Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

greek harehound puppy - descriptionThese dogs have a short, dense coat which is black and tan in color. He is a medium sized, well proportioned, deep chested dog standing at roughly 47 – 55cm in height and weighing between 17–20kg.

His legs are straight, well boned and strong. The skull of the dog is fairly flat, the eyes are brown while the ears are set high and are floppy. The tail is long, tapering down to a tip.

Temperament:

Lively and outgoing, the Greek Harehound is a skilled, brave hunter. These are active dogs and will require quite a bit of exercise if you get one as a pet. He becomes devoted to his owner, making a good, all-round family pet.

He has always been used in the past to hunt in packs so he gets on well with any other dogs in the family.

As a scenthound, the Greek Harehound is an independent, stubborn, strong-willed dog that will respond well to a firm, strong owner. His stubborn, strong-willed nature means it will be important to have him trained and socialized so that he becomes a well-rounded, obedient pet.

If you're looking for a true around-the-house family pet, this isn't the ideal choice as he is essentially a hunting dog, wanting to be running off on a hunt as opposed to lying quietly indoors. He is therefore better suited to life in the country than being cooped up in a small city property.

Different Varieties

belgian shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Belgian Shepherd is a well proportioned, muscular medium-to-large dog breed. There are the different varieties but they generally stands at 56 – 66cm in height and weighs anything from 25 to 30kg. You get the short haired Malinois and then you also get the Belgian Tervuren and the Groenendal which are fairly long-haired varieties. Their colour shades vary so you can find black with white markings on the chest and feet, you can find light to dark brown and some are even inclined to be brown.

Not Aggressive but a Great Guardian

All the varieties have long tails, pointed, fully erect ears and black noses. While the Belgian Shepherd isn’t an aggressive dog, he makes an excellent guard dog, being alert, highly energetic and intelligent and easy to train. As with most other dogs, you’ll want to see to it that he is trained and socialized because then he makes a super pet suited to life with a family where there are children and other pets. He has an independent nature and is loyal and protective with his human family.

Characteristics

greek harehound dog - characteristicsFast, courageous, smart, playful, independent and strong willed, the Greek Harehound is a slow maturing breed and he will require training and socialization to make him obedient and not so stubborn.

Once trained he becomes a truly wonderful companion, being affectionate, loyal and outgoing. He makes a good friend of children too.

He is friendly and non-aggressive, though he still makes a good watchdog. He is a low maintenance pet too, and even though he is essentially a hunting dog, he can make anyone a splendid pet.

belgian shepherd dog - characteristicsEnergy is a big factor with this beautiful dog, so before you consider one as a pet, be sure that you can take care of his exercise needs. He belongs to the working group of dogs so he won’t enjoy just lazing around day after day. He is wired to be herding livestock and that natural instinct doesn’t disappear once he becomes a pet in your home. With so much energy, he wants a nice sized garden and wouldn’t do well cooped up indoors at all.

He is a strong, loving dog, and in exchange for your care of him, he will be a loyal, loving, protective friend who will love you to the end.

Health Problems

greek harehound puppies - health problemsThe Greek Harehound is a healthy dog breed with no particular genetic defects. But like other dogs with floppy ears, they are more prone to infections and the insides of the ears will need to be cleaned frequently. Always do this with the utmost care to avoid damaging your pet's ears.

He is a deep chested dog and this puts him at risk of gastric dilation and volvulus which is commonly referred to as bloat. Its a life threatening health issue where the stomach can twist. The stomach is sealed off as a result and gas builds up. The dog can go into organ failure.

belgian shepherd puppies - health problemsThe Belgian Shepherd is a hardy dog so if you do your part to provide him with good quality nutrition from the food he eats and you exercise him, he’ll reach the 10-14 years allotted to him. Just like with any dog, there will be some minor concerns that you need to watch out for -

epilepsy, eye problems, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.

remember to check his teeth and for ticks and parasites as both, if just left, can jeopardise his health seriously.

see that he get his first puppy vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

Caring The Pet

Exercise:

greek harehound dogs - caringThe Greek Harehound is happiest when he senses he is free to follow scents and run. This is why this particular dog breed isn’t suited for life in the city where he has a small garden. He requires large pieces of ground to run free. If you own one of these dogs, he should be taken on daily walks and be involved in lots of sporting activities and games. If you’re a jogger or cyclist, this dog will be thrilled to join you.

Grooming:

Dog owners love that this dog is a low maintenance breed. The short coat simply requires a brush twice a week to rid him of loose hairs and to also keep his coat shiny and healthy.

Vaccinations:

Every new puppy will require a series of vaccinations in his first year to make sure he doesn't develop some of the serious dog diseases there are such as distemper, parvo-virus and rabies among others.

Diet:

Dogs are carnivores and without human interference have always eaten fresh meat in the wilds. For convenience many people feed their dogs commercially manufactured food.

There are some excellent brands. Choose the best one for your pet and mix in raw meat from time to time as well as cooked rice, chicken and vegetables.

Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Exercise

belgian shepherd dogs - caringYour Belgian Shepherd is an energetic dog breed who is social and who wants to be included in your family activities. You can’t just keep him cooped up in your back yard and expect him to do well. He’ll need daily exercise – walks, swims if there is water close by, chasing the ball as well as your companionship.

Grooming and shedding

These dogs are shedders so you’ll certainly be needing to watch your clothes for hairs. You will need to give them a good brush at least twice a week to get rid of all that loose hair and to keep his coat shiny and in tip top condition. Also, he likes the closeness the brushing provides between him and his human caretaker.

Feeding your Belgian Shepherd

The Belgian Shepherd is a robust, healthy breed of dog, but many ill dogs are brought to veterinary clinics because they are suffering with itchy skin problems, they have digestive problems and they’re generally run down. This is because they aren’t provided with a varied and balanced diet plan. Apart from eating a quality dry- or wet dog food as recommended by your vet, he’ll most certainly need some raw meat in his diet too.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Samoyed vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  2. Alaskan Malamute vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Bullmastiff vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  4. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  5. Boerboel vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  6. Presa Canario vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  7. Labrador Husky vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  8. Argentine Dogo vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  9. Giant Schnauzer vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  10. Belgian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  11. Belgian Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  12. Belgian Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  13. Belgian Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  14. Belgian Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Belgian Shepherd vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  16. Belgian Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  17. Belgian Shepherd vs Bandog - Breed Comparison
  18. Belgian Shepherd vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison
  19. Belgian Shepherd vs Alano Espanol - Breed Comparison
  20. Belgian Shepherd vs Antebellum Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  21. Goldador vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  22. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  23. Dogo Cubano vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  24. Dogo Sardesco vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  25. Central Asian Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  26. Sakhalin Husky vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  27. Portuguese Water Dog vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  28. Puli vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  29. Griffon Bleu de Gascogne vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  30. McNab vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  31. Porcelaine vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  32. Griffon Nivernais vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  33. Hokkaido vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  34. Petit Bleu de Gascogne vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  35. Pumi vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  36. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  37. Istrian Sheepdog vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  38. Jamthund vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  39. Karelian Bear Dog vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  40. Karelo-Finnish Laika vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  41. Kintamani vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  42. Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  43. Russo-European Laika vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  44. Ryukyu Inu vs Greek Harehound - Breed Comparison
  45. Greek Harehound vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  46. Greek Harehound vs Border Collie - Breed Comparison
  47. Greek Harehound vs Alaskan Husky - Breed Comparison
  48. Greek Harehound vs Catahoula Leopard - Breed Comparison
  49. Greek Harehound vs German Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  50. Greek Harehound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds