All About the Breed: Greek Harehound

Also known as the Hellenic Hound, Hellenikos Ichnilatis, and the Greek Hound, the Greek Harehound is an energetic and intelligent breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.

History

The exact origin of the Greek Harehound has not been well documented. Enthusiasts and natives believe the breed to date back as far as the 10th century, though this has never been proven scientifically or otherwise.

Throughout its history, the Greek Harehound has been most commonly used for hunting, scenting, and tracking game such as rabbit, raccoon, and fox, proving its superior abilities to work in the harshest of terrain while providing companionship.

Today, while the Greek Harehound has attained a regional popularity as a hunting dog, the breed remains extremely rare outside of its native Greece.

Personality Traits

Best known for its energetic and lively nature, the Greek Harehound loves to hunt, work, and keep busy. These dogs are known for becoming attached to one person more so than several individual people. This breed is very intelligent, yet independent and stubborn, creating difficulty in training. As a pet, the Greek Harehound is loyal and loving, yet rarely shows affection. The Greek Harehound is not suited for full-time indoor or apartment living, as it enjoys spending time outdoors, taking long walks, and having plenty of room to roam, run, and play.

Train-ability

Due to its independent and stubborn attitude, the Greek Harehound can prove quite challenges to train. This breed is known for being especially difficult to housebreak and growing bored with repetitive exercises and tasks.

Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Greek Harehound. These dogs require an experienced, confident, and patient handler with a stern and serious approach to repetitive exercises and tasks.

Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed

There are many benefits to owning a Greek Harehound, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. This active breed is always on the go, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. When properly socialized from a young age, the Greek Harehound gets along well with older children and non-dog pets. These dogs are alert, aware of their surroundings, and possess an incredible sense of smell, serving as effective watch dogs by announcing the arrival of guests and unwanted visitors. The Greek Harehound is loving and loyal, making an excellent hunting dog, family pet, and companion.

Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Greek Harehound. These energetic dogs require large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play outdoors. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Greek Harehound not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.

The Greek Harehound has a strong instinct to hunt and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these dogs are rather quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. The Greek Harehound must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.

This breed is not recommended from households with young or ill-behaved children or other dogs. Even with proper socialization, the Greek Harehound is known to grow impatience with children and show aggression, dominance, and jealousy towards other dogs.

As previously mentioned, the Greek Harehound remains rather rare outside of its native Greece and can prove quite difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, extremely high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.

Common Health Concerns

While the Greek Harehound is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, frequent muscle strains, arthritis, food allergies, sensitivity to anesthesia, and bloat.

Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Greek Harehound? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.

Sources:

http://www.heydogs.com/g/greek-harehound.html

http://www.furrycritter.com/resources/dogs/greek_harehound.htm