Cretan Hound

The Cretan Hound, known in Greek as the Kritikos Lagonikos, is a hunting dog from the island of Crete. It is a rare, primitive breed that is recognised in Greece and in Germany. It is also considered the oldest dog breed in Europe, possibly dating back before 3200 BCE to Neolithic times.

History

The breed’s origins lie before written history. According to the Cretan Hound Dog Club, its DNA and its features link it to the hunting dogs shown in ancient artworks that archaeologists have found in prehistoric settlements on Crete. Dogs of this kind appear on Minoan seal stones, on pottery and metal vessels, on ornaments, in sculpture and on frescoes now kept in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

Appearance

The Cretan Hound is a slender dog whose build falls somewhere between a scenthound and a sighthound. It is very light on its oval feet and strong in the loin, made for quick reflexes and high speed over dangerous, rocky ground. Its shape is a compromise between speed and stamina, and the result is great agility.

The head is wedge-shaped, long and lean. The ears are pricked and very mobile, and can fold backward. The tail is a hallmark of the breed. It is long and curves upward into a loose or tight ring, with a brush of longer hair on the underside.

The body is slightly longer than tall, with slender legs, a clear tuck-up and slightly prominent hip bones. Males normally stand 54–58 cm and females 52–56 cm at the withers, with 2 cm allowed either way. Males weigh 16–22 kg (35–49 lb) and females 14–20 kg (31–44 lb).

The coat is short and smooth. It may be pure white, cream, sandy, fawn, gray, black or brindle, in one color, two or three.

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