Greek Sheepdog vs Canis Panther - Breed Comparison

Known as the Olympus Dog or even simply as the Greek Shepherd, the Greek Sheepdog is a large to giant molosser dog from Greece. His purpose has always been to guard flocks and livestock from predators and he has been around for hundreds of years, looking much like the Great Pyrenees.

It is believed that the dog was likely bred with a number of breeds – both local and non-local dogs.

Unfortunately there were no records kept of the development of the breed but today the Greek Sheepdog remains a rare and fairly unknown breed outside of Greece.

It's numbers are dwindling in Greece too and since 1998 the Greek ARCTUROS has made attempts to save the breed, starting the Greek Shepherd Dog Breeding Program.

The Canis Panther is a strong, muscled dog who has been developed in the USA in the 1970s by Scorpio Jones, Michael Stratten, and Lucas Lopez. They mixed the Doberman Pinscher, the Great Dane the Labrador Retriever and the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

This dog hasn’t got a long history, having only been established in the 1970's, but the breeders wanted a dog much like the Doberman but somewhat larger and stronger. It is a dog breed which is still fairly unknown in the United States and elsewhere.

The Greek Sheepdog is a large dog, standing at 65 – 75cm and weighing roughly between 32 to 50kg. He is a dog that displays physical strength. He has a large head with brown eyes and a serious expression on his face. He has a thick double coat which is essentially white with red, black or brown markings.

You will also see tri-color dogs. He has floppy ears today but there was a time when the right ear of the male dog was cut off or cropped. The tail is long and bushy and it can be held low but also held up so that it curls over the back.

Temperament:

Maybe because of his size and him being a strong-willed, independent thinker, the Greek Shepherd may not be the best choice for a first time dog owner. Having said that, if you're a strong, firm, patient, kind person, then you'll be able to raise any kind of dog, first time or not.

The Greek Shepherd is a brave, loyal, calm, protective dog and with socialization and training, can make an awesome pet. They are dogs who are a bit suspicious with strangers, not making friends too easily. He loves his human family and wants to be part of their activities. He can't be left on his own day after day as this can lead to excessive barking and destructive behavior.

They've been dogs used to working with livestock and they will certainly need to be taken on daily walks and involved in rough and tumble games as they thrive on activity. The dog won't fit easily into city life where there is just a handkerchief-sized garden as he needs space and activity.

The Canis Panther is a large dog measuring roughly 68 – 77 cm in height and weighing around 50 to 63 kg. He has a deep chest and strong neck. The coat is short and dense and it is is essentially a solid color - fawn, grey, blue, chocolate or black.

He looks magnificent with his cropped ears and short docked tail. Unfortunately with regulations surrounding the docking of dog’s tails, the dog these days is often left with a long tail.

He is an intelligent, territorial dog and makes an excellent watchdog. He is a dog which can be easily trained and socialized and then he makes a great family dog. He is loving and loyal to his human family, being somewhat aloof with strangers. His gets along well with children in the home as well as with other pets.

Your Greek Shepherd is an intelligent, independent dog who likes to show his loyalty and devotion to his owner.

He is a protective dog too and when trained and socialized makes an excellent family pet. These Molosser type dogs are formidable dogs known for their bravery and courage.

They're the type of dogs who like a strong leader-type of owner and when he gets someone who he can look up to as his leader, he becomes a loyal, devoted pet.

The Canis Panther is a loving dog in spite of his large, guard-dog looks. He is intelligent, bold and courageous, and when trained and socialized is a devoted, loyal, loving pet.

He is known for his high intelligence and becomes so attached to his human family he will fight to the death for them if needs be. He is a territorial dog and won’t welcome strangers to his door.

The Canis Panther puppy is outgoing and playful, loving the company of kids in the family.He requires a firm owner who can see to it that he gets in a good quota of exercise. He is an energetic dog and if he isn’t given enough exercise he can become destructive and aggressive through no fault of his own but because of an irresponsible owner.

The Canis Panther is a large dog but given love and proper care he becomes the most awesome, strong devoted pet and protector.

With good care and lots of love, this dog can live to be between 10 to 12 years of age. He is unlikely to get sick very often, but still it it wise to know of some of the health issues than can occur with large breed dogs like this.

Some diseases to look out for include -

Dilated cardiomyopathy:

This is a disease of the heart muscle. The heart is enlarged and unable to have the right heart rhythm. The distended muscle isn't able to push the blood through the heart chambers to where it is needed. Cause for this dilated heart can be genetic, nutritional, infectious or metabolic.

Because taurine and carnitine are involved in good heart function, and low levels of these amino acids can cause symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy, supplementation is useful, especially if you feel your dog isn't getting in the right kind of food.

Lyme Disease:

Borreliosis, a bacterial infection, causes Lyme disease, transmitted by the Ixodes tick. The tick bites the dog and the toxins gets into the dog's bloodstream, with the bacteria travelling to different parts of the body.

Typical symptoms in a dog includes loss of appetite, fever, no energy, swelling of joints and lameness, but symptoms can progress to kidney failure too or cardiac problems. Treatment will include antibiotics.

The Canis Panther breed is not known to have any particular illness and he can live to be 10, 11 or 12 years of age. However, like every other dog, there are some more common dog illnesses that you will need to be aware of and which are seen more commonly in larger dog breeds, some of which are -

Bone Cancer

Larger breeds can be prone to bone cancer, known as Osteosarcoma and found more often in the limbs. Dogs develop swelling in the affected part of the limb and the bones can break easily. If you notice swelling or limping, see that you get your pet to the vet.

Lymphoma

This is another kind of cancer which affects the Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Dogs with Lymphoma may have an enlarged lymph node under the chin and neck for instance or the swelling could be in the groin area. Get your dog to the vet so as to have the lump biopsied.

Grooming:

The coat of the Greek Shepherd is fairly long so it will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it free from matting and tangling. He is an average shedder and the brushing will remove all loose hairs, keeping the coat sleek and shiny.

Diet:

Feeding your Greek Sheepdog requires giving him top quality food as this will ensure he is healthy and can ward off common dog illnesses. If you're going to be feeding him kibble, make sure to go for the top quality brands, and as a treat for your pet you can add in some brown rice, pasta, brown bread, cooked chicken and vegetables.

Dogs are essentially carnivores and he will need to have some raw meat such as beef added into his kibble from time to time. He should never ever be without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

With his short coat, the Canis Panther is looked upon as a low mainenance dog. You’ll need to brush his hair at least twice a week though to remove loose hairs and keep the coat shiny.

Dental Care

Brush your pet’s teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week. You get special toothpaste and toothbrush for dogs and your vet can guide you on how to use them. If you don’t attend to your pet's teeth, he can experience tartar build up. This can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Not only that, bad teeth can affect other parts of the body too.

Exercise

This breed comes from several large dog breeds and as a big dog, he is certainly going to need a good deal of exercise. He’ll need a walk every day or perhaps frisbee games in the park where he is made to run.

Any dog requires exercise, and especially a magnificent dog like this one. You want to make sure you maintain those lean, muscled limbs by ensuring he gets his fair share of exercise.