Hellenic Hound vs Jagdterrier - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Developed in Southern Greece, the Hellenic Hound was bred to hunt hare and is an ancient breed. It is a medium sized breed with strong scent and tracking skills. It is believed to have been in existence for thousands of years. The ancestry of the breed included the Lagonikoi or laconikoi, native to southern Greece in ancient times. The breed was spread by sailors on Greece trading ships and colonization.

Todays Hellenic Hound is found throughout Europe. Kept somewhat isolated by the mountains, the breed was protected from outside breeding and they remained pure for centuries. It is a fearless, smart and hyped up purebred. The Hellenic Hound needs to have a job and if you don’t give him one, he will find one. He is smart and independent which sometimes makes him stubborn. It also takes this dog longer to mature than others, sometime between two and three years. It is not good for first time owners. Today’s hound is still a popular hunting dog and companion animal as well. They are rarely seen outside of the Greek country.

In 1996 the Hellenic Hound was recognized as the first Greek dog breed into the FCI. They are not recognized by the AKC. Its numbers continue to decline.

Known as the German Hunt Terrier, the Jagdterrier hails from Germany and is a working terrier. In fact, the purpose of the Jagdterrier was for breeders to come up with an improved hunting terrier.

The dog was developed at the turn of the 20th century, so its not a particularly old breed. There were a number of breeders who broke away from the German Fox Terrier Club, dedicating themselves to creating this newer terrier.

The first Jagdterriers were created by mixing the Old English Fox Terrier with a number of Black and Tan Hunting Terriers. Other dogs used to develop the Jagdterrier were German Pinschers, Welsh Terriers and English Wirehaired Terriers.

Today he is considered a superb hunting dog.The German Hunting Terrier Club was was founded in 1926.

Today’s Hellenic Hound is not a big dog but rather very average or medium. It is an athletic dog and looks like it. It has a balanced body with a deep chest and thick neck. It has medium height legs that are strong and muscular with paws that are prepared for the terrain it always works on. Its coat is short and tight. The colors of the Hellenic Hound are black with tan or white on the chest. Their heads are noble and rounded with a rectangle shaped muzzle. They have v shaped, long ears and round eyes. Their toe nails are black and so is their nose. It has excellent scent glands, very quick responses, speed and stamina. Their tail is thick and tapers off.

The Jagdterrier is a tenacious hunter, taking on lots of wild creatures such as boars, badgers and even cougars.

He is of medium size standing between 33 and 40cm in height and weighing 7-10kg.

He has a coat of black and tan which can also be a dark brown shade or be a charcoal color. The Deutscher Jagdterrier is a compact, well-proportioned dog with a wedge shaped head and flat skull. The ears are set high and go up before they come down to form floppy ears. The tail has always been docked at about one third of the tail. These days it is often left long, being carried raised.

Temperament:

Active, athletic and alert, the Jagdterrier is also social, intelligent, strong-willed and confident. He is a serious hunter but can make an excellent pet, especially when trained and socialized.

He is energetic so he will require owners who are prepared to include him in all their activities. They are good around children, but their hunting side makes them long to be outdoors busy with exciting activities.

Children friendliness

yes, they are very fond of children as long as they are carefully socialized.

Special talents

Great hunter, stamina ,scent, voice

Adaptable

He needs to have a yard or land. He doesn’t do well in apartments.

Learning

The breed is very intelligent and can be very trainable. However, they can also be stubborn and that makes training harder.

Your Deutscher Jagdterrier is an intelligent dog who enjoys the company of his human family, particularly when they are active and can meet his high energy needs and his desire to be busy.

They are quite wary with strangers and this makes them alert watchdogs. They are affectionate and playful with children if the children know how to respect them. Because of their hunting skills, they can be a bit of a threat around small animals in the home.

He is a quick learner and responds well to training and socialization. He will thrive on living in the countryside, but wherever you live with your Jagdterrier, give him plenty of exercise, a warm, dry bed, good food and your love and devotion, and he'll respond by being a super pet and companion.

The Hellenic Hound is a fairly healthy breed having been isolated on the Island of Greece for the most part. They are susceptible to:

Joint dysplasia

Could be hips, elbows or knees. If untreated can lead to lameness or inability to walk.

Arthritis

Causes joint pain and can cause lameness or inability to walk.

Bloat

Can be fatal if not treated immediately. To avoid it don’t feed a large meal before or after exercise.

Hunting injuries

Can be a variety of things that occur during the hunt.

Ear infections

Need to keep the ears clean and dry in order to avoid infections.

You’re not going to be taking a sick Jagdterrier to the vet often as this is generally a healthy dog breed who can reach 13, 14 or 15 years of age with good care.

He may be prone to a genetic breed disorder known as Primary Lens Luxation. Sometimes people are given prescription eye drops to constrict the pupil ad help the subluxated lens from getting worse.

This is a painful hereditary condition that leads to blindness. It affects many breeds of dog, particularly terrier-type dogs.

Feeding the puppy

Feed the puppy 2-3 times a day a total of 2 cups

Feeding the adult

Feed the adult twice a day a total of 2-3 cups

Points for Good Health

The Hellenic Hound has excellent stamina, speed and scenting ability.

Games and Exercises

This is a very active, athletic dog that needs to work and needs exercise. He is powerful, quick and has great endurance. It thrives on hunting but will need other activities on the days it doesn’t hunt. It needs a yard or land to play in. Agility, Field Trials, tracking, hunting and fly ball are all activities the Hellenic Hound will enjoy.

Diet:

Your energetic Jagdterrier will do well on a high-quality dog food, of which there are some good ones on the market.

If you do buy a commercially manufactured dog food, make sure that you read the instructions on the packaging so as to adhere to portion control. You can’t afford to have your pet becoming obese as this opens up a host of problems, and it can also shorten your dog’s life-span.

If you invest in high quality kibble, try to add in some nutritious and tasty home-made food such as cooked chicken, some brown rice or pasta and some vegetables. It is always wise to add in some raw meat from time to time as this promotes good health in your dog and prevents skin allergies.

Any diet for a dog should be in keeping with his age and his energy levels. Make sure your pet has constant access to fresh, cool drinking water.

Grooming:

Brush your Jagdterrier’s hair twice a week. It will keep the coat in tip top condition, but it also does your pet the world of good. He loves it when you take time out to be with him and to give him some special time. Brushing him also allows you to check him over for ticks and fleas.

Other grooming aspects for your dog will be to check on his nails and to clip them when they get too long. Ears should also be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and dirt and teeth should be checked as well. Dental disease can lead to a host of illnesses which can be detrimental to the heart and kidneys.

Exercise:

Every dog needs different forms of exercise to remain lean and healthy. Options for exercise for your Jagdterrier can be going on walks, swimming and play time in the backyard.