MyDogBreeds
Lithuanian Hound is originated from Lithuania but Belgian Shepherd is originated from Belgium. Both Lithuanian Hound and Belgian Shepherd are having almost same height. Both Lithuanian Hound and Belgian Shepherd are having almost same weight. Both Lithuanian Hound and Belgian Shepherd has same life span. Both Lithuanian Hound and Belgian Shepherd has almost same litter size. Lithuanian Hound requires Low maintenance. But Belgian Shepherd requires Moderate maintenance
This attractive dog hails from Lithuania.This is an old dog breed that has been used as a hunting dog.
It is believed that this dog dates way back to the 16th century and that it was developed from the mixing of hound breeds – Bloodhounds, Beagles, Polish Hounds and Russian Hounds.
The numbers of the dogs decreased and in the late 1970s, the Lithuanian Cytological Council developed a kennel facility for restoring Lithuanian Hound numbers, and a standard was also written. This breed is rare and is not usually found outside the Republic of Lithuania.
There 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.
The Lithuanian Hound is a medium-sized dog which stands at between 53 - 61 cm in height and weighs between 27 to 32kg.
He is a well proportioned, sturdy dog, heavily boned and muscular with straight, strong legs. The coat of the dog is short, smooth and essentially black with some tan markings. He has a large head, bright brown eyes, black nose, deep, broad chest and long, floppy ears with rounded tips. The tail of the dog is long and held low.
The attractive Lithuanian Hound is a sighthound known for his hunting skills which he does with great determination and stamina.
He loves going on the hunt and forms a strong bond with his hunting handler, being reserved with people he doesn’t know. Lithuanian Hounds are generally easy to train and are eager to please. Training and socialization will be easy with a dog like this as he is intelligent and keen to please.They respond well to an owner who is confident, fair, patient and consistent.
His attachment to the family makes him a good watchdog too. After the hunt, he becomes an amicable, friendly, loving dog, loving to spend a quiet evening with his human family. He is energetic and doesn’t take too kindly to sitting around for long periods. He loves to be on the go and will require a good deal of vigorous exercise.
The 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.
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.
The Lithuanian Hound has always been a dog used for hunting, so he wants to belong to a family where hunting is still practiced or where there is a large garden.
He is smart and easy to train, and what’s more he’s a healthy, robust, low maintenance dog. He’s an amicable dog too, calm, independent and confident, and will make a splendid companion to his human family. He gets on well with children and is willing to share his space with other dogs too.
By choosing the Lithuanian Hound, you’re allowing a wonderful canine friend into your home and heart.
Energy 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.
Lithuanian Hounds can reach 12 – 14 years of age when they’re loved and well cared for. You won’t find many medical problems with this robust dog breed, but it pays to know some of the more common dog illnesses.
This is a genetic condition that affects the hips and which can lead to painful arthritis. Dogs prone to hip and elbow dysplasia always benefit by avoiding obesity.
Deep chested dogs are more prone to Bloat, occurring when gas builds up in the stomach and can’t escape. This is a life threatening illness and immediate medical attention will be required.
The 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.
This energetic dog is going to want a lot of exercise as he has always been a hunting dog. While a long, brisk walk will be excellent for him, he will want more activity than that. He’ll want to be included in all your activities – walks, hikes, camping trips and swimming.
A big positive with the beautiful, sleek Lithuanian Hound is that he is looked upon as a low maintenance dog. The short coat will require a good brush down twice a week.
He sheds a couple of times during the year. He’s the kind of dog who thrives on these grooming sessions and it’s a time to check him over for ticks and fleas as well as for odd lumps.
Look inside his ears too, particularly since he is a floppy eared dog. Open his mouth too and keep his teeth brushed and clean. There is special canine toothpaste and toothbrush for this purpose. Never try to use human toothpaste as it can be toxic for your dog.
There are a number of things to consider when it comes to feeding your dog, but it goes without saying that the best, most nutritious food will ensure health and longevity.
If you feed your pet commercially manufactured pet food, use the feeding guidelines found on the packaging labelling. With any new food types you give your dog, keep an eye on him for reactions.
Your dog’s metabolism and energy levels as well as his age will determine how much to feed him.
There are many excellent dog foods available – choose an excellent one and make sure to feed your dog some tasty, nutritious home-made food too.
You can’t go wrong with some cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and some raw and cooked vegetables. Chop up and add to his dry kibble from time to time and he’ll be happy and healthy. Raw meat is expensive but try and include some every now and then as it contributes to allergy-free skins, bright eyes, shiny coats, wet noses and wagging tails.
Your 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.
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.
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.