MyDogBreedsMeliteo Kinidio is originated from Greece but Hovawart is originated from Germany. Meliteo Kinidio may grow 38 cm / 14 inches shorter than Hovawart. Meliteo Kinidio may weigh 43 kg / 94 pounds lesser than Hovawart. Both Meliteo Kinidio and Hovawart has almost same life span. Both Meliteo Kinidio and Hovawart has almost same litter size. Both Meliteo Kinidio and Hovawart requires Low maintenance.
Originating in Greece, the Melitea Kinidio is also known as the Small Greek Domestic Dog. It is an ancient dog breed. The dog has always been a skillful hunter of small game and birds.
It is believed that the dog breed originated from Malta, explaining its Greek name, Melitaion Kunidion.
There are efforts to recognize the Meliteo Kinidio as a separate and unique Greek dog breed but no formal breed clubs exist so far today. The dog also hasn’t been recognized by any reputable registry. Today these common dogs are found in high numbers throughout most of Greece.
The Hovawart, is a German Black Forest breed developed as a guard dog for large estates in the medieval era. They first appeared in history in the early 13th century as heroes who saved the German son of a castle lord, despite being injured themselves. The boy they saved grew up to be a German legend. He wrote the oldest German code of law that remained from medieval times. In it he names the Hovawarts as a dog that if you are responsible for hurting, stealing or killing it, you must pay for it or replace it. No other dog had this protection.
In the late fifteenth century Hovawarts were featured in Heinrich Mynsinger’s “The Five Noble Breeds”. This guard dog breed was esteemed on a level with the hunting dogs – their health a question of life or death for their owner. In the 1500’s the popularity of the breed began to fade. The GSD or German Shepard Dog began to replace the Hovawarts as the preferred guard dog.
By the early 20th century the breed had almost disappeared but were saved by breed enthusiasts in the early 1900’s. Zoologist Kurt Konig was prominent in this effort and went looking in the Black Forest area for dogs working on farms. Using the dogs, he found on these farms, Konig began a breeding program crossing the them with Newfoundland’s, Kuvazoks, Leonbergers, GSD, an African hunting dogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs.
By 1922 the first litter of these pups was entered officially into the German Breeding Registry. In 1937 the Hovawart was recognized by the German Kennel Club. However, many members of the breed died in World War II as they were used widely by the military and not many were left by 1945. Once again breed enthusiasts came to the rescue forming a Coburg Hovawart club. This club still exists and in 1964, for the second time, the breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club. Other countries also began to take notice of this working breed.
The Hovawart has many skills in addition hunting and guarding. The Hovawart does not work for people, he works with them as he is a very independent thinker. He is also good at search and rescue and tracking. An owner of this breed must be stronger, smarter, more alert, intentional and consistent than his Hovawart. These are not dogs for the faint of heart or first-timers.
The Meliteo Kinidio is a deep chested small sized dog which weighs about 3 to 8kg and stands at about 23 – 32cm in height.
The dog has a bright, fox shaped face, floppy ears and a tail which curls over the back and which is feathery or plumed. The body is longer than being tall.
He is available with two coat types – long- and short-haired, with the long haired one being the more common of the two. People often confuse this dog with the long-haired Dachshund. The coat is dense, weatherproof, silky and wavy.
The coat colors can be beige, blonde, white or black, with there being no standardization with color.
These Greek dogs are no pushover and in fact they are fairly fearless dogs, possessive of the human family, wanting to protect them and therefore being territorial as well. They make excellent pets, being very sensitive to their owners, sensing their different moods.
He has always been a hunting dog so he loves to be busy, making a good dog to have on the farm. They are even tempered and gentle, but have a loud, robust bark for their size.
The Hovawart is a proud and majestic dog and his looks match his character. He looks a bit like the Golden Retriever with a powerful and broad forehead. His skull and muzzle are the same length and his nose is black. His oval eyes are a medium to dark brown and his ears are high set and triangular.
Their chests are strong, broad and deep. The breed has strong legs straight in front with round, strong and compact feet. They are heavy boned with dense, long coats that lie flat and have a slight wave to them. The coat can be black and gold, blond or black.
These feisty Small Greek Domestic Dogs are loving, loyal dogs who enjoy being around their human family but who don’t mind spending some time on their own either.
They’re dogs which are in tune with their owners and they’re intelligent too so they learn easily. You can expect to a have a good friend when you allow this companion dog into your home.
They have a great sense of smell and a well-balanced personality.
They are not indoor dogs and should have a yard to run in. They do not tolerate hot weather well. They do great out in the country.
They are intelligent independent thinkers. They lengths well with positive reinforcement.
This dog breed enjoys good longevity and can live to be about 12 to 15 years of age with good care.
One thing you have to be careful of with a dog like this is that because he is active he loves to running around and jumping. However, with his long back, jumping off a fairly high bed for instance, can lead to injury and should be discouraged rather. Apart from ear infections, other health issues can be dental.
Brushing your dog’s teeth 2 or 3 times a week can prevent dental problems. Small dogs are more prone to plaque formation and gum recession. Many small dogs loose their teeth with dental issues. Plaque that is left on the surface of the tooth is detrimental to the dog’s immune system, starting an inflammatory response. Without good oral hygiene, other health issues such as heart disease and diabetes can become a factor.
Ear infections in dogs, particularly those with floppy ears, are common and can be painful.
Scratching at the ear with head shaking is a common sign that your dog has an ear infection as well as the presence of redness and swelling. The inside of the ear needs to be gently cleaned with ear cleanser, but many people don’t like to do this, fearing they may damage the ear. Then it becomes important for your vet or professional groomer to do it for you.
Though their isolation protected them from genetic health issues for centuries, once they were being rejuvenated and mixed with other breeds some common issues began to show up. These include:
The Small Greek Domestic Dog is easy to groom and the coat which sheds moderately will simply require brushing twice a week to keep it silky and vibrant.
The Small Greek Domestic Dog is sleek lean and muscular and you want to keep him like that at all costs and avoid obesity. To keep him happy and fit feed him two smaller meals as opposed to one. If you buy commercially manufactured food, make sure its the best quality one as the lower quality foods have inferior ingredients devoid of minerals and vitamins. When you have bought the best quality kibble, treat your dog to some home-made food from time to time – nothing exotic – just plain boiled chicken, brown rice and pasta and cooked vegetables such as potato, carrots and spinach. Some raw meat added in occasionaly is also excellent. Feeding your dog a simple but nutritious meal like this will ensure your dog is healthy, content and free of stomach problems. Fresh, cool water must be availabe around the clock.
Feed breed specific high quality dry food for puppies. Feed 1-2 cups in 3-4 meals per day
Again Feed breed specific high quality dry food for adults. Feed 2-3 cups per day in 1-2 meals per day.
Points for Good Health – Stamina
The Hovawart needs plenty of exercise. Remember this is a mountain farm dog used to working all the time. Walk or jog with them daily. They can excel at field trials, obedience, search and rescue, agility, flyball, therapy dog, and service dog.