Norwich Terrier vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison

Hailing from the United Kingdom and once known as the Cantab Terrier, the Norwich Terrier may be small, but he was bred to hunt rodents.

Closely related to the Norfolk Terrier, he is an old dog breed, having existed since the 19th century. Its understandable that such a dog would also be the mascot of Cambridge students.

It is believed that he was bred from Irish Terriers and some believe it came from the Trumpington Terrier, an extinct breed.

Although the Cretan Hound or the Kritikos Lagonikos is recognized in both Greece and Germany, the hunting dog breed is from the island of Crete, Greece. The dog’s history goes back thousands of years. It is an ancient breed and some believe it is one of the oldest hunting breeds in Europe.

The Cretan Hound has been bred as a working dog, combining sight and scent to track down their prey. Today it is still a rare dog breed that you won’t easily find outside of Crete.

Greece kennels recognize this dog as well as some European kennels, but it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club.

As one of the smallest terriers, the Norwich Terrier is also quite a rare dog breed. He is such a cute little dog this, weighing just 5 to 5.5kg and standing at between 23–25cm at the withers.

He has erect ears and a double coat that can be wheaten, red, tan, black and tan and grizzle. The tail has always been docked previously, giving the dog an attractive, compact look but these days it is left long. These dogs have small litters – usually between one and three puppies.

Temperament:

The Norwich Terrier is a friendly little dog and is essentially a companion to humans. Just because he is small, doesn’t mean he is frail and helpless. He is a feisty, hardy dog with a brave heart and just loves his human family.

The Norwich Terrier is also strong willed and assertive and it can be of benefit to have him trained and socialized. He is energetic too, so he’ll expect a walk each day, a run in the park and ball games. They also make excellent little watchdogs, at least warning you of approaching strangers.

They are good with kids if the children have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals, and they get on well with other pets in the home too.

Known for its extraordinary scent abilities as well as its speed, this dog has always been used as a hare hunter because of these skills.

It’s a slender dog of medium to large size and stands at about 60-68cm in height and weighs between 20 – 30kg. It is lean, strong, muscular and swift with a body that is inclined to be longer than tall.

He is slightly heavier than other scenthounds and his ribs aren’t seen. The head is wedge-shaped and the ears drop down, are folded back or can be semi-erect. The eyes are dark and the tail is long and curves upwards with longer hair being found on the tail.

The coat is short and smooth, and coat colors of the dog are varied and can be fawn, sandy, grey, white, black or brindle, and it can be tri-colored too.

Temperament:

The Cretan Hound is alert to sight, sound and scent and when it senses prey, the tail moves in a circular way and the dog becomes rigid for a while before he is off on the hunt.

He is a gentle, intelligent dog, reserved around strangers but making an excellent family pet as he gets on well with all his human family members as well as pets in the house. With good training and socialization, the dog becomes more relaxed around strangers.

He isn’t an aggressive dog, and while he is alert to sounds and smells, he doesn’t make a particularly good watchdog.

The Norwich Terrier is guaranteed to make you a splendid pet as he is active, friendly, social and intelligent, as well as being loving and loyal.

You can rely on this little canine friend to want to be with you and take part in all your activities. He won’t do well if you put him in the back yard and forget about him, as he craves human company.

When you do whatever it takes to ensure your Norwich Terrier is an active and treasured member of your family, you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful pet and companion for many years.

The Cretan Hound is an energetic, curious dog, but when it comes to being a family pet, he is affectionate and gentle.

He is a reserved dog around strangers. He likes to be busy and will love his walks and games with his human family members. He is smart so is readily trained and he likes to be obedient and to please.

The Cretan Hound will live in harmony with other dogs in the home and they’re also patient and good around disciplined children who have learned to respect animals.

Provide your Cretan Hound with his fair share of love and attention and he will go out of his way to be a loyal and loving family friend.

The lifespan of the Norwich Terrier is between 11 and 13 years and he is considered a healthy breed. Every dog owner needs to know that there are some health issues which will require veterinary intervention.

Cataracts, an eye disease may be inherited and it is where the eye gets a cloudy look. Other illnesses to look out for include Patellar Luxation, a problem where the dog's kneecap is dislocated from its normal anatomic position. The condition is fairly common in small dog breeds.

Check problems with the teeth - more specifically incorrect bites because of how the teeth meet.

Sometimes these dogs can battle with breathing problems. Upper Airway Syndrome is when the dogs breathing is raspy.

The Cretan Hound is a healthy, robust dog breed, but even so, he can suffer from some common health problems that other dogs are also susceptible to. Some of these are hip dysplasia , cancer, ear infections, bloat and cherry eye.

Remember that if you don’t want your dog to have puppies, they can actually benefit health-wise from being spayed or neutered. Doing this for your pet can prevent a number of health issues later on down the line.

Make sure too, that your puppy receives his vaccinations in a timely fashion so as to avoid terrible, life threatening illnesses such as parvo and rabies.

Norwich Terriers are active little dogs and were bred to be working dogs – hunting vermin but also accompanying their owners on horseback. You can see that he has been used to an active lifestyle and will require a daily walk and games. He will also want toys which can keep him occupied in between his active sessions.

His size allows him to adapt easily to life in the city or the countryside but wherever he is, he will need a good dose of exercise.

Grooming:

The double coated Norwich Terrier, with his wiry topcoat and soft undercoat will need to be brushed twice a week to avoid matting. This is a dog that will require stripping of the old hairs from the coat. This is a process which ensures the coat retaining its texture and appearance.

If you’re in any kind of doubt, speak to a professional groomer. As it is, many owners of this dog who don’t show their dogs, have them professionally groomed.

Diet:

Always choose a high-quality dry food. Try and avoid those commercially manufactured foods which contain wheat and gluten and lots of preservatives and colorants. These can affect your pet’s health negatively.

Choose quality foods where protein is at the top of the list of ingredients. Give your pet some homemade food too, keeping his diet as simple and nutritious as possible. Some boiled chicken chopped up together with brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach will do him the world of good.

A tiny bit of raw meat every once and again will be a good thing. Avoid foods such as chocolates, ice-cream, popcorn, onions and spicy foods as these will upset your pet’s digestive system.

Make sure he always as fresh, cool water available.

General Care:

Provide him with a warm, dry, soft bed. If he is outside for any length of time, make sure he has a sheltered area away from the sun and rain.

You’re certainly not going to have to do too much grooming with the Cretan Hound as he is a low maintenance breed.

The dog is a short haired breed and an average shedder, so a good brush twice a week will keep the coat free of loose hairs and maintain the condition of the hair.

As with all dogs, the nails as well as the ears must be checked and attended to. The veterinarian can advise you on how to keep his ears clean and free of infection, as prodding around without knowing can damage his ears.

Exercise:

This Cretan Hound has high activity needs. He is energetic and also hard-working, and you’ll need to be taking him on long walks and providing him with some highly energetic playing sessions. Throw ball for him and take him with you when you go jogging or cycling.