MyDogBreeds
Otterhound is originated from United Kingdom but Cretan Hound is originated from Greece. Both Otterhound and Cretan Hound are having almost same height. Otterhound may weigh 24 kg / 53 pounds more than Cretan Hound. Both Otterhound and Cretan Hound has almost same life span. Otterhound may have more litter size than Cretan Hound. Both Otterhound and Cretan Hound requires Moderate maintenance.
There aren’t many Otterhounds around and this British pure-breed dog is a scenthound and dates far back to the 19th century.
The dog is regarded as a Vulnerable breed by the English Kennel Club. It is believed that these dogs descended from Bloodhounds and that it was developed in England to hunt otters.The dog’s nose is so sensitive that he was well suited to this job. He was appreciated by royalty and had many royal admirers.
The dog was brought to the United States in 1900 and the Otterhound Club of America was founded in 1960 with the Otter Hound being officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991.
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.
The Otterhound has a weather-resistant double coat which is somewhat oily. The coat is available in a number of colors such as wheat, red, grizzle, black, cream and tan with some white markings.
The double coat is somewhat oily and he has webbed feet, making him particularly suited for his life around water. This large hound stands at between 61 and 70cm and weighs in the region of 35 to 54kg. He has a large head with a nose that can track and scent in mud.
Otterhounds are active dogs, loving nothing more than to be running and playing, and that of course includes swimming. He makes a great sporting companion too and won’t have trouble keeping up with you as you jog or cycle.
These dogs are friendly, social, docile and amicable but they are also strong-willed, stubborn and independent. If you want him to be obedient and well behaved, then he will most certainly require training and socialization.
They get on well with children and will appreciate a firm, consistent, kind owner. He isn’t a city dog as he requires room to run, and therefore a farm or home with large grounds will suit him. Not only that, he is quite a barker, especially when he is bored with nothing to do so city life and living close to neighbors won't do for him . He will suit an active, outdoor family.
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.
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.
Your Otterhound is a big, beautiful dog who is also lovable, making a great pet for an active kind of family. He is friendly, social and playful but he is also independent and likes to have his own space occasionally.
He is a loyal, fun dog who has a sense of humor, providing quite a bit of entertainment for his owner. He is the kind of dog that is willing to be 100% part of the family and will be thrilled to be counted in on all activities – whether camping, hiking or swimming.
Give him the love he craves and he will make you an awesome 4-legged friend.
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 average lifespan of this dog is between 10 and 13 years, but with good care he can reach 15 years of age.
The Otterhound is generally a healthy breed but he can sometimes get one or two of the common dog diseases there are.
Common problems that can occur are hip dysplasia. There are things that can be done to prevent this joint condition and one is to ensure your dog doesn’t become overweight. You also want to prevent having your young dog exercise excessively before his first birthday and you don’t want him leaping off beds or other high places.
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.
Your Otterhound has a curly, longish water resistant double coat which doesn’t shed much. The coat is easy to groom, requiring nothing much more than a brush twice a week.
The nails of the dog should be checked regularly and trimmed. Check in and outside his ears as well as his eyes for any sign of infection.
His teeth should also be checked. Some people are reluctant to brush their pet’s teeth, saying this is a new money-making fad and that it has never been required in the past. Whatever your views, periodically check inside your pet’s mouth for the sign of a rotten tooth as this can cause your pet a lot of pain and illness.
The Otterhound has no special food requirements and relies on you to feed him quality, tasty food. For convenience, there are some excellent ready-to-eat, convenient commercially manufactured foods made to cater for your pet’s size and his activity levels.
He also relies on variety in his diet, so give him some home-made food added into the kibble a couple of times a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as carrots, sweet pototoes and spinach will be excellent for him.
He will thank you for keeping things so simple for him as then he won’t be plagued by digestive problems and visits to the vet. You can also add in some raw meat occasionally. Never leave him without fresh, cool water.
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.
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.