The Cretan Hound is a slender dog, somewhere between a scenthound and a sighthound in body, particularly light on its feet (that are oval rather than cat-like) and strong in loin, specially adopted for swift reflexes and high speed over dangerous, rocky terrain.

Jan 27, 2025 · Cretan Hounds are brilliant dogs. They have incredible alertness and a knack for tracking. Because they share genetic traits with sight and scenthounds, they combine characteristics of both,...

Aug 26, 2024 · The Cretan Hound is a multi-talented dog breed that comes directly from Crete. Excellent scent, speed, agility and durability of this breed make it an exceptional hunter. The breed also has guarding instincts as well as pastoral instincts.

Mar 28, 2018 · The Cretan Hound is a very ancient dog breed; we could even go as far as saying they are one of the oldest hunting breeds in Europe. These attractive dogs are medium to large and originate from the Greek Island of Crete.

The Cretan Hound is a slender dog, somewhere in the middle between a scenthound and a sighthound in body, particularly light on its feet (that are oval rather than cat-like) and strong in loin, specially adopted for swift reflexes and high speed over dangerous, rocky terrain.

Oct 18, 2022 · Known as the best hare-hunters during primordial times, the Cretan Hound was passed over to other Greek colonies and even European lands such as Spain and Britain, where they were crossed with the native hounds to enhance their efficiency.

Dec 15, 2021 · Many experts consider the Cretan to be the oldest European dog breed because its recorded history is believed to extend beyond 4,000 years. The Cretan (nicknamed, “Ntopio”) was used as a hunting dog extensively by the Minoans, a Bronze Age Aegean civilization living on the largest and most populous of the Greek islands.

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 ...

Aug 14, 2020 · The Cretan Hound is a clean, tolerant, and easy-going dog. It also mingles willingly with other dogs. But because it is essentially a hunting dog, it tends to get naughty with small and strange animals, especially cats. It will be an absolute disaster to have it …

Archaeological finds and ancient works of art show that these dogs lived on Crete over 4000 years ago. They were mainly used to hunt rabbits and other small game and were considered indispensable helpers for the inhabitants of the island. Who is the Cretan Hound suitable for?