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Cretan hound
Other names	Kritikos Lagonikos, Kressa Kyon, Kritikos Ichnilatis
Common nicknames	"Ntopio"
Origin	Greece (Crete)
Traits Height Males 52–60 cm (20–24 in) Females 50–58 cm (20–23 in) Weight 15–22 kg (33–49 lb) Coat Short, smooth, hard, flat Color solid, particolor or tricolor
Kennel club standards Kennel Club of Greece standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The Kritikos Lagonikos (Cretan Hound) (Greek:Kρητικός Λαγωνικός) is a breed of dog from the island of Crete, in Greece. The Cretan Hound is recognized both in Greece and in Germany. The breed is also considered to be the oldest European dog breed dating to perhaps before 3200 BCE and Neolithic times.

Description

Appearance

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. The head is wedge-shaped, elongated and dry, with pricked and very mobile ears that fold backwards. The tail is a key breed characteristic, long and curved upwards, forming a loose or tight ring and covered with a brush of longer hair underneath.

The dog is slightly longer than tall, with medium angulations, slender legs and muscle. The loin is slender yet powerful and there is tuck-up, with the points of the hipbones slightly prominent. The breed has a balance between characteristics of speed and stamina, the conformation being a compromise producing great agility.

The breed can range in colour between pure white, cream, sandy, fawn, grey, black or brindle, bi-colored or tri-colored.

The males of the breed can be 21 to 23 inches (54-58cm tolerance 2cm) and the females 20 to 22.8 inches (52-56cm tolerance 2cm). The weight for males can range between 35 and 49 pounds (16 and 22kg), and females ideally weigh 31-44 pounds (14-20kg).

Temperament

The Cretan Hound uses both sight and scent on the hunt and has a particular tendency to taste aerial or ground scent, even able to suck it from pebbles and stones. When they sense prey, the tail moves in circular fashion and the hound becomes rigid, moments before it begins chasing.

History

The ancient origins of this rare primitive breed date to a time before written history. According to the Cretan Hound Dog Club, the breed is linked in its DNA and its characteristics to hunting dogs represented in ancient artworks discovered by archaeologists in prehistoric settlements of Crete. The hound's ancestors are clearly depicted on Minoan seal stones, on ceramic and metallic utensils, ornamental objects, in sculptures and on frescos now housed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

See also

• Dogs portal
• List of dog breeds
• Alopekis
• Greek Harehound
• Greek Shepherd
• Small Greek domestic dog
• List of dog breeds

External links

• The Cretan Hound, Rarest of All
• "The Hound of Crete" in Shakespeare

References

1. Pashley, R. Travels in Crete, p. 33, vol. 1, J. Murray, 1837.
2. Der VDH erkennt vier neue Rassen national an. VDH.
3. "Meet the Cretan". National Purebred Dog Day. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
4. Grano, Mauro (2020). "The Cretan hound and the Karpathian hound: two breeds compared. Historical, morphological and osteological considerations". Naturalista Siciliano. IV (XLIV): 161–168. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
5. Anetakis, Nikos. "Cretan Hound Breed Standard". Cretan Hound Club of Greece. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
6. "Cretan Hound". Only Crete. Retrieved 8 April 2021.

• METAMORPHOSES by OVID: Book III:206-231 Actaeon is pursued by his hounds
• CYNEGETICUS by Xenophon: Chapter X
• "Cretan tracer hound - dog breed in Crete". issue #50. STIGMES, the magazine of Crete.
• Κρητικός Ιχνηλάτης: Ο αρχαιότερος κυνηγετικός σκύλος της Ευρώπης. Κρητικό Πανόραμα, τεύχος 10, σελ. 118–145, 2005.

• Hounds
• Dog breeds originating in Greece