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Cretan Hound

History

A primitive hunting breed, its existence on the Greek island of Crete is documented in writing and artifacts for at least 3500 years. It was extensively cultivated and used by the Minoan civilization which, at its peak, dominated over most part of the Aegean, the Cyclades islands and eastern Peloponessus. A tracking and coursing hound, it was always used in chasing and catching hare and wild rabbits on the harsh terrains of its native island. The classic authors praised the Cretan hounds (Kressai Kynes) as the best hare-hunters known to man and in the ancient times they were exported to the Greek colonies and other countries in Europe, reaching as far as Spain and the British islands, to mix and improve the local hounds.Artifacts portraying the Cretan chasing hound already appear in the prehistoric settlements of the Isle of Crete that pre-date the Minoan civilization (3200-1700 BC). A metal-made piece showing the ship of the “Great Goddess” bears the characteristic silhouette of the Cretan Hound on its bow (Herakleion Museum). Stampstones, ceramics and metal utensils, ornamental objects, sculpture and murals of successive historical periods offer us the form of the Cretan Hound without change since and through the centuries. Of particular importance is the Minoan-style mural of Thera, presenting to us the authentic breed type. The distinguished archaeologist Professor S. Marinatos had dedicated extensive labors to this living monument of Greece, certifying its continuous historical existence on the island with the same conformation and working characteristics to the present day.

Characteristics The dogs use both sight and scent on the hunt and they have a particular tendency to taste the aerial or ground scent, even to the point of sucking it from pebbles and stones. When the prey is sensed, the tail moves in circular fashion and the hound becomes rigid, moments before the chase begins. The dogs have many such peculiar traits and they are evidently a truly ancient species, probably the oldest dog breed in Europe. It is possible that their ancestors came from Africa but they were subsequently adapted to this very unique habitat of Crete, an island remote enough to host other unique species of animals also, such as a unique sub-species of wild goat, lynx and others. Isolated there for millennia, these dogs were formed by function to perform a particular and challenging task and they remained pure and unchanged to this day. Due to a long history of struggle against outside enemies, the Cretan people are a freedom-loving race, proud, independent, somewhat suspicious and even stubborn. They don't like to give their dogs to outsiders and even to this day the best specimens are kept hidden from the public eye. Breeding practices are ruthless and the limited means of the past taught the locals to neuter all but the best males and destroy the dogs that were lacking in the hunt. This resulted in a particularly strong and healthy breed, but also one very small in numbers. For years they were kept secret and even now they rarely leave Crete, apart from on the rare occasions they take part in International dog shows held in Athens, where the visitors have the opportunity to meet a true living legend.

Function 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. The head is wedge-shaped, elongated and dry, with pricked and very mobile ears that fold backwards like a greyhound's during the chase. (Specimens with semi-pricked or drop ears do occur, and the latter tend to be more sight-houndy in type; there is also a smaller variety, something like a whippet, which little is known about). The skin is fine and tight over the body, sort and of many colors. The tail is a most important 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 good muscle; the ribcage is spacious but neither too broad nor too rounded and it doesn't quite reach the point of elbow. The loin is slender yet powerful and there is good tuck-up, with the points of the hipbones slightly prominent. There should be a balance between characteristics of speed and stamina, the conformation being a compromise producing great agility.
Height: 60cm plus for males, 50cm plus for females. Weight: 15 to 25 kg according to size; never overweight; flabby, clumsy, heavy individuals not to be tolerated. Colors: pure white, cream, sandy, fawn, grey, black or brindle, bi-colored or tri-colored.

Character Meek, affectionate, aristocratic, yet deadly on the chase, it's a polite hound that comes alive in the presence of prey; clean, gentle, elegant in form and movement, it's never vulgar or overwhelming in gestures. Slightly reserved with strangers, it's naturally inquisitive and tolerant. The Cretan Hound lives happily together with other domestic animals but will ruthlessly chase the neighbor's cat! It rarely barks but will give notice of strangers approaching its home; at the farm it will kill mice and rats and it's not indifferent to feathered game, but the latter use will make the breed lazy and untidy in the hunt; its constitution needs the challenge of the true chase. Robust and healthy, it's a breed easy to maintain as long it has plenty of exercise and free galloping space..

Ears Medium-sized, triangular, erect, broad at base, set high and carried slightly conical to the front. Pointed to the end and only very slightly rounded off at the tips. The leathers are fine-skinned, the muskels very well-developed and the cartilage strong. The ears are very mobile, vigorous and tense. Depending on the occasion, the dog moves the ears turning them to the sides or backwards, or folding them down on the sides of the neck. Cropping of the ears is prohibited.
Neck** Dry, muscular, with a slight arch at the nape.

Head Elongated, wedge-shaped, well-chiseled (especially under the eyes), with skull and muzzle preferably equal in length. Cranio-facial axles parallel or very slightly diverging. The top of the skull is very slightly rounded and broad, like the cheeks that converge evenly towards the front. The sides of the skull are slightly rounded off. Cranio-facial angle (stop) smooth, progressive and shallow, eyebrows (frontal lobes) moderately developed, median furrow visible between the eyes and progressively less towards the top skull, occipital protuberance only very slightly noticable.
Muzzle** Wedge-shaped, with top line of nose straight; evenly tapering towards the nostrils; the nose itself is quite large, moist, elastic and with wide- open nostrils. The nose overhangs the lip line and is dark-coloured (black or, in brown dogs, deep chestnut).

Forequarters Shoulder blades long, laid-back and muscular without being loaded. The withers protrude slightly. Upper arms slightly shorter in length than the blades. The angle formed at the point of the shoulder is moderate. Legs straight, sinewy, long, with light but powerful oval bone. Pastern joints strong but not dilated, pasterns resilient, elongated and slightly oblique. Feet large, oval, with long and strong toes, powerful curved nails and hard, resilient pads.

Body Trunk muscular, long, dry, powerful but not heavy. Its depth not qute reach the elbows. Chest of moderate width, deep enough; fore chest and sternum not particularly developed in front but more towards the back and its lower parts. Ribcage very well-extended to the rear; ribs arched and, in the area of the elbows, flattened inwards. The deepest part of the ribcage and sternum is behind the withers. Back strong, sinewy, muscular, elongated, straight, forming a slight curve over the loins. Loin area short, powerful, muscular and dry. Pelvis long, oblique, muscular. The upper edges of the hip-bones are slightly noticeable. The underline of the body is gracefully retracted high towards the abdomen and belly, which is dry and muscular.

Hindquarters Angulations matching the front and not excessive. Thighs muscular and developed in width but not so in thickness, long, flattened and powerful, the thigh-bones forming with the pelvis an efficient lever system of muscla attachment and motivation. The angle formed in the knee-stifle joint is, ideally, equal to the angle formed between shoulder and upper arm in the front and in any case never exaggerated. Stifle log, muscular, sinewy, dry on its lower parts and powerful. Hock joints well-knit, strong and parallel to each other. Rear pasterns dry, quite long and perfectly parallel to each other, without dewclaws. Feet as in the front. Size ** Height at the withers 52-60 cm for males, 50-58 cm for females. Weight: 15-20 kg, always in proportion to the size of the dog and in fit physical condition.

Tail Set quite low, doesn’t reach the hocks. Broad st base, tapering evenly towards the tip. Carried upwards in curve, semi-circular or forming a ring on the back, but without a hook (ankylosis) in the end. In repose the tail relaxes downwards without any sign of fracture or side-twist. The hair is longer underneath. The Cretan Hound used his tail as a tool os stability and also of expression. Tail-less, short-tailed or docked dogs are untypical and therefore disqualified.
Movement ** Light-footed, easy, fast and graceful strides with even steps, without crossing the legs or feet. From a springy trot at low speed the dog tends to soon change his gait to a gallop.
Coat ** Skin fine, rather taut, durable, without wrinkles or looseness, with well-pigmented visible mucous membranes. Coat smooth, hard, perfectly straight, dense, very short and fine on the head, the ears and underneath the body, a bit longer on the sides of the neck, the buttocks (breeches) and the tail.

Colour Desirable patterns:Solid colours (white, off-white, fawn, reddish) with or without highlights and darker shades. Spots of white on chest, feet and tail tip permissible. Bi-color (brindle, brown and tan)Tri-color (brindle or brown and tan with white markings)Acceptable patterns:BlackBlack and white, white and fawn and black and tanBlack and tan with white markings

FAULTS Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B ** Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.