Greek Harehound

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Greek Harehound
Hellenikos Ichnilatis
Other names	Hellenikos Ichnilatis Hellenic Hound Greek Hound Gkekas
Origin	Greece
Kennel club standards Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The Greek Harehound (Greek: Ελληνικός Ιχνηλάτης; FCI No. 214) is a rare breed of dog that only comes in a black and tan color, originally bred as a scenthound for tracking and chasing hare in Southern Greece.

The Greek Harehound is a scenthound with a short-haired black and tan coat. It is a medium-sized dog, weighing between 17–20 kg (37–44 lb). Males and females should have a height of 47–55 cm (19–22 in) and 45–53 cm (18–21 in) at the withers respectively.^{[citation needed]}

• Head: The skull, which is relatively flat, is the same or slightly shorter than the muzzle's length. Its forehead is generally broad.
• Jaws: The Greek Harehound has powerful jaws. Its teeth should either be in a scissor or pincer bite and evenly spaced.^[1]
• Eyes: This breed possess bright brown-colored eyes that are medium-sized. The eyes should neither be set too deep or bulging.
• Ears: The ears are set high, and should hang down halfway along the head.
• Coat: The Greek Harehound has a short, dense coat that has a slightly hard texture. Its coat is usually only black and tan in color, yet a small white patch may be present in some individuals.^[2] No trimming or stripping is required.
• Tail: The tail's length should not exceed the point of the hock. It is set high, thick at the base and tapering by a little at the tip.

The Greek Harehound has a lively, confident and outgoing temperament. These dogs are skilled, fearless hunters, and have a keen sense of smell as well as excellent strength and stamina. Their activity level is high and they require daily exercise and opportunities to exercise their hunting instincts, for example through hunting or scentwork games. The Greek Harehound is also devoted to its owner, and generally makes a fine family pet, although they are better with older children. Since the Greek Harehound was originally bred to hunt in packs, it is placid with other dogs, yet may be wary and suspicious around strangers.

Like other scenthound breeds, the Greek Harehound is independent and strong-willed at times. These dogs can have a short attention span and are easily distracted, so they should be trained from an early age. Positive reinforcement and consistency is necessary when training a Greek Harehound and rough handling should be avoided.^[3] Due to their original hunting purposes, the Greek Harehound can be vocal and extremely loud, and may enjoy chasing small animals and moving things. They may also show destructiveness when bored or left alone for a prolonged period of time.

These dogs are active working-type hounds. They can be challenging to train and are not recommended for the less active dog owner or for apartment life.

The Greek Harehound is a healthy breed with no known genetic defects. But like other dogs with pendulous ears, their ears are more prone to infections and need to be cleaned frequently, they also experience hip dysplasia.Their life span is around 11 years.