English Mastiff vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison

English Mastiff vs Cretan Hound - Breed ComparisonEnglish Mastiff is originated from United Kingdom but Cretan Hound is originated from Greece. English Mastiff may grow 8 cm / 4 inches higher than Cretan Hound. English Mastiff may weigh 83 kg / 183 pounds more than Cretan Hound. Both English Mastiff and Cretan Hound has almost same life span. English Mastiff may have more litter size than Cretan Hound. English Mastiff requires Low maintenance. But Cretan Hound requires Moderate maintenance

History

english mastiff - historyThroughout most of history there have been images created by people of very large, sturdy dogs that they shared their space with. The English Mastiff can trace some part of her ancestry to these same dogs. This breed is thought to have come from the stock of ancient breeds such as the Alpine Mastiff, Pugnaces Britanniae and Alaunt. The Mastiff in general has then become a main descendent of many other breeds of dogs since the 1880’s. The images of these types of dogs goes back to the 5th and 6th century.

There is no genetic evidence linking these dogs to the modern Mastiffs and the English Mastiff, but the resemblance is obvious. There is anecdotal evidence that these Mastiff type dogs were exported from England – the English Mastiff – to Greece to hunt game but were also used as war dogs by the Celts. The Alaunt was probably used the Normans and bred by the Alans. Writings and images throughout these times depicted a dog that looked very much like today’s English Mastiff. Some speculate that the English Mastiff came to the United States of the Mayflower.

There was a decline in the English Mastiff in its homeland in the 1800’s following the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835 which prohibited owners and trainers from baiting animals. Then in the 19th century, prior to the first World War, systematic breeding programs began with J.W. Thompson. His first English Mastiff was a female named Dorah. Dorah’s ancestors included dogs from Thompson’s Grandfather. Captain John Garnier of the Royal Engineers also had dogs that contributed to the development of the English Mastiff.

During this time some breeders got away from pure type and began to breed for other factors. In the late 1800’s, Edgar Hanbury and Mark Hanbury Beaufoy began restoring the breed to its original soundness. One of their dogs was exported to the US were breeding to soundness continued until the First World War reduced the number of English Mastiffs around the world. By the time the war ended there were no English Mastiffs outside of England.

There was a dog in Canada named Beowulf and direct descendent of imports from Britain, who came to the States after the war and began to re-establish the breed on this continent and registered with the American Kennel Club. Yet as of 1945, the contribution from North

Breeding was stopped again for World War II and started again after the war. Many of these puppies died of distemper. Only one female had pups that were able to grow up into adults. North America sent dogs to England at this time and all of the Mastiffs from that time, could be traced back to Nydia and the 14 North American Mastiffs. Since then the breed has been restored slowly in Europe, North America and everywhere in the world.

The English Mastiff is known by his massive head with a black mask and comes in a wide variety of colors. He is also known as a gentle giant because of his personality and the love he has for his people.

cretan hound - historyAlthough 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.

Description

english mastiff puppy - descriptionThe English Mastiff is a giant dog with a broad head and body. In terms of mass it is the worlds largest dog, just a little bigger that the Saint Bernard. The Great Dane and the Irish Wolfhound are 6 inches taller but do not carry the weight and bulk of the Mastiff. Mostly square in his body and his head with a massive chest and wide set forelegs. The head is square and very large. No matter the color of the coat, the face should have a black mask like the St. Bernard. His eyes and nose are also dark.

cretan hound puppy - descriptionKnown 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.

Temperament:

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.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

english mastiff dog - characteristicsThe English Mastiff is very happy to play with children. You willl need to be careful with small children as he does not know his size and is likely to sit on them.

Special talents

This lovable giant is noble and loyal. He will protect his family and he will be courageous about it.

Adaptability

This is a big dog but he doesnt live outside. You need a big yard and perhaps a big house. He may not adapt to an apartment.

Learning ability

The English Mastiff is smart and certainly trainable. He can be independent and stubborn at times but he has the ability to learn.

cretan hound dog - characteristicsThe 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.

Health Problems

english mastiff puppies - health problemsBeing a massive dog can take its toll on the body’s development and that is certainly true of the English Mastiff. A lot of running is not recommended in the early life of the dog – preferable for the first two years. This could damage the joint’s growth plates and cause him a lot of problems in later years. Too much exercise in this massive dog can hurt him but so can, not enough exercise.

Some of the health issues other than this that the English Mastiff is prone to include:

  1. Calluses –
  2. On their paws. Must be taken care of before infection sets in.
  3. Arthritis

A large dog like the English Mastiff is always prone to pain from arthritic joints. See your vet about pain medication.

Hygroma

A spot under the skin that is swollen and filled with fluid. Can be treated. It is not an infection or contagious.

Hip Dysplasia

Can result in lameness and arthritis.

cretan hound puppies - health problemsThe 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.

Caring The Pet

english mastiff dogs - caringThis is an enormous dog that grows quickly. It is important to feed them properly as they grow. If he doesn’t get what he needs as a puppy you will not be able to make it up to him later on.

Feeding the puppy

The English Mastiff puppy needs good nutrition for growing properly.

From 12-16 weeks of age feed him 3-4 cups a day of a high protein, high quality dry food. Break this up into 3-4 meals.

From 4 -6 months of age feed him 8-10 cups a day of a high protein, high quality dry food. Break this up into 2-3 meals.

From 6-18 months of age feed him 8-12 cups a day of a high protein, high quality, dry food. Break this up into 2-3 meals.

Feeding the adult

The English Mastiff is still growing from a year to 18 months. Starting at 18 months feed him 10-12 cups a day of high protein, high quality dry food. Break this up into 2 meals.

As your Mastiff ages, cut down on the protein and feed a dry food appropriate for his age.

Points for Good Health

The English Mastiff is a very large dog that should not be allowed to get obese since he is prone to dysplasia. He needs protein throughout puppyhood and until he is about 8-10.

Games and Exercises

This is a couch potato if you let him be. Make sure he gets at least one long walk per day or he will tend to gain weight. Play with them off leash about an hour every day.

cretan hound dogs - caringYou’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.

Exercise:

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.

Basic Information

Group:
Molosser dogs
Hound dog
Origin:
United Kingdom
Greece
Height Male:
74 - 76 cm
29 - 30 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Height Female:
70 - 73 cm
27 - 29 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
68 - 113 kg
149 - 250 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
54 - 84 kg
119 - 186 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Life Span:
7 - 12 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 10
3 - 7
Size:
Giant dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Mastiff Old English Mastiff
Kritikos Lagonikos, Kressa Kyon, Ntopio
Colors Available:
silver-fawn, apricot-fawn, or dark fawn-brindle, fawn
grey, Fawn, sandy, tri-colored , white, black or brindle
Coat:
fine, smooth
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Courageous, Docile, Friendly, Independent, Loyal, Protective, Quiet, Stubborn
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

Comparison with other breeds

  1. English Mastiff vs American Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  2. English Mastiff vs American Molossus - Breed Comparison
  3. English Mastiff vs Cao de Gado Transmontano - Breed Comparison
  4. English Mastiff vs Broholmer - Breed Comparison
  5. Neapolitan Mastiff vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  6. Gaddi Kutta vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  7. Nebolish Mastiff vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  8. Great Dane vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  9. English Mastiff vs Bernese Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  10. English Mastiff vs Anatolian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  11. English Mastiff vs Alaunt - Breed Comparison
  12. English Mastiff vs Bully Kutta - Breed Comparison
  13. English Mastiff vs Alangu Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  14. English Mastiff vs Billy - Breed Comparison
  15. English Mastiff vs Bisben - Breed Comparison
  16. English Mastiff vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  17. English Mastiff vs Ciobanesc de Bucovina - Breed Comparison
  18. Newfoundland Dog vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  19. Leonberger vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  20. Irish Wolfhound vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  21. Pharaoh Hound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  22. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  23. Hungarian Vizsla vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  24. Redbone Coonhound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  25. Norwegian Elkhound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  26. Santal Hound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  27. English Coonhound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  28. Podenco Canario vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  29. Dunker vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  30. Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  31. Podenco Andaluz vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  32. Podenco Galego vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  33. English Foxhound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  34. Estonian Hound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  35. Grand Griffon Vendeen vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  36. Hamiltonstovare vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  37. Kanni vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  38. Lithuanian Hound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  39. Hungarian Hound vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  40. Hygenhund vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  41. Norrbottenspets vs Cretan Hound - Breed Comparison
  42. Cretan Hound vs Basset Hound - Breed Comparison
  43. Cretan Hound vs Basenji - Breed Comparison
  44. Cretan Hound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  45. Cretan Hound vs Bluetick Coonhound - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds