Hellenic Hound
Official Cynology Profile & Standard Data.
Also known as HELLINIKOS ICHNILATIS (original name) · CHIEN COURANT GREC (French) · GRIECHISCHER LAUFHUND (German) · SABUESO HELÉNICO (Spanish)
History & Overview
Origin and historical development
The Hellenic Hound is the black and tan scenthound of Greece, and the first Greek breed the FCI recognised. Its standard is an old one: the text in force was published on 16 October 1959, and the FCI translation dates from 1996. The United Kennel Club, which recognised the breed in 2006, describes it simply as a medium-sized scenthound originating in Greece.
The standard is unusually specific about what the breed is for. It asks for a hound with a fine nose and great stamina, an active hunter alone or in a pack, at home in lowland and mountain country alike and even in rocky, unworkable ground, with a voice it calls resonant and harmonious.
In appearance it is short-haired, black and tan, strong and vigorous, with a long head and ears set high above the zygomatic arches, hanging flat. The standard states the proportions in numbers rather than words: the head is to the height at the withers as 4.35 to 10, and the body is ten per cent longer than the dog is tall.
Breed Standard
How the breed is described and measured
The breed is registered by the FCI.
What the standard asks for
Bred for: Hound with a fine sense of smell and of great resistance
“Medium-sized dog, short-haired, black and tan, strong, vigorous, lively, keen”
— FCI standard no. 214
Size, standard by standard
- FCI — height 47-55 cm (males), 45-53 cm (females)
Full standards: FCI.
Breed Trivia
Unique facts and fascinating details
- It was the first Greek breed recognised by the FCI.
- The United Kennel Club recognised it separately in 2006.
- The standard in force was published in 1959.
- It comes in one colour only: black and tan.
- The standard describes its voice as resonant and harmonious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common inquiries about the breed
What colour can a Hellenic Hound be?
Black and tan only. The standard allows no other colour.
Does it hunt alone or in a pack?
Both. The standard describes it as an active hunter either alone or in a pack.
How tall is it?
The FCI standard asks for 47-55 cm in males and 45-53 cm in females.
Is it recognised outside the FCI?
Yes. The United Kennel Club has recognised the breed since 2006 and publishes its own standard for it.
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