Balkanski Gonic Dog Breed Caring and Family, Social Life, Physical Traits, Diet Information

The Balkanski Gonic is a medium-sized, well-muscled, athletic dog renowned for its high intelligence and endurance in hunting. Also known as the Balkan hound or Serbian hound, the Balkanski Govic is a loving, extremely loyal, passionate, and very kind dog breed that loves forming strong bonds with its family. This lively dog adores walking or playing with its family members. 

Originally bred hunting dogs, the Balkanski Gonics are believed to be descendants of different types of dogs left in the Balkan Region by the ancient Phoenician traders. Besides their hunting origin, these dogs double up as excellent family companions as they are highly social and can relate well with children, older people, and other dogs.

Although these dogs are highly energetic and active, they can adapt to a family setting very well as long as their exercise needs are sufficiently met. Overall, Balkan Hounds make excellent hunting, companion, and effective watchdogs.

What is the History of Balkansi Gonic Dog? 

The Balkanski Gonic dogs are believed to have been in existence in the southeast part of Europe, the Balkan area specifically for about 1000 years now. Although there is limited information about their specific origin, these dogs’ history dates back to the 11th century when Frank Laska recorded the first description.

Originating from Balkan, these dogs are descendants of different dog breeds brought to the region by Phoenician traders. The earlier Balkan Hounds are believed to have been cross-bred with other dog groups from the neighboring Montenegro and Anatolia regions to produce the Serbian Hound known today.

These dogs were initially bred as hunting dogs only and could work as a single or part of a pack during hunts. However, they rapidly gained a reputation as outstanding scent dogs. Not until 1940, the dog breed gain official recognition from the Federation Cynologique International (FCI). In 1996, the name was changed from Balkan Hound to Serbian Hound. The breed was also recognized by United Kennel Club (UCK) in 2006.

This dog breed is commonly found in its homeland and remains rare outside its geographical home in Balkan.

What are the Breed Traits and Characteristics of Balkansi Gonic Dog? 

The Balkanski Gonic is a medium-size dog weighing between 44-48 pounds and standing at 18-22 inches for males and 17-21 inches in height for females. This dog breed is extremely loyal and builds strong ties with its family. Additionally, Serbian Hounds are very social and relate well with young children, older people, and other dogs.

These dogs are known for being extremely dedicated and committed to their work and will put all their energy into accomplishing the task at hand. They are also highly intelligent and energetic and love being involved in activities. These dogs have a relaxed temperament at home, making them good companion dogs.

What are the Balkanski Gonic Dog Physical Traits?

The Balkanski Gonic dog is strong and athletic with a flat and sloping head, rounded forehead, and a long, wedge-shaped muzzle that’s a bit shorter than the skull. They have dark, oval eyes and large, floppy, medium-length ears. This dog breed is red or tan with a black saddle, neck, cranium, plus red or tan face.

What are the Social Traits of Balkansi Gonic Dog Breed?

The Balkanski dog breed is highly social and relates well with young children, older people, and other dogs.

What are the Personality Traits of Balkansi Gonic Dog?

This dog breed is brilliant, obedient, energetic dogs committed to their work.

What is the Average Lifespan of Balkansi Gonic Dog?

The Balkanski Gonic dog is considered a generally healthy dog breed with no reports of inherited diseases in their population. This dog has an expected lifespan of between 12-15 years which is good enough.

Although very few problems affect this dog breed, they appear to be prone to hip dysplasia and ear and eye infections. Balkan Hounds are especially susceptible to ear infections due to their big floppy ears that hang down from the face, trapping moisture and creating an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive. You should regularly clean your dog’s ears and take them for regular ear examinations to prevent this problem.

Although Serbian dogs have a life expectancy of up to 15 years, how long your dog will live depends on its maintenance. With proper care, an ideal diet, regular checkups, and enough exercise, your dog can live beyond 15 years.

What is the Average Maintenance Cost for Balkanski Gonic Dog? 

The Balkan Hound dog has a hound-like coat that’s short and dense, with a well-developed undercoat and a rougher outer coat. These dogs have a moderate shedding level. However, the shedding tends to increase during spring and fall. At this time, they will need more frequent brushing to keep their coat in top condition.

The Balkanski is a low-maintenance dog. Grooming this dog is easy because of its short coat. Being average shedders, brushing once a week is sufficient to keep their coats sleek and enable natural oils distribution.

Serbian Hounds only need to be bathed once every few months unless they get into something smelly as they can maintain their coats by themselves. You should also monitor and trim their nails as necessary to prevent cracking or breaking if you don’t use them as hunting dogs. You’ll also need to frequently clean their ears since these dogs are prone to ear infections due to their large floppy ears. To maintain good oral health, you should also brush your dog’s teeth once a week.

Balkan Hounds are generally moderate droolers. To maintain good hygiene, you should keep a clean and dry cloth nearby to wipe off the dog’s drool when it happens.

Generally, the Balkanski dog breed is a low-maintenance dog that will not cost you much in terms of maintenance costs and time. It’s therefore, an ideal choice for busy owners.

What is the best diet for Balkanski Gonic Dog? 

The right diet is essential for the optimal growth and functioning of Balkanski Gonic dogs. As such, these dogs should be fed on a high-quality diet that’s made with plenty of animal proteins, easily digestible carbohydrates, and a  dose of healthy fats. 

Because Balkanski Gonics are high-energy dogs, a formula specifically formulated for working breeds is ideal especially if used as hunting dogs. Besides being high in proteins, these diets contain more fats for increased energy. Additionally, it’s important to feed these dogs on diets particular to their life stage. Veterinarians recommend high-quality dry food for easy, quick, and efficient feeding without the risk of overfeeding. 

Balkanski Gonic dogs should consume between 1.5-3 cups of high-quality kibble daily on average. This should be split into 2 meals and not given all at once to avoid overfeeding the dog.  On average, feeding these dogs will cost you between $1.5-$2 on a daily basis, $45-$ 60 monthly, or $ 540-$720 annually.

It’s important to feed these dogs appropriate quantities of food. Balkan Hounds are prone to weight gain and feeding too much can lead to obesity. Feeding too little can also lead to nutrient deficiency and stunted growth.

Balkanski Gonic puppies are highly energetic and active. As such, they need a lot of food to fuel their activity. These puppies can have up to 2 cups of food daily divided into 3-4 meals. This is important to ensure optimal growth in these dogs.

What are the common health problems of Balkanski Gonic Dog? 

Balkanski Gonic dogs are generally very healthy. There are no records of inherited diseases. However, like any other dog breed, Balkan hounds are prone to breed-specific health issues. These include

• Ear infections: Balkan Hounds are particularly prone to ear infections because of their large floppy ears that hang down from the face, trapping moisture and providing an excellent environment for germs to proliferate. It’s thus important to keep an eye on your Balkan Hound’s ears for any signs of infection. Discomfort indicated by pawing at the ears, dark brown wax build-up inside the ear canal, an unpleasant odor, and reddening of the skin are all possible ear infection symptoms. It’s also essential to regularly your dog’s ears to avoid this condition.
• Hip dysplasia: This is a very painful condition that negatively affects a dog’s quality of life. It happens when the ball and the socket of the hip joints don’t fit or develop normally and end up grinding and rubbing instead of sliding smoothly. This consequently leads to wearing out and eventually malfunction of the joint itself. Symptoms of hip dysplasia include difficulty getting up and lying down, stiffness, skinny hips, wobbly or swaying walks, difficulty walking or going up/down the stairs.
• Obesity: Like any other working breed, Balkanski Gonics are prone to weight gain, especially when they stop working. It’s thus important to feed the appropriate quantity of food to your Serbian Hound to avoid obesity. Unhealthy weight gain can lead to serious problems such as pancreatitis, heart problems, and immobility. 

What are the Nutritional Needs of a Balkanski Gonic Dog? 200 words

Balkanski Gonic dogs are working and energetic dogs that require about 670-750 calories daily. As such, they need a balanced diet that caters to all their nutritional needs. Therefore, their food should include nutrients such as

• Proteins: Serbian Hounds require high-quality animal protein to provide the amino acids necessary for optimal health of these dogs. Proteins are essential in building healthy muscles and ligaments in muscles.
• Carbohydrates: Although these are not a dietary requirement, they form good sources of energy to fuel Balkanski Gonic dogs’ activity and help them maintain an active lifestyle.
• Vitamins: Vitamins provide important antioxidants necessary for promoting the immune health of Balkan Hounds. These nutrients are also helpful for boosting the general well-being of dogs.
• Fats: As working dogs, Balkan Hounds require a good dose of healthy fats to supply the increased energy necessary for fueling their activity.
• Minerals: Balkan Hounds need several minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, and iron, among others. These are important for promoting the health of various organs. They can aid boost dogs’ bone, kidney, immune, liver, and heart health.
• Micronutrients: Taurine, chondroitin, and glucosamine are some of the important micronutrients that Balkan Hounds need. These can help promote strong joints and enhance the heart health of these dogs.

Where to Buy or Adopt Balkansi Gonic Dogs? 

It’s vital to pick a reputable breeder when buying or adopting a Balkanski Gonic dog. This is important in ensuring that you only get a healthy dog with no potential health issues in the future.

Due to the rarity of this dog breed, you should be wary of breeders who advertise an endless number of Balkan Hounds for low rates or even give high discounts for acquiring or adopting these dogs.

Before buying or adopting a Balkanski Gonic dog, you should know that these are energetic dogs that will require sufficient exercise in the form of long walks and other exercises to remain healthy.

These are some reliable Balkanski Gonic dog breeders from whom you can purchase or adopt a dog.

• Worlddogfinder.com
• Dogell.com

What are the Rescue Clubs for Balkanski Gonic Dogs? 

Rescue clubs are organizations that help dogs find new homes. Given that Balkansi Gonic dogs are very rare outside their homeland in Serbia, the rescue clubs for these dogs are similarly very rare.

How to Name a Balkanski Gonic Dog?

Naming a Balkanski Gonic dog is not as simple and clear as many prospective owners believe. The sound and manner in which it is called, rather than the name itself, elicits a response from the dog.

Below are the necessary building blocks, including the tone and syllables:

Two-syllable names are preferable for Balkan Hounds. They are not short enough to be confused with single-syllable commands such as come or sit. They are additionally not as long as to confuse them.

Many Balkan Hound owners have reported better responses when the dog’s name is called in a sing-songy manner.

Single-syllable names should be pronounced in a stretchy manner that makes them sound like two names. A name like Zena can be stretched to Zee-Heena to make it sound like two distinct tones.

Balkans Gonic dogs respond well to high-pitched, energetic, and cheerful sounds when calling and soothing names, while they prefer quiet sounds when they are anxious or nervous.

What are the Similar Dog Breeds for Balkansi Gonic Dog? 

The following words are similar to Balkanski Gonic’s terms of size, nutritional needs, maintenance, energy, or exercise requirement levels.

• Beagles: Like Balkan Hounds, these dogs are incredibly loyal and loving towards their families. They are also playful yet very gentle, making them great with kids and older people. Their lively nature makes them excellent family pets.
• Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound: Similar to Balkan hounds, these dogs make excellent hunting, family companions, as well as good watchdogs. They are also kind and gentle and require lots of exercise to keep them healthy. Like Balkanski Gonic dogs, Foxhounds are prone to ear infections and hip dysplasia.
• Cotralian dogs: These dogs are similar to Blakansi Gonic dogs in size as they weigh between 30-50 pounds on average. Their height is also similar as they stand between 16-22 inches. They also make excellent companion dogs as well.
• Serbian Tricolor Hound: This dog, similar to the Balkanski Gonic dog, originates from Yugoslavia (Serbia). Weighing between 44-50 pounds and standing at 17.5-22 inches in height, this dog’s size is comparable to the Balkan Hound. These dogs are also fiercely loyal and loving to their families. Their intelligence and energy levels also match.