Podenco Galego vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison

Italian Greyhound is originated from Italy but Podenco Galego is originated from Spain. Italian Greyhound may grow 14 cm / 5 inches shorter than Podenco Galego. Italian Greyhound may weigh 8 kg / 17 pounds lesser than Podenco Galego. Both Italian Greyhound and Podenco Galego has almost same life span. Italian Greyhound may have less litter size than Podenco Galego. Both Italian Greyhound and Podenco Galego requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Toy dog
Hound dog
undefined
Italy
Spain
Height Male:
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
42 - 52 cm
16 - 21 inches
Height Female:
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
42 - 52 cm
16 - 21 inches
Weight Male:
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
10 - 15 kg
22 - 34 pounds
Weight Female:
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
10 - 15 kg
22 - 34 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
10 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 4
2 - 8
Size:
Small
Medium
Other Names:
IG, Iggy
Spanish Geyhounds
Colors Available:
grey, tan, Fawn, chocolate and black., reddish
brindle, Variety of colours - bi-color with white
Coat:
Short and smooth
Short and smooth, longer-haired variety
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

italian greyhoundThe Italian Greyhound is an ancient breed, a purebred originating in Italy but with evidence to suggest it was also to be found in Turkey and Greece.

It's a small breed dog that became popular with Italian royalty in the 16th century. Over the centuries, the dog's appearance has remain unchanged, although breeders tried to make it even smaller, leading to problems with the health of the dog.

Towards the end of the 1800s, it was fortunate that breed fanciers implemented breeding programs to restore the dog's look's and strength. The American Kennel Club registered the Italian Greyhound in 1886. Today the dog is a wonderful companion dog.

The Galego is an ancient sighthound breed of hunting dog from Spain.

Unfortunately, like most of the Podencos, they have been badly treated in Spain. People who own them have also used them for rabbit hunting.

It is thought that these dogs may have been bred with other sighthounds over the centuries. The dog may well be the most recognized breed in Spain, but its isn’t recognized by the World Canine Organization. There are however breeders wanting to make it an official breed.

Description

italian greyhound puppy - descriptionThe sweet Italian Greyhound is much like the regular Greyhound, just smaller but every bit as sleek, elegant and fine-boned. He stands at between 33 and 38cm at the withers and weighs just 3 to 7kg. He is slender and elegant.

He has long, fine-boned legs and his short, smooth coat makes him easy to groom too. The coat comes in a number of colors such as fawn, tan, grey, reddish, chocolate and black.

Temperament.

Described as sweet, intelligent and playful, the Italian Greyhound adapts easily to life in the city or to country life.

He is easy to train too, and even though he is small and amicable, it is still a good idea to have him trained and socialized as he is just a simple pleasure to have around then. He just loves the company of his human family and becomes a gentle friend to other dogs, to children in the home and to the elderly.

He is a frail toy dog, and he needs to be constantly watched over that he isn’t handled roughly by disrespectful children or from bigger pets. He is an active breed and will love to be played with and join you on your walks. Even though he is such a frail, fragile looking dog, he has a feisty, stubborn, defiant side to him and that is why training and socialization becomes important. He will be reserved around strangers.

The Podenco Galego is a medium sized dog standing at between 42 to 52cm in height and weighing roughly from 10 to 15kg.

The Podenco Galego is similar in appearance to greyhounds, being tall ad slender with short smooth coats There are varieties with longer coats. The dog is lean and agile with bright, intelligent eyes.

The coat is thick and dense and available in a variety of colours which include brindle and white. The ears are erect and the tail long.

Temerament:

Loving and loyal to his human family, it is terrible that this dog that has been so abused by humans should still wag his tail and offer a paw of friendship.

He is a gentle dog that loves to play with children. He is intelligent too and if you train him and have him socialized he can be a pleasure to have around.

He is the kind of dog that can adapt to life in the city or the countryside so long as he is exercised regualarly. He has well developed senses and is an alert dog, active and independent, responding well to training.

Characteristics

italian greyhound dog - characteristicsIf you’re looking for a sweet, gentle canine friend, the Italian Greyhound promises to be just that. They just crave human companionship and are eager to please.

He isn’t the ideal playmate for children, simply because he is frail and can get hurt easily in rough play.

Small he may be, but he is intelligent and alert, and he will bark to warn you of strangers. They are essentially indoor dogs, and when you bring one of them into your home, you’ll be rewarded with a devoted, loving and loyal canine friend.

Your Podenco Galego is an energetic dog who will rely on you to provide him with lots of daily action.

He is a strong willed dog and will do well with a confident firm, patient and consistent owner. He becomes attached to his human owner and he plays well with gentle, kind, respectful children in the home.

He is a quiet dog too that doesn’t irritate with constant barking. He has had a raw deal from the people in Spain but he is still willing to show you what he can offer you – ongoing friendship and love, and that’s a lot more than lots of humans can offer you.

Health Problems

italian greyhound puppies - health problemsYour small Italian Greyhound isn’t a sickly dog breed, and in fact, with the right care, he can live to be between 10 to 14 years of age.

As with any dog breed however, there will be some more common conditions to watch for in the Italian Greyhound. Some of these are epilepsy, hyperthyroidism and periodontal disease.

Epilepsy:

There are different types and causes of seizures, and there are actually no definitive tests for epilepsy. One seizure isn’t enough to make a diagnosis and more than one seizure is usually recorded before a diagnosis can be made and treatment prescribed.

These treatments don’t cure Epilepsy but rather control the symptoms and keep the dog seizure-free so that they can have a normal life.

Seizures are not all the same – some are life-threatening and advice from the internet can’t be looked upon as adequate. With a dangerous disease such as epilepsy, excellent and qualified veterinary help will be required.

Periodontal Disease:

Gum disease can be terrible for your pet. Apart from bone loss and loss of teeth, your pet will experience pain. Periodontal disease may well be common in dogs, but it can be prevented.

Once an animal has eaten food, particles of food, saliva and bacteria form plaque over the teeth and this doesn’t only cause damage to the teeth but to the entire immune system.

This disease can cause inflamed gums and loss of teeth. It is important to brush your pet’s teeth with special canine toothbrush and toothpaste.

The truth is, periodontal disease can cause more problems than just tooth pain which is bad enough. Dogs with gum inflammation may be at higher risk for heart- and kidney disease too. If you’re worried about your dog, take him in to your vet for an oral examination and teeth cleaning.

These dogs are ancient dog breeds not particularly well known outside the Iberian Penninsula. They are strong, robust dogs,resistant to disease. However, they can succumb to some of the more common dog diseases even though they are so resistant to diseases.

With proper care, a Podenco hardly ever gets sick and can live to be 12 – 14 years of age.They also have a low probability of developing degenerative diseases such as hip dysplasia. This is a joint disease common in other breeds.

Skin Allergies

Dogs can get allergies which can be very upsetting for both you and your dog.Your dog scratches and licks and can’t find relief. The most common area affected are the ears, underarms, the eye area, groin and paws. You will need to get your pet to the vet as he can become frantic with the itching and pain.

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

italian greyhound dogs - caringThe Italian Greyhound has a short, smooth, satin-type coat which is easy to maintain. Gently brush him once or twice a week, being careful not to press down hard as he has frail, bambi-like legs.

He also sheds little, making him a low maintenance breed. Because of the short coat, take particular care of him in the Winter and don’t allow him to become overly cold.

Diet:

Your Italian Greyhound will require a diet rich in nutritional value, and if your particular dog is quite active you will need to feed him about 450 calories a day and sometimes more.

Each dog is an individual and will have different dietary needs. If you feed your pet a top quality commercially manufactured food, read the packaging for guidance on food portion sizes.

Speak to your vet if you are unsure how to feed your dog so that his food and the amounts you feed him contribute to his good health. He must always have access to fresh, cool water.

Your Galego is a lean, muscular dog, and he wants lots of exercise. He won’t be content with just a walk every day, but will want ball and frisbee games or joining in with you as you as you go running or jogging.

Diet:

To ensure your dog stays as robust and healthy as he is, make sue he gets quality food. If you do opt to feed him a commercially manufactured dog food, make sure it isn’t one of the low quality foods that are filled with bad ingredients and which can actually make your dog sick.

Apart from a high quality dry kibble, provide him with some tasty homemade food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice and pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach, all chopped up and added into the kibble once in a while will be a wonderful treat for your pet.He will be totally satisfied with this. Try and give him some raw meat occasionally as this helps to stave off irritating skin problems.. Make sure he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water close by.

Make sure his vaccinations are up to date.

Provide him with a dry, warm comfortable place to sleep.

Brush him twice a week. Check inside his ears for infections.Trim his nails and look inside his mouth for bad teeth which can play havoc with his health.

Take him to the vet whenever he is sick.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Italian Greyhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Italian Greyhound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Italian Greyhound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Italian Greyhound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Italian Greyhound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Italian Greyhound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Italian Greyhound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Italian Greyhound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Italian Greyhound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Italian Greyhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Italian Greyhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Italian Greyhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Italian Greyhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Italian Greyhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Italian Greyhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Italian Greyhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Italian Greyhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Italian Greyhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Italian Greyhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Italian Greyhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Italian Greyhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Italian Greyhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Italian Greyhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Italian Greyhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Italian Greyhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Podenco Galego vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Podenco Galego vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Podenco Galego vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Podenco Galego vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Podenco Galego vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Podenco Galego vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Podenco Galego vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Podenco Galego vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Podenco Galego vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Podenco Galego vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Podenco Galego vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Podenco Galego vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Podenco Galego vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Podenco Galego vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Podenco Galego vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Podenco Galego vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Podenco Galego vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Podenco Galego vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Podenco Galego vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Podenco Galego vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Podenco Galego vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Podenco Galego vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Podenco Galego vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Podenco Galego vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Podenco Galego vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison