Lowchen vs Lottatore Brindisino - Breed Comparison

Known as the Little Lion Dog, the Lowchen is considered by some registries as a toy dog and by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting dog.

Nobody seems too certain about the true origin of the dog but most records seem to suggest it originates from Germany, France or Holland.

He was bred to catch rats and mice and his history goes way back to 1442, with images of him being found in engravings and paintings. People think he may be related to the Bichon Frise.

His history shows that apart from being used to catch vermin he was also a companion dog to the wealthy. A breeding program for the dog was started in 1944 and they were later imported to Britain in the late 1960s. The dog was given Kennel Club recognition in the UK in 1971, also appearing in America in 1971 with The Lowchen Club of America being formed.

The Lottatore Brindisino, whose native name is Cande da Marcellaio, is a large molosser type dog which hails from Brindisi, Italy.

He is a rare dog, courageous and effectively used as a herding dog too – to watch over cattle.

When you see him, all hulky and muscular, you realize that its because this is a breed of dog that has been used for fighting.

The dog was specially created by selectively breeding certain dogs such as the Rottweiler, Pit Bull and Cane Corso. The breed has never been standardized or recognized by any major kennel clubs, and is fairly unknown outside of Italy.

The Lowchen is a small dog but robustly built and stands at between 25 – 33 cm in height and weighs anything from 4 – 8 kg.

He has a long coat which is available in a number of colors - cream, white, grey, black, silver and bi-colored. The single coat isn’t like that of the Bichon Frise, thin and fluffy, but is much thicker, silky and wavy and sheds minimally. People love snipping the long coat cut so that the dog looks like a small lion, short over the body and with a mane, with some hair left around the ‘ankle’ parts of the legs.

The tail is also sheared and left with a pom-pom look. People look at him as an ideal pet as he doesn’t shed much and is looked upon as being a hypoallergenic dog.

He has a wide muzzle and broad, flat skull. The ears are floppy with fringing, the eyes dark, round and intelligent looking. The litter size of this dog is is usually between 3 and 6 puppies.

Temperament:

Intelligent, bright, outgoing and affectionate, you won’t find any aggression in this cute little dog unless the owners have treated him so badly that he wants to be aggressive.

He is such an amicable little pet that he won’t cause you any trouble – he just wants to be your friend. He is a social dog, but can be quite timid when introduced to new people.Socialization and training will do wonders for him and give him some confidence.

He just loves receiving attention and is also prepared to give a lot of attention too. Although he can adapt easily to life in the city or the countryside, he wouldn’t like his owners being at work all day and leaving him alone hour after hour. He is gentle with his human family and sees to it that he gets on well with children as well as pets in the home.

The Lottatore Brindisino is a medium sized Molosser dog, robustly built, muscular and with large shoulders and chest.

He stands at 60-70cm in height and weighs approximately 40 – 55kg. The head is large, the nose mostly back, and traditionally the tail ad ears have been cropped to avoid injuries during dog fights. In more recent years, the ears and tail are left, so that the ears are medium length and floppy and the tail long.

The coat of the dog is short and dense and found in a number of different colors such as fawn, black or brindle.

Temperament:

The Cane Lottatore Brindisino is a strong looking dog and is also referred to as the Brindisi Wrestler Dog. Today it is a popular watchdog in Italy.

Strong-willed and somewhat aggressive, the Brindisi isn’t looked upon as a family companion. He is also a dog that is going to need plenty of exercise, and training and socialization will be a must for this dog who is loyal to his owner and other human family members but doesn’t extend a friendly paw to strangers. This actually makes him a good watchdog.

He is also aggressive towards other dogs and because of this aggressive side of him, he isn’t recommended as a dog to have around small children.

The Lowchen is sure to make anyone a splendid pet as he is friendly, playful, loving and loyal. He is such a good natured pet and will make a wonderful companion, being able to get on well with children and pets in the home.

He is energetic too and will love to be outside playing games or joining you on a walk. Those who have had the Lowchen as a pet haven’t been disappointed as they all agree that he makes the most amazing family companion.

Like many dogs who have a mix of breeds involved with their development, you can’t be 100% sure of the dogs character.

The Lottatore Brindisino is a mix of Rottweiler, Pit Bull and Cane Corso. He has been used as a fighting dog, and while he can be a loyal, devoted pet to his owner, he does have aggression issues and would not be regarded as a good pet choice for first time dog owners and those with small children.

Then again, a dog’s personality depends a lot on the way he is raised and the type of owners he has and the way he is socialized.

The Lowchen is a healthy dog breed so you aren’t going to be spending too much money with him at the vet. Some health concerns with this particular dog breed are cataracts and patellar luxation.

Cataracts:

It can be so sad witnessing your dog’s bright, alert eyes clouding over. Dogs have clear lens, but cataracts, while not painful, can impair vision and actually lead to complete vision loss. As the eye disease progresses, the lens can become completely opaque.

Patellar Luxation:

This occurs when the kneecap of the dog is dislocated from its normal position. You’ll see your dog holding up his hind leg every now and then. It can only be returned to its normal position once the quadriceps muscles of the dog relax.

This is a common knee joint problem in dogs and it can lead to arthritis. He will need to get to the vet.

The Lottatore Brindisino is a muscular, heavily set dog, and care must be taken that puppies, of which this breed can have 5 – 8, don’t grow too quickly. Strenuous exercise is never recommended for puppies below the age of 1, so as to avoid pressure on the soft, young bones.

Other health issues to watch for include panosteitis, an inflammatory condition of the bones as well as skin allergies and lymphoma.

Panosteitis:

Painful inflammation occurs in the leg bones and cause lameness which can occur suddenly. It’s a condition that affects young dogs that grow too quickly.

Speak to your vet about how to avoid this with your puppy. Affected dogs are usually between 2 and 18 months of age. A typical symptom of this illness is a sudden painful lameness of any of the legs. It’s time to get your pet to the vet because he will certainly require pain control meds.

Because your Lowchen is a bright, happy companion dog you want to ensure that you look after him well to ensure his ongoing wellbeing.

The single coat is long and you will need to brush him regularly to keep it looking good. If brushing becomes too hectic, you can have him sheared at a professional dog groomer.

Check him over for fleas and ticks while brushing him.

Feel all over his body for the emergence of new lumps.

Clip his nails to ensure they don’t grow long so that they hook on things and tear his flesh.

Check the inside of his ears to make sure there is no sign of redness and ear infection. This can drive your pet mad with the itching. The ears need to be kept clean, as do the teeth and both these can be done for you at professional dog groomers.

Every dog requires exercise and your Lowchen will need games and walks to keep him fit, to ward off obesity and to provide him with something to look forward to.

Make sure to feed your pet wholesome food as good quality food promotes good health and longevity. Give your Lowchen the best quality kibble there is and try and mix in some homemade cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and cooked or raw vegetables every now and then just to add some tasty variety to your pets diet. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Make sure your Lowchen has a warm, dry comfy spot to sleep, and ensue that when he’s outside he has shade to lie down in.

Grooming:

With his short coat, the Lottatore Brindisino is looked upon as fairly low maintenance and easy to groom. A good brush-down twice a week will remove loose hairs from this moderate-shedding dog. While you brush him, run your hands over his body to feel for any unusual lumps and to also check him over for fleas and ticks.

Other grooming chores for this Molosser type dog of yours is to check inside his ears for redness. The inside of his ears, particularly with floppy-eared dogs, don’t always get enough air to them, and they become damp. With wax and dirt, inside the ears is a breeding place for bacteria.

The inside of the ears need to be kept clean and dry. His teeth will also need to be cleaned 2 or 3 times a week and his nails clipped.

If you don’t have the time to keep up with your pet’s grooming needs, there are professional dog groomers who will do all of this very important grooming for you.

Diet:

The Lottatore Brindisino is a strong, muscular dog who will require a high protein diet to remain healthy. If you feed him a commercially manufactured dog food, make sure its a quality one, packed full of vitamins and minerals as opposed to preservatives, colorants and fillers found in the low quality brands.

These dog foods also don’t satisfy your pet and he wants to eat more and can then battle with obesity. This is not good news as obesity puts a dog at risk of developing hip dysplasia.

Follow the feeding instructions on the food packaging. If you’re in any doubt about what to feed your Lottatore Brindisino, speak to a dog expert or your vet. If you are feeding your dog a homemade diet, that is excellent news for your pet. Food such as cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and raw and cooked vegetables mixed into his dry kibble will be excellent for him. Also add in some raw meat to his kibble from time to time.

Such a diet, simple, tasty and nutritious, is complete and balanced. Make sure that he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water at his disposal. Wash out the bowl and keep things clean for your pet.

General Care:

Provide your pet with a nice, comfortable, warm, dry bed.

When outdoors, make sure your pet has access to a shady spot out of the sun.

Make sure he has shelter away from rain.

Make sure you exercise your pet and that you interact with him. Dogs are social creatures.