Podenco Galego vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison

Podenco Galego is originated from Spain but Italian Greyhound is originated from Italy. Podenco Galego may grow 14 cm / 6 inches higher than Italian Greyhound. Podenco Galego may weigh 8 kg / 18 pounds more than Italian Greyhound. Both Podenco Galego and Italian Greyhound has almost same life span. Podenco Galego may have more litter size than Italian Greyhound. Both Podenco Galego and Italian Greyhound requires Low maintenance.

History

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.

italian greyhound - historyThe 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.

Description

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.

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.

Characteristics

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.

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.

Health Problems

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.

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.

Caring The Pet

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.

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.

Basic Information

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

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Redbone Coonhound vs Podenco Galego - Breed Comparison
  2. Santal Hound vs Podenco Galego - Breed Comparison
  3. Podenco Galego vs Basset Hound - Breed Comparison
  4. Podenco Galego vs Pharaoh Hound - Breed Comparison
  5. Podenco Galego vs Basenji - Breed Comparison
  6. Podenco Galego vs Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla - Breed Comparison
  7. Podenco Galego vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  8. Podenco Galego vs Hungarian Vizsla - Breed Comparison
  9. Podenco Galego vs Bluetick Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  10. Podenco Galego vs Norwegian Elkhound - Breed Comparison
  11. Podenco Galego vs Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  12. Podenco Galego vs Bavarian Mountain Hound - Breed Comparison
  13. Podenco Galego vs Basset Fauve de Bretagne - Breed Comparison
  14. Podenco Galego vs Beagle-Harrier - Breed Comparison
  15. Podenco Galego vs English Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  16. Podenco Galego vs Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie - Breed Comparison
  17. Podenco Galego vs Alpine Dachsbracke - Breed Comparison
  18. Podenco Galego vs Basset Bleu de Gascogne - Breed Comparison
  19. Podenco Galego vs Podenco Canario - Breed Comparison
  20. Podenco Galego vs Dunker - Breed Comparison
  21. Podenco Galego vs Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen - Breed Comparison
  22. Podenco Galego vs Chippiparai - Breed Comparison
  23. Podenco Galego vs Podenco Andaluz - Breed Comparison
  24. Podenco Galego vs English Foxhound - Breed Comparison
  25. Podenco Galego vs Estonian Hound - Breed Comparison
  26. Pomeranian vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  27. Maltese vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  28. Pug vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  29. Maltipoo vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  30. Papillon vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  31. Japanese Chin vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  32. Miniature English Bulldog vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  33. Italian Greyhound vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  34. Italian Greyhound vs Cockapoo - Breed Comparison
  35. Italian Greyhound vs Cavapoo - Breed Comparison
  36. Italian Greyhound vs Cavachon - Breed Comparison
  37. Italian Greyhound vs Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  38. Italian Greyhound vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  39. Italian Greyhound vs Dorgi - Breed Comparison
  40. Italian Greyhound vs Belgian Griffon - Breed Comparison
  41. Italian Greyhound vs Carlin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  42. Italian Greyhound vs Dorkie - Breed Comparison
  43. Italian Greyhound vs German Spitz (Klein) - Breed Comparison
  44. Italian Greyhound vs Doxiepoo - Breed Comparison
  45. Italian Greyhound vs Bospin - Breed Comparison
  46. Italian Greyhound vs Bantam Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  47. Italian Greyhound vs Damchi - Breed Comparison
  48. Italian Greyhound vs Cyprus Poodle - Breed Comparison
  49. Italian Greyhound vs Doxiepom - Breed Comparison
  50. Jug vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds