Seppala Siberian Sleddog vs Lottatore Brindisino - Breed Comparison

This is a rare working dog breed whose job it has been to pull sleds. The Seppala Siberian Sleddog hails from Canada and was regarded as the same dog breed as the Siberian Husky.There is the International Seppala Siberian Sleddog Club which works to preserve this amazing dog as a working breed.

It was during the 1990s that the breed was recognized as a new breed. In 2002 the Seppala Siberian Sleddog lines found their way to the USA .

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 Seppala Siberian Sleddog is a medium-sized dog that stands at between 56 to 58cm in height and weighs between 18 to 23kg.

It’s a beautiful wolf-like looking dog that used to be the same breed as the Siberian Husky, but it is now considered a separate breed.

The legs of this dog are longer, and they’re slightly more slender and lighter. The ears too, are taller and held very erect. The bushy tail is held high, curving over the back when alert.

The thick coat is medium length and there is also a thick undercoat. Coat colors vary and are wolf-like too - white, cream, grey, black and some reddish rusty colors. Eyes can be blue or brown or the dog can even have one brown eye and one blue.

Temperament:

Because this is an active working breed, he will need some robust exercise. Neglecting this side of him will result in a bored dog that howls a lot.

He is a high energy dog breed and won’t be content with a walk every day. When you go cycling or jogging, you can definitely count him in as he will like nothing more than to run beside you. If you are lucky to live near the beach, a tennis racquet to send the ball flying across the sand will please him no end.

He will need training and socialization of course, and you won’t have trouble training him as he is an intelligent dog. He isn’t the kind of dog that slots easily into life in the city, and will ideally suit a property with large grounds where he can run and play.

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 Seppala Siberian Sleddog has always been a working dog so he will need lots of varied forms of exercise. He makes a splendid family pet as he isn’t an aggressive dog.

He does however make a good watchdog and will bark and warn you of strangers approaching.These beautiful wolf-like dogs are guaranteed to make you a loving, loyal pet, and they love nothing more than to be close to all his human family.

Treat him as a member of the family and you’ll be rewarded by having his fantastic friendship.

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 Seppala Siberian Sleddog, just like most other dogs, can suffer from any one of the common dog ailments there are. These illnesses are cancer, hip dysplasia and eye disease.

You are more than likely not to see any of these illnesses with your pet, but it’s being a responsible dog owner to be aware of them and to get your pet to the vet if necessary.

Eye Disease - Cataracts:

Cataracts are an imperfection in the lens of the dog’s eye. The lens should be clear, but a cataract can start off small and then grow much larger, causing blindness in the dog. Cataracts happen when the cells are damaged, and diabetes can cause cataracts as can exposure to ultraviolet light. It is also an hereditary disease.

Most times dogs with cataracts can still see, but in the event of mature cataracts, your canine friend can undergo surgery to remove them.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is another common dog disease. It can be painful for dogs, with either one or both hips being affected. Hip dysplasia can affect both young and old dogs. It can be sad seeing your active pet becoming reluctant to play. He may also have difficulty getting up from a lying down position.

There is treatment for hip dysplasia, and you will want to make sure your pet is as mobile and pain free as possible.

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.

Grooming:

The thick coat of the Seppala Siberian Sleddog will need to be brushed at least twice a week. The coat sheds heavily a couple of times a year and brushing may even be necessary once a day during this heavier shedding period.

Diet:

Just like human beings, you can enhance your dog’s health and longevity by giving him the best food there is. Commercially manufactured dog foods, when carefully selected, can be a good, choice and they’re convenient too.

It is advised to try and go for the high quality ones known for their natural, quality ingredients. Always read the labels because you'll be surprised to see how some of the inferior dog brands pack their foods with toxic ingredients.

To provide your Seppala with just a bit of variety in his diet, give him some home-made food. It can be added into the dry kibble about twice a week as a treat. Boil brown rice and chicken in a pot and add in sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. Chop all this up and give it to your dog in small portions.

To avoid skin infections, try to include some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Never leave your pet without a constant source of fresh, cool water

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.