Italian Greyhound vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison

Italian Greyhound vs American Bulldog - Breed ComparisonAmerican Bulldog is originated from United States but Italian Greyhound is originated from Italy. American Bulldog may grow 32 cm / 13 inches higher than Italian Greyhound. American Bulldog may weigh 47 kg / 104 pounds more than Italian Greyhound. Both American Bulldog and Italian Greyhound has almost same life span. American Bulldog may have more litter size than Italian Greyhound. Both American Bulldog and Italian Greyhound requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Toy dog
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United States
Italy
Height Male:
55 - 70 cm
21 - 28 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Height Female:
52 - 65 cm
20 - 26 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Weight Male:
32 - 54 kg
70 - 120 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Weight Female:
27 - 45 kg
59 - 100 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Life Span:
14 - 16 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
10 - 12
1 - 4
Size:
Medium
Small
Other Names:
shades of brindle including red brindle, varying degrees of white, red, brown, tan, fawn and piebald.
IG, Iggy
Colors Available:
Brindle, mostly white, white with brown or red and piebald.
grey, tan, Fawn, chocolate and black., reddish
Coat:
Short and smooth
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Courageous, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective
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

History

american bulldogFollowing World War II, the American Bulldog was almost extinct.

Thanks to John D. Johnson from Summerville, Georgia the breed is still with us today. He gathered the best dogs he could find throughout the rural South and bred them back into popularity among his family and other rural families. His father bred the American Bulldog before John did and they have bred them longer than any other in any part of the world. His dogs were regularly used for tracking, hunting, guarding, watchdog and weight pulling. At some point Alan Scott joined Johnson breeding other bulldogs to Johnson's and forming the Standard American Bulldog.

The American Bulldog/ is popular today as a family pet and companion as well as a working dog.

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.

Description

american bulldog puppy - descriptionThe American Bulldog is a powerful and muscular dog in a sturdy and compact frame. The female is more refined than the heavy boned and stocky male, but both genders are athletic, agile and quick. The have large heads, strong jaws, a muscular neck and with a moderately deep and wide chest.

They have a square head, with muscular cheeks and a clearly defined furrow between his eyes. With broad, square and strong muzzles, they have a reverse scissors, scissors, moderate underbite and an even bite. Ears come in a variety of shapes and sizes and eyes can be any color as well. The nose however should be black and lips black as well. Their legs are strong, heavy boned and straight with well-defined muscles in the hindquarters. Finally ,they have a thick, low set tail that comes to a point at the end.

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

american bulldog dog - characteristicsThe American Bulldog is characteristically loyal, brave and reliable. It is a friendly, gentle dog that truly loves children. There is not a hostile bone in his body despite his history and reputation for bull baiting. Though he is protective of its family and affectionate with most, he still needs a human companion who is strong willed and a genuine pack leader. Without this he might become aggressive around other dogs and pets. They are immensely self-confident and they do slobber and drool and will become excited and hard to handle without daily exercise of both their body and their minds.

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

american bulldog puppies - health problemsThough generally healthy, the American Bulldog is prone to a few problems.

Hip Dysplasia

This is a serious issue in many breeds of dogs and is especially prevalent with the American Bull Dog. This may seem ironic in such a short legged dog but it is unfortunately very common. It is a genetic disorder that causes the bones in the joint to separate and causes the dog much pain and lameness.

Skin and Ear Issues

Due to skin folds you need to be care and watch for irritation and infection in the folds. They are also prone to ear infections.

Obesity

The American Bulldog is prone to overeating and all the health issues that presents. With short legs and a genetic predisposition to arthritis and hip dysplasia, obesity is a real health risk for your bulldog.

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

Feeding Puppies

american bulldog dogs - caringThree times a day from 12 weeks to a year for a total of 3 cups per day.

Feeding Adults

After 6 months cut back to one cup twice a day of high quality dry dog food.

Bulldogs will eat anything at anytime and are prone to obesity. Don't overfeed them.

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.

Comparison with other breeds

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  26. Italian Greyhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  29. Italian Greyhound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Italian Greyhound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Italian Greyhound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Italian Greyhound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Italian Greyhound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Italian Greyhound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Italian Greyhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Italian Greyhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Italian Greyhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Italian Greyhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Italian Greyhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Italian Greyhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Italian Greyhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Italian Greyhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Italian Greyhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Italian Greyhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Italian Greyhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Italian Greyhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Italian Greyhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Italian Greyhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Italian Greyhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Italian Greyhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison