Italian Greyhound vs Australian Terrier - Breed Comparison

Italian Greyhound vs Australian Terrier - Breed ComparisonAustralian Terrier is originated from Australia but Italian Greyhound is originated from Italy. Australian Terrier may grow 12 cm / 4 inches shorter than Italian Greyhound. Both Australian Terrier and Italian Greyhound are having almost same weight. Both Australian Terrier and Italian Greyhound has same life span. Both Australian Terrier and Italian Greyhound has almost same litter size. Australian Terrier requires Moderate Maintenance. But Italian Greyhound requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Terrier dog
Toy dog
undefined
Australia
Italy
Height Male:
23 - 26 cm
9 - 11 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Height Female:
20 - 26 cm
7 - 11 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Weight Male:
5 - 8 kg
11 - 18 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Weight Female:
5 - 7 kg
11 - 16 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 6
1 - 4
Size:
Small
Small
Other Names:
Blue and Tan Terrier, the Blue Terrier, the Broken-coated Terrier, the Australian Rough Coated Terrier, Aussie
IG, Iggy
Colors Available:
blue, tan, sandy and red variations
grey, tan, Fawn, chocolate and black., reddish
Coat:
rough long coat
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Playful, Protective, Social, Stubborn
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
Yes
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

australian terrierThe Australian terrier, the little terrier, is a breed developed to control vermin. The nature of this dog is very spirited. They are alert, courageous and self-confident but still very human-friendly.

Australian terriers were breed by the mix of the Terrier with the rough coat and Scotch Dog of Great Britain. These breeds were mixed until they produced the muscular and fearless dog for the Australian settlers. Their primary job was to control the number of rodents and snakes. They were taught to tend flocks, be an excellent guard dogs but remain friendly. This breed is still very popular as a working dog, loyal companion and dogs for show, city, home or a farm.

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

australian terrier puppy - descriptionThe Australian terrier has body longer than they are tall. They are small dogs with the long and thick coat with silky undercoat and short little legs. This smart-eyes breed is perfect for persons who live indoors. But, you must know that they really like to bark and communicate that way with everybody. They also have a high need for activity so it will be necessary to take him out so he can run, play and be social with other dogs. They are very intelligent, but not very responsive. They will quickly learn how to fetch, but they will have days when they just feel like fetching.

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

Around children

australian terrier dog - characteristicsThe Australian terrier is very good breed to choose if you have children. They are active and always ready to play, and they will protect the children since they have watchdog gene.

Special talents

Excellent watch dog. This breed will keep your garden and home vermin free.

Adaptability

They are generally very polite towards strangers and highly adaptable among other dogs, but their adaptability in social life is totally up to the human and the training. They can grow to be adaptable dogs that fit well into almost any environment; city or country, house or apartment.

Learning ability

Since they are an intelligent breed, the Australian terrier may surprise you with their ability to learn new tricks and shock you with their ability to be very strong willed about doing what is told. It’s not that they are not the type to obey and be “a good dog”, they are so playful and silly that they will often forget that they are the god and not the human. You must start training them while they are still pups.

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

Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCPD)

australian terrier puppies - health problemsA bone disorder, where the hip joint starts to rot caused by decaying of the femur bone which is located in the dog’s hind limb.

Luxating patella is a knee disease where one or both kneecaps can slip out of place.

Cruciate ligament rupture

Rupture of an important ligament in the knee (stifle) joints.

Epilepsy

The brain disorder that is characterized by seizures. There are several different types of epilepsy that can affect dogs.

Diabetes

A chronic disease of the metabolism which is characterised as high glucose amount in the blood. This happens when hormone insulin drops below the normal values. This condition results in malfunction of vital organs.

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 the puppy and adult

australian terrier dogs - caringRecommended daily amount is usually found on the type of the food you choose. They like dry food, and if you are not quite sure what brand of the dry food you should choose, seek a vet’s advice. The Australian terrier has a healthy appetite, but he almost never overeats. How much your Australian terrier eats depends on his size, age, metabolism, and activity level.

Grooming

Their coat requires moderate maintenance. That means that you don’t have to groom your Australian terrier every single day, but being aware of the importance of grooming him at least twice a week is a key because lack of adequate care may lead to skin diseases. Make sure not to bathe them too much, but you can be free with their haircut. They can grow very sharp toenails, so they should be clipped regularly. Ear and teeth must be kept clean.

Points for Good Health

Lots of outdoor activity. They are lovable kind, so don’t be reserved towards them. It’s important to begin training and socializing your pup as soon as possible. Training sessions need to be consistent, firm, short and clear. Grooming is a must since you will want to prevent the tangles and mats.

The best type of activity

Find a place for them where you can take of the leash and let them run free. They love chasing birds, butterflies and anything that flies above. They will chase small rodents, other dogs and cats. After you thought you Australian terrier how to play with other dogs and cats, they will be the most wanted guest in the whole neighbourhood. Find a place where they can dig holes – and they will be so happy that they probably won’t hear you calling them home.

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

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