Italian Greyhound vs Chiweenie - Breed Comparison

Italian Greyhound vs Chiweenie - Breed ComparisonChiweenie is originated from United States but Italian Greyhound is originated from Italy. Both Chiweenie and Italian Greyhound are having almost same height. Both Chiweenie and Italian Greyhound are having almost same weight. Both Chiweenie and Italian Greyhound has same life span. Both Chiweenie and Italian Greyhound has almost same litter size. Chiweenie requires High Maintenance. But Italian Greyhound requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Toy dog
Toy dog
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United States
Italy
Height Male:
15 - 35 cm
5 - 14 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Height Female:
13 - 33 cm
5 - 13 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Weight Male:
4 - 11 kg
8 - 25 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Weight Female:
4 - 9 kg
8 - 20 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 6
1 - 4
Size:
Toy
Small
Other Names:
Chiwee and Mexican Hotdog,, Chiweeni or Chiweeny
IG, Iggy
Colors Available:
Black, black and tan , brown
grey, tan, Fawn, chocolate and black., reddish
Coat:
Medium, short, silky
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Friendly, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Protective, Stubborn
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Grooming:
High Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
No
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

chiweenieThe Chiweenie is a small dog developed in the 1960’s as a hybrid/cross between the Dachshund and the Chihuahua. Due to their small size and big personalities, they are an extremely popular designer breed. They are easy to care for and their personality and activity level is much like the Chihuahua side of the hybrid. The Chiweenie can look like either of its parents if it is first generation. If it is second or third generation it is likely to resemble the parents more as they already look like one of the two breeds. The second and third generations will look like the mix more than either of the originators.

The Chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog in the world and they originated in Mexico. The Daschund is a hunting dog from Germany with a long body and short legs. The Chiweenie is a nice looking cross breed that loves people and is very affectionate. They were developed in the United States.

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

chiweenie puppy - descriptionA first-generation Chiweenie can look like either of the breeds they are crossed with. However, the second and third generations will have the hybrid look for the most part. No two will look exactly alike however. They have a thin snout that is long on a small, domed head. They can have floppy or pointed ears, eyes that are large and expressive, a moderate tail and small feet. They can vary substantially in their appearances.

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

chiweenie dog - characteristicsThis is an extremely popular hybrid or designer dog because they are so friendly, gentle, loving lapdogs. In addition, they love to play and cuddle. They are great for single or older people. If they live with a family it should be with older kids because younger kids might hurt them. Be careful how rough you play. They are small and can be hurt easily.

The Chiweenie is dedicated to their people and extremely loyal. They are also very cautious and can be nervous. They are always watching what else is happening in their environment and they will bark to alert you if they think there is something or someone out of place. They are not quiet dogs. They are great with other small dogs that they are raised with or used to but not with larger dogs, cats or other animals. They are jealous and protective. Train them out of or to avoid resource guarding. They can be stubborn about these things.

They will play constantly if you let them and they are great travel companions, although noises and activity around them does often annoy them. They are also courageous, clever, lovable and happy. Like most toy or small dog breeds you might have a difficult time housebreaking them and crate training is recommended.

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

chiweenie puppies - health problemsChiweenies are a pretty healthy crossbreed with their most prominent issue being allergies. At the same time this hybrid might inherit any of the problems of either of their two parental breeds. These conditions might include:

Hypothyroidism

This is an issue with an overactive thyroid and can be controlled by medication.

  • Dental Issues
  • Hydrocephalus

The tendency for this would come from the Chihuahua parental genes and can result in brain damage but normally is not that bad.

Degenerative Disc Disease

The tendency for this would come from the Dachshund parental genes and if your Chiweenie has a long back you will need to be careful of jump and overzealous playing.

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

chiweenie dogs - caringChiweenies regulate their own food intake, even as puppies. They should be fed twice a day and they are prone to dental issues. Dry food is absolutely recommended.

Health issues

In addition to the conditions listed above, the Chiweenie might inherit the issues that affect small dogs most often. This includes:

  • Diabetes
  • Some may become insulin dependent.
  • Seizures
  • There is medication to help control these if they occur. Hypoglycemia can cause these.
  • Hypoglycemia

A sudden drop in blood sugar levels. This can happen if the dog has diabetes and it is unregulated or stress and poor nutrition can also cause it.

  • And Luxating Patellas
  • Floating kneecaps can cause arthritis and lameness.
  • Ear infections are common.

Exercise and games

These are little dogs with a lot of energy and they burn up a lot of energy. They need to walk every day or have a full-blown play session in the house. They don’t need much space to play in.

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. Chiweenie vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Chiweenie vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Chiweenie vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Chiweenie vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Chiweenie vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Chiweenie vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Chiweenie vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Chiweenie vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Chiweenie vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Chiweenie vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Chiweenie vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Chiweenie vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Chiweenie vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Chiweenie vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Chiweenie vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Chiweenie vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Chiweenie vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Chiweenie vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Chiweenie vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Chiweenie vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Chiweenie vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Chiweenie vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Chiweenie vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Chiweenie vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Chiweenie vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Italian Greyhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Italian Greyhound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Italian Greyhound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  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