MyDogBreeds
Segugio Italiano is originated from Italy but Mudi is originated from Hungary. Segugio Italiano may grow 29 cm / 12 inches higher than Mudi. Segugio Italiano may weigh 13 kg / 29 pounds more than Mudi. Both Segugio Italiano and Mudi has same life span. Segugio Italiano may have less litter size than Mudi. Segugio Italiano requires Low maintenance. But Mudi requires Moderate maintenance
Known also as the Segit, the Segugio Italiano is an ancient dog breed believed to have descended from Egyptian hounds.
Both males and females stand at between 48 and 58cm and they weight between between 18 and 28kg. It’s a medium to large sized dog. The dog is a scenthound and was at first used for wild boar hunting in ancient times. Once wild boar numbers become much less, the Segit itself dropped in numbers, and it faced extinction.
Dedicated houndsmen worked hard to restore the numbers and the dog was successfully bred. It is a popular dog in Italy today. The Segugio Italiano isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club whereas the Kennel Club in the UK recognizes it in the Hound Group.
Sometime between the 4th and 6th centuries, the Great Migration – a variety of dogs came to live in the Carpathian Mountains on the Great Hungarian Plain. This migration period brought sheepdogs and herders brought by shepherds. These dogs were of two sizes both small and large. The smaller ones were bred together – Pumi, Puli, and Mudi. Because of this, these breeds share the same history, with the Mundi being the oldest of them all.
The Mundi was finally separated from the other breeds about 1930 when Dr. Deszo Fenyesi began to breed them. It was in 1966 when the F.C.I. finally approved the standard for the breed. Still then as today, there were not many breeders developing the Mudi. They are working dogs – farm dogs – herders, guard dogs and ratters. He is also known as a tracker, with the majority of the breed living in Hungary.
As the Mudi was bred separately from the Pumi and the Puli, differences between the breeds became clear. Many Mudi are born with a stump or no tail at all. The Mudi is not a great dog for the first timer. He is stubborn, assertive and needs a lot of socialization and exercise. In 2004 breeders in the United States created the Mudi Club of America to preserve the breed and foster responsible ownership. This is a clever, active and keen breed, very loyal to his family but wary of strangers. The United Kennel Club recognized the breed in 2006.
In Hungary, these are still a breed of herding dogs capable of running 500 sheep at a time. They are versatile, courageous, intelligent and agile. They are great in obedience trials, agility, and flyball. In Finland and the United States, they also work as search and rescue dogs.
The Segugio Italiano has a distinctive look to him. He’s a large dog standing at between 68 and 76cm in height and weighing between 16 and 27 kg.
The body is lean and muscular and the Italian Scenthound has an amicable looking expression on his face. The coat of the dog is available in two types - short-haired or wire-haired.
The short-haired variety needs to be brushed on a weekly basis but is generally easy to maintain. Wire-haired dogs may require hand-stripping several times a year.
The coat of these dogs range from deep red to wheaten or black. Many dogs have white markings on the head, chest, feet, and the tip of the tail. The ears are long and floppy. If you want your dogs to have puppies, you can expect a litter size of between 4 to 6 puppies.
As a Scenthound, the Segugio Italiano is an intelligent dog, easily trained. He is best trained and socialized as he tends to be stubborn and he is also an independent strong-willed dog. It’s not an aggressive dog and yet it makes a good watchdog.
He’s adaptable but wouldn’t adjust well to living in a small space in the city.
This is a medium size dog with an almost square profile. They have erect ears on wedge-shaped heads. He is not a strong boned but medium boned. That square profile is based in large part on their very square stance. Their muzzle is about half the length of their head and they have what is considered a “dare devil” expression in their dark, almond-shaped eyes. The color of the eyes is important and must match with the color of the dog or the standard is not met.
Merle fur – brown, brown speckled, blue eyes.
Brown or gray-brown fur – Brown eyes
Gray fur – gray eyes
What is not acceptable is having yellow eyes and black fur; pink eyes and white fur. The lips, eye rims, and nose must all have the same pigmentation. This should be black in all but the brown and brown-grey dogs. These dogs have brown noses, eye rims, and lips. The tail can be almost anything from full to bob. All are considered to be natural lengths for a Mudi.
Their coat is self-cleaning and won’t mat. It is on the long side. In fact, a short, flat, smooth coat is a disqualification from the standard. The color of the coat ranges from white to brown to gray, gray-brown, merle, golden, cream and white. Very little markings of any kind are usual.
The amicable Segugio Italiano just wants to please. They get on well with children and pets. They’re easy going dogs that will require a good deal of exercise.
They make wonderful pets and companions, being particularly well suited to outdoor type of people. They make good watchdogs too, and with his interesting looks, his intelligence and gentle nature, you’re going to have an exceptional canine companion.
Yes, they are great with children and love being a part of a large family or “pack”.
They are extremely versatile and great at herding and guarding.
They are adaptable if you are. They don’t need to live in the country, but they need space to run and play.
They are highly intelligent but a little stubborn. Their ability to learn is high but you have to be the boss.
When you have a Segugio Italiano, you’re not likely to be spending much money at the vet, as these dogs are fairly healthy.
If your pet does show signs of illness, as a responsible pet owner it is your job to get him pet to the vet quickly as this can prevent other problems developing.
Dogs with such long ears can be more prone to ear infections. Your pet can be in pain and he will shake his head and paw at the infected ear. He may also be vomiting from nausea. You need to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible because with severe ear infection cases, there can even be facial nerve damage.
The Mudi does face several of the problems that medium to large dogs often face and some eye issues as well.
The Segugio Italiano comes with two coat types, the short-haired variety as well as the wire-haired variety. The short-haired dog will need to be brushed at least twice a week, while the wire-haired dog may require hand stripping.
Segugio Italianos love a good bout of exercise, and out on the hunt they are constantly on the move. They’re known for their stamina, but once back at home, they can settle down quite calmly. Make sure this pet of yours is well exercised, whether walks, running off his leash or ball games.
Have a good look at the size of your dog, his age and energy levels before choosing dog food. When feeding your dog, don’t make it all complicated. All your dog wants is a simple, nutritious meal.
There are good commercially manufactured dog foods on the market and by reading the labeling you can ensure the best kibble for your pet. Try and give him some home made food too.
Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – simple, tasty and nutritious. You can add a little bit of this twice a week to the dry kibble. Your dog will love it and it won’t cause any digestive problems.
The Mudi needs a high quality, medium breed puppy dry food and should be fed 3 or 4 times a day for a total of 1 and ½ to 2 cups.
The adult should be fed at least twice a day with an adult medium breed high-quality dry dog food. Don’t overfeed as the breed can have a tendency toward obesity.
They have great stamina and agility.
This is a working dog and like most herding dogs, they need a job and a lot of activity. Long walks every day and either a large yard or visits to a dog park. Involve them in herding activities or Barn Hunt if you can. Playing is their way of working when they are not herding real animals. So, if you want this breed, be sure you have time for playing with them. They are great at agility, flyball, obedience, frisbee trials, tracking and of course herding