Both Volpino Italiano and Lottatore Brindisino are originated from Italy. Volpino Italiano may grow 40 cm / 15 inches shorter than Lottatore Brindisino. Volpino Italiano may weigh 43 kg / 94 pounds lesser than Lottatore Brindisino. Volpino Italiano may live 4 years more than Lottatore Brindisino. Both Volpino Italiano and Lottatore Brindisino has almost same litter size. Volpino Italiano requires High maintenance. But Lottatore Brindisino requires Low maintenance
This Italian bred dog is Spitz-type and very ancient. The Spitz breeds have been around since at least 4000BC. Archeologists have found remains that match the Spitz heritage of fox like heads, curly tails, erect small ears. In Greece in 400BC there were engravings of these dogs. Michelangelo painted the breed as he lived with one. In 1888, the Queen of England – Victoria – brought 6 back to England from Florence.
The Italians have loved the Volpino for centuries. These little dogs that resemble the Pomeranian so much but existed much before them. It was very early in the history of the domesticated dog that the Volpino moved from north to south. The Italians called them Volpino because it means foxy dog. They also called them Lupino which means wolfy dog.
The breed was never seen outside of its home range in Italy until the 1880’s and it is still a rare breed. However since the 1980’s the breeders of the American Eskimo brought some from Italy to the US and claimed they were American Ekimo runts. They interbred the Volpino with the American Eskimo creating the toy and mini Eskimo.
The Volpino was a guard dog alerting the Mastiffs to the presence of intruders. The Mastiff would then respond to the intruder. The Volpino was also a popular companion animal due to their easy temperament and their high intelligence level. However they grew less popular and by 1965 there were only a few registered dogs left. There was an attempt to revive the breed in 1984 when dogs that still lived on farms were used as new stock. Even with this, they remain a rare breed and only about 4000 are alive throughout the world.
The Volpino have been denied AKC registration or stock registration as they are considered to be too much like the American Eskimo Dog. However they are recognized by the FCI, the UKC, the ENCI (Italian National Kennel Club), the North American Volpino Club, the Volpino Italiano Health and Genealogy Club and the Volpino Club of America.
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 Volpino is about the same size as the Pomeranian and smaller than the American Eskimo Dog. They are a rare breed and they have a soft, thick coat and they can be red, white or champagne. With the pointed ears and muzzles, they do look like a fox. They have large thick tails curling over their back and they have double coats.
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.
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.
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 Italian Volpino has better health than most dogs due to so much isolation for so many years. However they are susceptible to some diseases and genetic issues.
• PLL Primary Lens Luxation – Genetic mutation of the eye. Very painful and usually occurs between 4 and 8 years of age. Usually results in euthanasia.
• Patellar Luxation – moving knee cap – can result in lameness and/or arthritis.
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.
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.
1Feeding the puppy small meals 3-4 times day don’t overfeed feed small breed food
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.
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.
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.