Mal-Shi vs Lottatore Brindisino - Breed Comparison

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.

Small and pretty, the Mal-shi is a new crossbreed dog which originated in the United States and only recently - in the 1990s.

There hasn’t been much interest shown in developing this small dog into an independent breed, so most of these dogs are regarded as crosses from the two parent breeds – the Maltese Poodle and the ShihTzu.

Known as a designer dog he was also bred to be a low shedder. No breed clubs for this dog have been established and there are no breed standards either.

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.

Temperament:

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.

The Mal-Shi is a small dog standing at around 25–30 cm in height and weighing between 3 and 7kg. As a designer dog he has a low-shedding coat of many colors – white, black and white, white and apricot and brown.

The coat is usually soft and silky and slightly wavy and it can grow long if left untrimmed. Most people take their pets to a professional groomer to be cut.

The skull of the dog is domed, he has small ears which can be half-erect and half-floppy.The tail is long and fairly feathery. Sometimes the dog inherits the underdeveloped tear duct of the Maltese and then there is that usual tear-staining around the eyes.

Temperament:

THE Mal-Si is such a cute little dog, making him a splendid pet for children and he is more than happy to be cuddled and petted. Small and active, he is adaptable and will live easily in the city or the countryside, as his exercise needs aren’t that demanding. He basically requires a walk each day and will love some ball games both inside and outdoors.

He is an extrovert and also an entertainer, and his amicable nature allows him to get along with other pets in the home. However, contrary to what he looks like, he is a bold dog, social and also intelligent, making him easy to train.

It is to any owner’s advantage to have a little dog like this trained and socialized, even though he is so good natured. He makes a great therapy dog too. When the Mal-Shi is at home he’s an affectionate, loving dog who just wants to spend time in the company of his human family.

As a companion dog, he won’t do well when left for hours on end on his own. Dogs are social creatures, and they can battle with separation anxiety when left alone for too long. Every dog owner needs to think of this before investing in a dog.

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 Maltese Shih Tzu is an attractive little dog who is guaranteed to make you a splendid pet. Those who have owned both Maltese and Maltese Shih Tzu will tell you that the temperament of this dog is more amicable than that of the Maltese.

With his amicable nature, he is willing to be everyone’s friend, and he makes a particularly good choice for elderly people.

Being such a people-dog, the Maltese Shih Tzu's greatest joy comes from being petted and taken notice of by his human family. He can’t bear to be left for long periods of time. Like any other dog, he will require training and socialization, requiring a firm, balanced, consistent, fair owner.

Cheerful and good-natured, when he is loved to the moon and back, this little dog promises to make you and exceptional best friend.

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.

Panosteitis:

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.

The Maltese Shih Tzu is a robust little dog, and with good care he can live to be anything between 10 to 15 years of age.

There are some health issues you want to be aware of with this particular dog breed.

Respiratory Problems:

Your little canine friend can have respiratory problems because of him being a flat-faced breed. Known as brachycephalic dogs, these dogs can have breathing difficulties. They are usually fine when resting, but during exercise or if they become too hot, they battle with breathing. It makes them more prone to heatstroke, so it is important to keep dogs like this cool and calm.

Patellar Luxation:

This is actually a common problem in small dogs - dislocation of a bone at a joint. Patellar luxation is when the knee joint slides in and out of place, causing pain.

White Dog Shaker Syndrome:

This is a disease which is seen in the Shih Tzu and Maltese. Symptoms include uncontrollable shaking and tremors. These can continue all day. The illness is worse during times of stress and there may even be difficulty with walking. The cause is unknown but he will certainly need to get to the vet.

Grooming:

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.

Diet:

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.

General Care:

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.

Diet:

The Mal-Shi is a small dog and will require eating two small meals a day. An adult Mal-Shi will eat according to his age, size and activity levels.The quality of the dog food you buy will make a huge difference to his wellbeing. The better quality foods – those without preservatives, colorants and fillers will ensure good health and longevity for your pet.

Don’t just give him dry kibble every time – mix in some chopped up cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables. Remember that some vegetables like onion can be bad for your pet.

Dogs love simplicity, and feeding your dog these simple foods will ensure you don’t battle with upset stomachs. Make sure you always have a bowl of fresh, cool water available for your pet.

General:

Trim his nails when they get long and don’t wear down naturally.

Check his ears for redness, itchiness and discharge which could indicate an ear infection.

If you have him professionally groomed, you will still need to brush him twice a week. It’s also your time to check him over for ticks and fleas and any unusual lumps.