Queensland Heeler vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison

Queensland Heeler vs Italian Greyhound - Breed ComparisonItalian Greyhound is originated from Italy but Queensland Heeler is originated from Australia. Italian Greyhound may grow 13 cm / 5 inches shorter than Queensland Heeler. Italian Greyhound may weigh 15 kg / 33 pounds lesser than Queensland Heeler. Both Italian Greyhound and Queensland Heeler has same life span. Both Italian Greyhound and Queensland Heeler has almost same litter size. Both Italian Greyhound and Queensland Heeler requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Toy dog
Herding dogs
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Italy
Australia
Height Male:
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
43 - 51 cm
16 - 21 inches
Height Female:
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
43 - 51 cm
16 - 21 inches
Weight Male:
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
15 - 22 kg
33 - 49 pounds
Weight Female:
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
15 - 22 kg
33 - 49 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 4
1 - 5
Size:
Small
Medium
Other Names:
IG, Iggy
Australian Cattle Dog, Blue Heeler
Colors Available:
grey, tan, Fawn, chocolate and black., reddish
mottled blue, Red speckled. Black and tan coloring , Blue
Coat:
Short and smooth
Short, double coat
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

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.

queensland heelerAnother name for Queensland Heeler is Australian Cattle Dog or Blue Heeler.

These dogs have always been known for herding cattle. The term ‘Heeler’ comes from the dog’s working style – nipping and biting at the cattle’s hooves.

He was was an Australian cattle dog for Australian settlers in the 1800s. It is believed that Thomas Hall created one of the foundations of the Australian Cattle Dog breed by crossing crossing sheepdogs with Dingos.

The Blue-colored dogs have been the most popular, being known as the Blue Heeler.

Description

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.

queensland heeler puppy - descriptionThe Queensland Heeler is a medium sized dog that stands between 43 and 51cm in height, both male and female. The dog weighs in the region of 15 to 22kg.

He has a short double coat with colors being blue, mottled blue and also red speckled. You’ll also find black and tan coloring on this active dog.

He is strong, lean and muscular with medium sized ears that are erect. The eyes are dark and alert, the legs straight and strong. The tail can be docked or left long.

Temperament:

The Australian Cattle Dog is a high-energy working dog that you won’t easily find lying around. The alert eyes are consistently looking around for action and he can’t be bored otherwise he could resort to digging or other destructive behavior.

He is loving to his entire human family, but being particularly attached to just one family member. He is also protective, taking his guarding role of his family seriously.

He gets on well with children and other pets but you’ve just got to keep your eyes on him around children as when excited he can give a nip or two.

Training and socialization will be important for this dog, particularly because he can be strong-headed, willful and stubborn.

Characteristics

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.

queensland heeler dog - characteristicsActive, intelligent, feisty, brave, playful, loving – these are just some of the wonderful characteristics you get when you bring a Queensland Heeler into your home.

True, he is independent, self-willed and stubborn, but training and socialization can take away all the rough edges.

He forms a strong bond with his human owner, and once you’ve had one of these amazing dogs in your life, you’ll be convinced that dogs are truly man’s best friend.

Health Problems

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.

queensland heeler puppies - health problemsAustralian Cattle Dogs are healthy. Every dog, even the most healthiest breeds, can succumb to some of the common dog illnesses there are.

Deafness:

This is an inherited condition, so if you’re looking for a puppy, be careful about the breeder you buy from.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is another inherited condition where the thighbone of the dog doesn't fit properly into the hip joint. Your dog is usually so active but with this problem he may well be in pain and actually be lame. Your pet can even develop arthritis . The idea is to get your pet to the vet because it can be unbearable to see him in pain and unable to get around.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This eye disease can mean deterioration of the retina. You'll recognize the signs when you see your dog unable to navigate around your home during the night. He is night blind but later on he can’t see during the day either.

Caring The Pet

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.

queensland heeler dogs - caringTo cope with his life on the Australian Outback, the Queensland Heeler is known to be a low maintenance dog.

The thick coat does shed and it can get dusty so a good brush twice a week is all that is basically required for this dog. If his nails don’t wear down naturally, you will need to have them trimmed. As with every dog, you will need to give attention to his ears and teeth.

Exercise:

This is an extremely active dog. He is going to be needing both mental and physical stimulation to avoid boredom, after all he is used to an active lifestyle herding cattle. Hikes, swimming, running – you name it – he’ll join you with all your activities.

Diet:

Your Queensland Heeler is such a vibrant dog, full of the joys of living, and you want to ensure he has good food to eat to ensure he stays like that.

For convenience you get some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods. Your Blue Heeler is such a wonderful companion dog that you want to spoil him a bit and give him some delicious home-made food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – plain and simple just like dogs love it. Chop it up and add it into the high quality dry kibble a couple of times a week.

Some raw meat added in from time to time will help his skin and coat remain healthy. Never leave him without a constant source of fresh, cool water.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Queensland Heeler vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  8. Queensland Heeler vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Queensland Heeler vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Queensland Heeler vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Queensland Heeler vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
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  13. Queensland Heeler vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Queensland Heeler vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
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  18. Queensland Heeler vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
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  23. Queensland Heeler vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
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  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