Italian Lebrel - Discover the miniature greyhound
The bebrews are usually animals of a large size, since they must have long legs in order to be able to run behind the hares and rabbits. However, This Italian Lebrel is very small, since he was not raised thinking only about hunting.
- Size: between 32 and 38 cm
- Weight: Around 5 kilos
- Hair type: Short and smooth, attached to the body
- Character: shy, friendly and barking
- Health: Good, but you have to be careful with the legs
- Life expectancy: about 14 years
Origins of Italian Lebrel
When talking about the creation of the Italian Lebrel we almost lost in the origin of the times, since there are animals very similar to this in an Egyptian tomb dating from six millennia, although this can be said for any lebrel in the world, because everyone resembles.
Similar dogs are also seen in Greece and Turkey about 2,000 years ago, but the most accepted theory is that the Italian Lebrel and other similar ones came to Europe with the travel of the Phoenicians, being the Romans who began with the breeding.
Already in the Renaissance we can see dogs equal to those now in the paintings, since the nobles had devotion to them, although the truth is that due to their size and weight they did not serve to hunt, perhaps rabbits on certain occasions.
Some monarchs like María de Scotia or Federico the Great They were proud owners of these dogs, who were company in court.
Characteristics of Italian Lebel
The best definition that can be made of the race is that it is a miniature greyhound, it is slender, elegant, graceful, but without moving from 38 cm and without reaching five kilos.
His hair is very bright, short and silky, with colors such as black, gray or yellow, although in the United States all are allowed except the targeted, fire and black.
The eyes have to be big, very expressive and with the dark iris, which gives him an interesting look with which he can tell us a lot when we already know him.
As for the head, it is narrow and with fine snout, as with the rest of the greyhounds. Walking is characteristic, since it lifts your legs a lot, more than it would be necessary.
Italian Lebel character
It is a very affectionate and cheerful dog, but despite what can be expected of him being a lebrel, his size makes a little active animal, which will be better in quiet and children, enjoying the elderly who live like him, without great shocks.
They depend quite their owner and are not very friends with strangers, compared to those who will not demonstrate aggressiveness, but they will not pay too much attention to shyness.
Coexist well with other dogs, although it always gets better with those of your size, then it is not aware of its size when it is related to the largest, thinking that it is one of them when playing or imposed.
There are those who say that he demands a lot from his caregiver, since he wants him to always be aware of him, something that can come from his long tradition as a skirt dog.
Italian Lebrel Education
If we have an Italian Lebrel you have to know that It is not easy to educate it, because for him it will not be a priority to obey us, and in fact this type of dogs have never been taught any obedience, not even the most basic.
With patience we can make us do some case, at least in the most essential, but it has very bad order to return with us, especially if it is in the field, where it runs behind the rabbits without stopping.
Despite its size, Has the highly developed hunting instinct, so you have to work hard on that, although you have to know that most of the times we ask if you are in a place with wild animals.
You also have to teach him to remain alone, since being so attached to his owner takes him very badly, and he can develop destructive behaviors, but luckily he will not bark, being an animal that almost never does (there is always some exception).
Italian Lebrel health
The Italian Lebrel looks like a dog about to break, with a sickly and delicate appearance, but nothing is further from reality, since It is quite robust.
Because of its size and hair it tends to be cold and cool quickly, so it makes a lot of sense to put a coat and a showpiece if it is raining.
The legs must be checked often, because it seems that he does not know that he weighs five kilos and is very small, so he starts playing with large dogs and damages them, something that also happens when he takes some jumps.
Do not get rid of genetic diseases, such as eyes or bustle problems, something we can avoid if we ask for a DNA test to the breeder, because with it you can see if our copy comes from a line with these problems that are transmitted from parents to children.
For the rest, it has good health, so much that it is not strange that most of the specimens reach the fourteen years or that they overcome them.
Italian Lebrel care
His hair gives us little work. It is enough to pass a rubber barbecue brush once a week and as it is as short, it will almost not take it.
As for food, We will have to Buy a feed for small dogs With the croquette of a size appropriate to his mouth. He has quite fast metabolism, so in principle it should be fed something more than another dog of his size, seeing if he gains weight or continues in his.
The walks are not a problem, since it is formed with those we can give in the park, although it is convenient to run on occasion, better if it is in the open field.
When we go out to areas where there are rabbits, be careful because it can run like an exhalation, which is not bad if it were not for the risk of breaking a leg, so it is convenient to choose flat land without stones or trees.
In the same way, it will have to be careful in hot days, since there have been cases of dead injury with high temperatures because they have not stopped running until collapse.
If we live in a cold area, During autumn and winter it must be inside the houseWell, cold and humidity tolerate very badly.
Adopt an Italian lebr
The Italian Lebrel is very famous in Italy, although outside its borders it does not look too much. It is possible to find some, but it is complicated that he who buys it abandons him, more when he is a company dog and not hunting.
In this way, when adopting it we can look for Italian protectors and go there for him, because he is not far from our country and bringing it is very simple, since you just have to make procedures beyond putting the chip and vaccines.
Other small dog breeds:
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