Volpino Italiano

Temperament:

Aktv, Faithful, Playful
Size: Small
Height: 25-30 cm
Weight: 4,1-5,4 kg
Lifespan: 9-15 years
Coat: Longhair
Colors: White, red, champagne colors
FCI Group: Spitz and primitive types

The little Spitz is a bundle of energy and is up for any fun. The breed is considered temperamental and cheerful. The dogs are very alert and strongly owner-oriented. They are suitable as guard and companion dogs for active dog people.

Volpino Italiano
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Characteristics

The Volpino Italiano is an active and playful companion. He is attached to his people and is loyal to them. He likes to bark at strangers. He is alert and vigilant, protecting his pack and territory. The Volpino Italiano is classified as a guard and companion dog. In the past, he was the companion of the nobility and carters.

Volpino Italiano adapts quickly to new circumstances. Due to its small size, it can live with its owners in the house or apartment. He is considered friendly to other pets, as long as there has been prior habituation. The Volpino Italiano is well suited as a family dog. Since the dogs are very playful and energetic, they also feel comfortable with children.

Volpino Italiano Spitz can be headstrong. The strong and distinct personality of the dogs should be steered in the right direction with a consistent education. You should establish a clear hierarchy right from the start and show the little Italian that you can master any situation. Otherwise, it could be that he guards you too much and the barking takes over.

Dogs of this breed enjoy all kinds of games and dog sports. They learn quickly and respond well to spoken commands as well as body language. You should schedule daily exercise to provide the dogs with the mental and physical activity they need.

The Volpino Italiano originates from Italy. The dogs are small and have a compact appearance. They are about as long as they are tall and appear extremely voluminous due to their dense, long coat that stands out from the body and forms a distinct collar on the neck.

The colors white and red are breeding standards, although champagne colors are also tolerated. The dogs carry the tail curled up on the back. The head is pyramidal. The ears are triangular and stand erect. The eyes should convey a lively and alert expression.

Coat care:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Shedding:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Energy level:

Little
Medium
High

Trainability:

Little
Medium
Good

Children suitable:

Less
With supervision
Perfect

The right food

Your small Spitz's diet should always be tailored to his individual needs. Small, energetic dogs have a high metabolic activity and consume calories more efficiently than larger dogs. Nevertheless, you should adapt the feeding to the activity of your dog.

If you want to feed your Volpino Italiano a commercial food, it is best to choose a food that has been specially developed for small breeds. Depending on the age of your dog, you can choose between puppy, junior, adult or senior food.

You can also give your Volpino home-cooked meals. Here you can get advice from a veterinarian so that the diet is balanced and the dog gets all the nutrients it needs.

Snacks as a reward are popular. Make sure that the amount of grain in such snacks is as low as possible. Even though the Volpino Italiano is a fairly robust breed as far as diseases are concerned, too much grain can lead to allergies.

Health & Care

Volpino Italianos are costly to groom. The coat should be brushed daily and the undercoat combed out well. This will prevent matting and skin conditions. Examine the skin surface at each grooming session and check for parasites such as ticks or fleas. Due to hair loss during shedding, you may need to vacuum your home several times a day.

You do not need to bathe the Volpino Italiano regularly, unless it is extremely dirty. The coat of the breed is self-cleaning and the dogs gnaw the dirt off the hair themselves with great patience. You should regularly check and trim the claws on your Volpino. Due to the light weight of the dog, they often do not wear out sufficiently.

Suitable accessories

If you want to get a Volpino Italiano, you should make a list of all the items you need as initial equipment. Toys are certainly very important for the "little foxes". You will also need a food and water bowl as well as a leash and collar. Food is essential and your dog will be happy about reward snacks as well. In addition, there are cribs and blankets and the fur care utensils.

Often you get a "puppy package" from your breeder, which contains, for example, the food that your puppy has been eating. This makes the transition and moving into the new home easier. You will also receive information about when the next worming and vaccinations are due.

Volpino Italiano History

Origin & History

The Volpino Italiano has the same ancestors as the German Spitz. For centuries, the breed has been bred in Italy. Nobility and people alike kept the dogs, due to the pronounced vigilance. Carters and merchants took the dogs with them on their travels. Every stranger was loudly reported. The painter Vittore Carpaccio immortalized a Volpino Italiano in 1502 in his painting The Vision of Saint Augustine. And Michelangelo also had an "Italian fox".

The standard for the breed was set in 1913 and at that time the dogs were very popular. After that, the breed lost attention for some time. White Volpinos reappeared in the 1960s and in 1972 the breed was registered again.