Italian Greyhound Dog Breed

Below are specs and facts on the Italian Greyhound dog breed.

The AKC considers the Italian Greyhound a toy sized dog and is visually similar to the standard Greyhound. This breed rarely stands taller than 13-15 inches and weighs 7-14 pounds. This small size in addition to their fragile bones make them poorly suited for households with large, rambunctious dogs or children that cannot yet properly and gently handle pets.

Italian Greyhounds are the ultimate lapdog and love showering their owner with adoration and affection. They will follow you from room to room, jump into your lap, allow you to carry them, and lick your face without hesitation. They are very good with children and other pets, but large high energy dogs and children that have not been taught to gently handle pets may cause this breed harm. Alertness is a prized trait in this breed, however, they are too reserved and even timid to be guard dogs. As an owner, you must be able to keep an eye on them; they are very athletic, can jump high and squeeze through small areas.

This can be considered a low maintenance breed. They need weekly brushing and special attention paid to regular teeth cleaning as the are susceptible to periodontal diseases. They will be calm and gentle indoors, however, their medium energy requirements can be met with daily walks or run and chase games in enclosed areas. Training can be fairly easy with consistency and a gentle yet authoritative command. Although you may have a soft spot for your little, cuddly friend, do not for one second let him/her manipulate you into letting them come first as they will immediately begin to not listen.

Italian Greyhounds are actually smaller/toy-sized versions of the standard Greyhound that have been selectively bred to be companions and small game hunters. They are a 2,000 year old breed that originated in ancient Mediterranean region; remains of small Greyhound-type dogs have been found in the ruins of ancient Pompeii, Italy. These dogs were highly in-demand sighthounds within Italy and other neighboring European countries and during the 17th century had even made it to England. During this time small dogs were extremely popular and this breed in particular was owned by several royal families from England to Russia. Famous artist of the period such as Giotto, Carpaccio, Bosch and many others included these dogs in their artworks. Their popularity did not begin its ascent until 1950 in America and after World War II this stock was used to replenished England's dwindling Italian Greyhound population. It was recognized by the AKC in 1886 and the Italian Greyhound Club of America was founded in 1954. In addition to the AKC, this breed is recognized by 10 plus additional kennel clubs.

Members of this breed have all the appearance of elegance that the standard Greyhound has but they are considered toy sized. They are slender and long, with hindquarters that are lean muscled. They are higher at the shoulders and the back curves, making the hindquarters lower with a tucked under appearance with a long slender tail that tapers to a point. The head is long and narrow and somewhat flat on top, while the neck is long, arched leading into a deep and narrow chest. The eyes of the Italian Greyhound are dark and the ears are folded and held back from the head. The soft skin is covered by short, shiny, hair that is also smooth to the touch.

Italian Greyhounds are very much lapdogs and are very affectionate and loyal to their owners. They actually adore their owners and will follow them anywhere and everywhere. They will also not hesitate to jump into your arms and on your lap, lick your face and anything else they consider as "showering you with love". This being said, if you will have to leave your pet alone for long periods of time or can't stand a dog on the couch, bed, and clothes -- this little guy is not for you.

Members of this breed are playful, bright little dogs capable of top speeds, just like other sizes of Greyhound, and enjoy running and chasing for exercise. This also means they should be kept on a leash in unenclosed areas. They are also capable of jumping quite high and squeezing through small areas so an eye must be kept on them even in the yard.

This breed is friendly to all other pets and children, but can be shy around strangers. Although alertness is one of their strengths this allows them to be capable watch dogs but their timidness makes them poor guard dogs.

Training this breed can be relatively easy but the owner has to understand how to balance gentleness with authority. Don't let their small, cuddly personality fool you they are intelligent and manipulative. Members of this breed are eager to please their owners and yet will not listen if the owner is inconsistent and weak; however, Italian Greyhounds are very sensitive and may get stressed out or their feelings hurt if the owner is too harsh. Breeders inform owners that Italian Greyhounds may be hard to housebreak; they must be frequently watch and confined when you are not present until they are trained. If you do not have the persistence and time to housetrain at a moderate difficulty then you may want to consider another breed.

Members of this breed are pretty healthy overall, however, they are a long standing purebred breed so it is important to familiarize yourself with all possibilities. Like many dogs, they can suffer from hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, eye problems. They are susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis, gum/tooth diseases, seizures, and sometimes alopecia. Gentleness is required with this breed as they have long delicate bones. They are generally sensitive to anesthesia and owners should discuss what this entails with the veterinarian before a procedure. The Italian Greyhound Club of America website has an excellent list of documented health issues for these dogs. Generally members of this breed live 12-15 years, however, it is not unusual to see Italian Greyhounds that surpass that by several years.

Some interesting facts about the breed:

• Italian Greyhounds in art: As these little dogs were popular among Italy's aristocracy, numerous IG dogs are portrayed with their owners in Italian Renaissance paintings.
• Italian Greyhound ugly Christmas apparel: Some clothing lines offer comically hideous holiday-themed sweaters and T-shirts with an "Ugly Italian Greyhound" logo, complete with the dog's image on the front.
• They're difficult to housetrain: Italian Greyhound puppies are known for being notoriously hard to housetrain--so much so that some owners say they teach their dogs to go outside to go potty.
• Celebrity Italian Greyhound owners: Perhaps the most famous IG is a dog named Frisbee, owned by late-night host Seth Meyers. Italian Greyhound dogs are also owned by stars like Will Smith, Matt Damon, Uma Thurman, and Sigourney Weaver.