An ancient breed that shares many qualities with their larger cousin, the Italian Greyhound is best suited to a gentle owner who can fulfill their natural running instincts…
The Italian Greyhound (nicknamed the “Iggy” or “IG” for short) is a smaller version of their more popular cousin in the standard Greyhound and features a non-shedding coat that comes in a wide variety of colors. Similarly to their cousin, the breed came into existence during the times of Ancient Egypt, and was originally used for the purposes of both hunting and companionship.
Just a few of their most typical qualities comprise of their highly sensitive temperament that allows them to almost know what their owners are thinking, their love for running and their hypoallergenic coat that rarely sheds – which all help in making the Italian Greyhound a familiar breed of dog for active owners or allergy sufferers who can provide them with gentle loving care. Below are a number of fast Italian Greyhound facts:
Trainability & Intelligence:
Friendliness With People:
Compatible With Animals:
Daily Exercise Required:
Grooming Requirements:
Suitable For A Family Pet:
Suitability As A Guard Dog:
Origins Of The Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean as far back as 6,000 years ago before they made their way to Europe. Images that resemble them are seen depicted in ancient Egyptian and Roman art. They were also in high demand in Italy during the 16th century as a companionship dog as well as for occasional hunting purposes and this is what led to them being given their official name.
Average Size Of The Italian Greyhound
Italian Greyhounds are classified as a small to medium-sized breed. The recommended standard size for the Italian Greyhound male and female is 13-15 inches high from paw to shoulder and a weight of 8-12 pounds.
Temperament Of The Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound is well-known for their gentle and sensitive manner as well as their love for running like their larger relatives. They are often timid with strangers, which along with their size often means they are not very suitable as a guard dog.
The Italian Greyhound is also demonstrated to be fairly intelligent – placing 60th compared to other dogs in terms of their ability to be taught obedience commands. They are additionally known to be good with kids so long as they are taught to handle them carefully – which means they are somewhat suitable as a family pet. The Italian Greyhound is not very good with other animals such as dogs, cats and other smaller animals due to their natural prey instinct.
Grooming Requirements Of The Italian Greyhound
Grooming the Italian Greyhound is a relatively simple chore. They need only occasional rub-downs due to their short non-shedding coat but need more regular care for their teeth with brushing each day. The process for fully grooming the Italian Greyhound when you do find it necessary can be explained as:
- Use a boar bristle brush to brush the coat, then follow with a rubber curry brush.
- Moisten a cotton ball with ear cleaner and then swab inside the ears, following up with medicated ear powder.
- Cut the nails using a guillotine-type nail trimmer.
- Bathe the dog using a tearless protein shampoo to strengthen the coat and repair damaged hair.
- Dry using a cage dryer and then finish with a blow dryer while brushing them.
- If desired, remove the whiskers with scissors.
- Use scissors to trim any stray hair inside or on the ears.
- Remove any long hair under the tail using a fine stripping knife.
- Trim any excess hair between the toes using thinning shears.
- Finish by spraying mink oil and brushing it into the coat to add shine.
Living Requirements For The Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound enjoys having a large well-fenced yard to play in, but they can be suitable for living in an apartment so long as they are taken for daily walks and occasional runs. They enjoy warmer weather, and they will be less comfortable if it gets too cold due to their short coat – so special clothing will usually be required to keep them warm.
Health & Life Expectancy Of The Italian Greyhound
Similarly to a lot of small-sized dog breeds, the Italian Greyhound is by and large long-lived possessing a life expectancy of 13-15 years. The leading health concern for Italian Greyhounds is universally recognized to be their fragility and vulnerability to broken bones – particularly early on in their life. They are also vulnerable to conditions such as epilepsy, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), luxating patella, cataracts, hyperthyroidism and periodontal diseases. They are, however, among the least affected by hip dysplasia of all dog breeds.
Exercise Needs For The Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound enjoys hobbies which include a sprint around the yard, playing fetch and using their natural hunting instincts to find hidden items. They possess a high quantity of energy which gradually decreases as they grow older and have a need for exercise each day in the form of long walks and occasional sprints to keep them happy, motivated and healthy.
Who Should Own The Italian Greyhound?
The Italian Greyhound can be the right dog for retirees, couples without children or families with older children. They are well-matched for anybody who is able to carry out a minimal amount of grooming and take time to provide them with patient housebreaking, early socialization and firm obedience training in addition to take them on long daily walks or runs and provide a good quantity of companionship and attention. Although they can be somewhat inappropriate as a pet in families with young children that may handle them too roughly, if you are able to meet their need for gentle care, sensitivity while training them and fulfill their natural running instinct then the Italian Greyhound could make the ultimate breed of dog for you.
Posted by Brent McCoy on December 5, 2011