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History
The Italian Greyhound is an old greyhound. Amazingly, a dog that looks
like today’s Italian Greyhound was discovered in an ancient Egyptian tomb.
Similar to the Greyhound, this breed was brought by Phoenicians to Europe.
The Romans later cross bred the dog to produce the Italian Greyhound. The
Italian Greyhound became very popular with some European nobility especially
during the 16th century. Though this breed was initially bred to be a
companion dog, it became a good hunting dog.
General Description
This breed is fine boned, miniature and elegant dog that has a rather long
head and a sleek body shape. Its long head narrows to a pointed muzzle. The
breed’s nose is dark while its lips are thin and overall, it has a scissors
bite. It has dark eyes which makes its appearance similar to that of its
bigger cousins. The Italian Greyhound’s coat is short and this simplifies
its maintenance. The dog’s coat comes in various colors such as slate grey,
blue, cream, fawn, red and black with spots of white on its body and ears.
The dog’s ears usually fold on its head but if it is alert, the ears rise in
a perpendicular position. The breed has a straight tail that is slightly
curved.
Temperament
The Italian greyhound is affectionate, submissive and gentle. They are very
attached and loyal to their owners while they show a bit of reservation
towards strangers. They are intelligent, playful and quick to learn making
them very easy to train. However, this will depend on whether the training
is done consistently or not. The Italian Greyhound can become timid and high
strung if its owners protect it too much and if they are not properly and
sufficiently exercised. Simple exercise activities such as daily walks are
appropriate. This breed gets along well with children provided they are well
treated. They also get along with other pets such as cats and other dogs.
The dogs are very peaceful, dependent, and easy to groom and to get along
with. The Italian Greyhound breeds are very active and fast making them good
at hunting.
Health and Care
These dogs are strong but their bones are a little fragile before they reach
18 months. They are susceptible to suffer from fractures, epilepsy, slipped
stifle and PRA. They are also likely to be affected by chemicals and drugs,
seizures, thyroid problems, autoimmune disorders and luxating patella. The
dog’s thin skin and size makes it more sensitive to extreme cold weather and
should wear a jumper or sweater in such conditions. The dogs are active
indoors though they will not mind playing outside on the yard. Grooming of
this breed is not difficult. To keep the dog’s silky coat in perfect
condition requires mild rubdown preferably with a towel. The dogs should be
bathed only when it is necessary. If bathed, the dog’s owner should ensure
that it is warm and dry. The breed sheds minimal or no hair at all.
Exercise
Due to their active nature, they require regular exercise such as daily
runs, jogs and walks. The dogs enjoy playing and running especially in the
company of other Italian Greyhounds of the same size.
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