Sighthounds are usually large animals, since they must have long legs in order to be able to run after hares and rabbits. However, this Italian greyhound is very small , since it was not bred with hunting only in mind.
- Size : between 32 and 38 cm
- Weight : about 5 kilos
- Hair type : short and straight, close 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 the Italian Greyhound
When talking about the creation of the Italian sighthound we almost get lost in the origin of time, since there are animals very similar to this one in an Egyptian tomb dating back six millennia, although this can be said for any sighthound in the world, since all they look alike.
Similar dogs are also seen in Greece and Turkey about 2,000 years ago, but the most accepted theory is that the Italian greyhound and other similar dogs came to Europe with the voyages of the Phoenicians, with the Romans being the ones who began breeding.
Already in the Renaissance we can see dogs similar to those that exist now in paintings , since the nobles had devotion for them, although the truth is that due to their size and weight they were not suitable for hunting, perhaps rabbits on certain occasions.
Some monarchs such as Mary of Scotland or Frederick the Great were proud owners of these dogs, which kept them company at court.
Characteristics of the Italian Greyhound
The best definition that can be made of the breed is that it is a miniature greyhound , as it is slender, elegant, graceful, but without exceeding 38 cm and without reaching five kilos.
Their hair is very shiny, short and silky, with colors such as black, gray or yellow, although in the United States all are allowed except brindle, tan and black.
The eyes have to be large, very expressive and with dark irises, which gives it an interesting look with which it can tell us a lot when we already know it.
As for the head, it is narrow and with a thin snout, as is the case with the rest of the greyhounds. The walk is characteristic, since it raises its legs a lot, more than would be necessary.
Character of the Italian Greyhound
It is a very affectionate and cheerful dog , but despite what can be expected of it being a sighthound, its size makes it a not very active animal, which will be better in quiet homes without children, enjoying a lot of the elderly people around it. They live like him, without major shocks.
They depend quite a bit on their owner and are not very friendly with strangers, in front of whom they will not show aggression, but they will not pay too much attention, tending towards shyness.
He coexists well with other dogs, although he always gets along better with those of his size , because sometimes he is not aware of his size when he interacts with the larger ones, thinking that he is one of them when it comes to playing or imposing himself.
There are those who say that he demands a lot from his handler, since he wants him to always be aware of him, something that may come from his long tradition as a lap dog.
Education of the Italian Greyhound
If we have an Italian greyhound, we must know that it is not easy to educate it , because it will not be a priority for it to obey us, and in fact these types of dogs have never been taught any obedience, not even the most basic one.
With patience we can make him pay some attention to us, at least in the most essential way, but he takes the order to return to us very badly, especially if he is in the field, where he runs after the rabbits without stopping.
Despite its size, it has a very developed hunting instinct , so we have to work a lot on that, although we have to know that it will not come most of the time we ask it if it is in a place with wild animals.
You also have to teach it to be left alone, since being so attached to its owner takes it very badly, and can develop destructive behaviors, but luckily it will not bark as it is an animal that almost never does (there are always some exceptions).
Italian Greyhound Health
The Italian greyhound looks like a dog on the verge of breaking down, sickly and delicate in appearance, but nothing could be further from the truth, since it is quite robust .
Due to its size and its coat, it tends to be cold and cool quickly, so it makes a lot of sense to put a coat and a raincoat on it if it is raining.
His legs have to be checked often, because it seems that he doesn't know that he weighs five kilos and is very small, so he starts playing with big dogs and damages them, something that also happens when he jumps a few times.
It does not get rid of genetic diseases, such as problems with the eyes or kneecaps , something that we can avoid if we ask the breeder for a DNA test, because with it we can see if our specimen comes from a line with these problems that are transmitted from parents to children.
For the rest, it is in good health, so much so that it is not at all strange that most of the specimens reach the age of fourteen or exceed it.
Care of the Italian Greyhound
Her hair gives us little work. It is enough to use a rubber bristle brush once a week and since it is so short you will almost never need to bathe it.
As for food, you will have to buy food for small dogs with a croquette of a size suitable for their mouth . He has a fairly fast metabolism, so in principle you should feed him something more than another dog of his size, seeing if he gains weight or remains at his own.
Walks are not a problem, since he is satisfied with those we can take in the park, although it is advisable that he can run on occasion, better if it is in an open field.
When we go out to areas where there are rabbits we have to be careful because they can run like a bolt, which is not bad if it were not for the risk of breaking a leg , so it is advisable to choose flat land without stones or trees.
Likewise, we will have to be careful on hot days, as there have been cases of sighthounds dying in high temperatures because they did not stop running until they collapsed.
If we live in a cold area, during the fall and winter it should be indoors , as it tolerates cold and humidity very poorly.
Adopt an Italian Greyhound
The Italian greyhound is very famous in Italy, although outside its borders it is not seen much. It is possible to find some, but it is difficult for the person who buys it to abandon it, especially when it is a companion dog and not a hunting dog.
In this way, when it comes to adopting it we can search Italian shelters and go there for it, since it is not far from our country and bringing it is very simple, since there are hardly any procedures to do beyond having the chip placed. and vaccines.
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