This dog has long been popular with nobility and royalty.

Bred for centuries to be doting companions and jesters, these high-stepping charmers refuse to be ignored. [12], "Italian Greyhound Dog Breed Information", "Hip Dysplasia Statistics: Hip Dysplasia by Breed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Italian_Greyhound&oldid=978458715, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Italian-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, leg breaks (most common under the age of 2), This page was last edited on 15 September 2020, at 01:50. Training Your Dog For An Emergency: Does Your Dog Know These Skills? A true Greyhound in miniature, the elegant Italian Greyhound is an alert, playful, and highly affectionate toy companion. AKC actively advocates for responsible dog ownership and is dedicated to advancing dog sports.

The Italian Greyhound has been around for many centuries. Despite a delicate appearance, Italian Greyhounds are swift, hardy hounds who have survived the upheavals of two millennia. Exactly how and when this miniaturized Greyhound was developed has been lost in time. The gait is high stepping and free. [2] It may also be called the Italian Sighthound. Among those believed to have kept it are Frederick II, Duke of Swabia; members of the D'Este, Medici and Visconti families; the French kings Louis XI, Charles VIII, Charles IX, Louis XIII and Louis XIV;[3] Frederick the Great of Prussia;[4]:519 Anne of Denmark; Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria. Erect or button ears severely penalized. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.

Italian Greyhound information including personality, history, grooming, pictures, videos, and the AKC breed standard. Healthy You, Healthy Dog, Healthy New Year! Head: Narrow and long, tapering to nose, with a slight suggestion of stop. For the most part, playtime will be sufficient for this, especially if there is more than one dog.

Italian Greyhound Rescue Foundation Texas and Oklahoma, Las Lomas K9 Rescue & Adoption Foundation, Minor concerns: epilepsy, leg fractures, patellar luxation, PRA, Occasionally seen: color dilution alopecia, cataract, Legg-Perthes, hypothyroidism, portacaval shunt. Dental cleaning by a veterinarian should be done yearly or as needed. IGs are Greyhounds in miniature—more slender, but a Greyhound’s equal in grace and elegance.

Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior).It’s easy to allow these dogs to become overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level.

Founded in 1884, the AKC is the recognized and trusted expert in breed, health, and training information for dogs. This dog likes to stretch out and sprint in a safe fenced area. IGs combine the attentiveness of lapdogs with the complexity of ancient, aristocratic hounds.

Want to connect with other people who love the same breed as much as you do? The Italian Greyhound continued to find favor, reaching its peak during the reign of Queen Victoria. It weighs no more than 5 kg (11 lb) and stands 32 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in) at the withers. On an IG in proper weight, the hip bones should just be seen. [10] A 1993 US breed club survey gives an average lifespan of 9 years, but more than a quarter of the dogs had "accidents" recorded as the cause of death. It shares the sighthound sensitivity to barbiturate anesthesia. Answer a few simple questions and find the right dog for you, Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side, Browse the AKC Marketplace to find the right puppy for you, Browse our extensive library of dog names for inspiration, Find out the best and worst foods for your dog and which to avoid. [9], It is deep in the chest, with a tucked-up abdomen, long slender legs and a long neck that tapers down to a small head. Long, straight, set well under shoulder; strong pasterns, fine bone.

Breeds are grouped together because they share traits of form and function or a common heritage. It may also be called the Italian Greyhound.

To get the latest on pet adoption and pet care, sign up to hear from us. A sighthound in a small package, the Italian Greyhound shares its larger relatives’ characteristics.

[5], The breed has often been represented in paintings, notably by Giotto, Sassetta and Tiepolo. The Italian Greyhound should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. The Italian Greyhound was frequently included in Renaissance paintings by such famed artists as Giotto, Carpaccio, Memling, Van der Weyden, David, and Bosch.

The head is long and pointed.

Exercise needs are best met with a good walk on leash or even a rollicking game indoors. We have plenty of opportunities to get involved in your local community, thanks to AKC Breed Clubs located in every state, and more than 450 AKC Rescue Network groups across the country. Care should be taken, as this small breed can be easily injured by boisterous children and larger dogs. Standing ideally 13 to 15 inches at the shoulder, they present the sleek, curving lines common to all coursing hounds. After that time, numbers declined and the breed had dwindled to such an extent that it had almost … The trainer should be firm with commands and lavish with praise. The most important grooming tip for the Italian Greyhound is that the teeth must be brushed on a regular basis, preferably daily.

Essential info about dog health, training, sports and more. This breed has a hare foot, and the two middle nails can be left slightly longer than the other two. [3], The Italian Greyhound is the smallest[6] of the sighthounds.

A short-coat, low-fat breed, IGs require extra care in cold weather. Body is of medium length, short coupled; high at withers, back curved and drooping at hindquarters, the highest point of curve at start of loin, creating a definite tuck-up at flanks. These dogs, along with other imports, helped revive the breed in Europe. IGs found their way onto many of the noblest laps in Europe. In modern times IGs do their share of winning in the show ring, and lure coursing gives them a chance to rev up their small but powerful engines.

Evidence of dogs resembling the Italian Greyhound can be found in art dating nearly 2,000 years ago from Turkey, Greece, and other areas around the Mediterranean. The Italian Greyhound continued to find favor, reaching its peak during the reign of Queen Victoria. The depredations of the two world wars nearly wiped out many of Europe’s breeds, including the IG. Reserved, often timid, with strangers, the Italian Greyhound is devoted to its family: good with children, other dogs, and pets. Skin fine and supple, hair short, glossy like satin and soft to the touch. The breed embodies the same qualities that enable the full-sized Greyhound to run at top speed using the double-suspension gallop: a curvaceous outline with a slight arch over the loin and good rear angulation. IGs make decorative couch dogs, but at heart they are flash-and-dash coursing hounds with an instinct for pursuit. The Italian Greyhound (Italian: Piccolo levriero Italiano) is an Italian breed of small sighthound. Even though their numbers were small, they were of excellent soundness. An African king named Lobengula once swapped 200 head of cattle for a single Italian Greyhound.