Italian Greyhound
The smallest sighthound, and a companion for over two thousand years. It seeks heat relentlessly and will be under the blanket before you are.
Photo by Nikolai Gates Vetr, CC BY-SA 4.0
Overview
The Italian Greyhound is a true sighthound in miniature rather than a scaled down toy, and it has been a companion for over two thousand years, appearing in Mediterranean art from the classical period. It is seven to fourteen pounds of very fine bone.
That fineness is the practical issue with the breed. The leg bones are thin enough that fractures from ordinary jumps are a genuine and common problem, particularly in young dogs.
Temperament
Affectionate, sensitive and permanently cold. Italian Greyhounds attach intensely to their people, seek out laps and blankets, and they are among the more emotionally delicate breeds.
They are timid without early socialisation and they do not cope with rough handling or chaotic households. They are also sighthounds, so a moving cat or squirrel will override recall entirely. House training is often slow, partly because they refuse to go out in bad weather.
Care and grooming
A short fine coat, a weekly rub down, minimal shedding. The easiest coat there is.
Leg fractures are the defining risk, especially between four and twelve months. Dental disease is severe in this breed and daily brushing genuinely matters. Progressive retinal atrophy has a DNA test, and sighthound anaesthesia sensitivity applies.
Living and exercise
Thirty to forty five minutes a day plus a sprint in a secure space.
They need coats in anything below mild weather and they will refuse to go out in rain. Discouraging jumps from furniture during the first year is the single most useful thing an owner can do. Fourteen to fifteen years is normal.
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