Breeds / Toy
Italian Greyhound puppies
Intelligent, affectionate and vivacious, elegant and quick moving, and may appear aloof. Sensitive and easily intimidated, so it responds best to reward based training.
The facts
- Size class Toy
- Adult weight 3.2 to 6.4 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 7 to 14 lb
- Adult height 33 to 38 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Low
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
Source: https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/toy/italian-greyhound/
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Italian Greyhound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. It can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so it needs frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Inherited eye disease, screened under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme
- Progressive retinal atrophy, detectable by DNA test
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, degeneration of the femoral head, diagnosed by hip radiographs in young dogs
- Hypothyroidism, detected by a blood test of thyroid hormone levels
- Autoimmune disorders affecting skin, blood, eyes and the neuromuscular system, confirmed by diagnostic laboratory testing
- Cold intolerance, and hypoglycaemia in young puppies, managed by a coat in cold weather and frequent puppy feeding
From Italian Greyhound breed information at https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/toy/italian-greyhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Italian Greyhound puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Italian Greyhound.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 3.2 to 6.4 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other toy breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.