Italian Greyhound puppies

About the Italian Greyhound

The Italian Greyhound is a true sighthound in miniature, kept as a companion around the Mediterranean for well over two thousand years and a fixture of Renaissance Italian courts. They weigh 3.2 to 6.4 kg and stand 33 to 38 cm, with fine bone, an arched back, a deep narrow chest and a coat so short it feels like warm suede. Living with one, the strongest impressions are how affectionate they are, how much they want to be under a blanket, and how quickly they take fright at rough handling.

Exercise is mostly play and lead walks, with off lead running only in fenced ground, because a small moving animal will pull an otherwise obedient dog into traffic. Grooming is trivial, but the teeth are not: daily brushing and regular veterinary cleaning are part of owning this breed. They feel the cold and need a coat outdoors, and house training in bad weather takes patience. Plan around the risk of broken legs and discourage jumping down from sofas and beds from day one.

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. They can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so they need 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 they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their 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

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.

Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 6.4 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Puppy pads: are they a good idea, and how to pick ones that do not leak
• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other toy breeds

More on the Italian Greyhound

Previous: Irish Wolfhound · Next: Jack Russell Terrier

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Italian Greyhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/italian-greyhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: christina, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.