Italian Greyhound – Personality, Trainability, Diet & More

The Italian Greyhound is a very elegant looking dog, with a graceful stance and a slender build with a slightly arched back. Sporting a short, glossy coat, this breed comes in various colors, which include cream, blue, fawn, red, gray, or black. Some may also have white markings on their coats.

These dogs have intelligent, alert expressions, with long noses and folded ears situated quite high up on the head. Their heads are very narrow and elongated.

Italian Greyhound Personality & Temperament

Very affectionate and loyal, the Italian Greyhound makes for an excellent companion, although potential owners should bear in mind that this is an energetic dog and will require plenty in terms of exercise. The Greyhound does display a very stubborn streak and can be very strong-willed.

This breed tends to get on well with older children, and also gets on well with other animals. These are sweet-natured and dedicated dogs that enjoy lavishing their owners with affection. If you have very young children, you should ensure that the dog is supervised whilst around them.

Height & weight

The Italian Greyhound normally reaches a height of around twelve to fifteen inches. In terms of weight, the Greyhound will normally reach around six to ten pounds.

Common health / behavioral problems

Several common health issues can affect the Italian Greyhound, and this includes: broken legs, epilepsy, slipped patella, oral problems, and eye problems.

Trainability

This dog breed is very intelligent and can be very responsive, which means that training should be fine providing you are patient and understanding. However, you will also need to be quite determined and firm, as these dogs can be stubborn and strong-willed, which can make training more difficult in some cases.

Ideal living conditions

The Italian Greyhound is a very active dog, and therefore it is a good idea to provide him with an environment where there is plenty of room or better still a yard or garden. However, this dog can adapt well to apartment living, providing plenty of exercises is provided. The breed is sensitive to colder temperatures, which is something to bear in mind in terms of the environment in which he will be living.

Exercise requirements

These dogs do need a lot of exercises, as they are very active animals. The Italian Greyhound loves to run and is full of energy, so owners of this breed need to provide plenty of healthy exercises, such as playtime and running in the garden and brisk walks.

Diet & nutrition

The Italian Greyhound has a healthy appetite, and is very active, so a good, well-balanced diet of high-quality dog food is necessary. You should feed this breed smaller portions regularly, particularly whilst he is still growing and developing.

Life expectancy

A fit and healthy Italian Greyhound can expect to live for around twelve to fifteen years.

Grooming requirements

The Greyhounds is an easy dog to groom, because of its short, glossy, and pretty maintenance free coat. The coat sheds very little, and there is also very little odor. A wipe over with a damp cloth will help to keep the coat in good condition and will give it a glossy sheen.

Origin

As reflected in its name, the Italian Greyhound is a toy dog breed that originates from Italy.

Dog group

AKC Toy, Sight Hound