Italian Greyhound: Your Complete Guide

Known for their noble looks, Italian greyhounds have long been the close companions of nobility and royalty throughout Europe. They bond closely with everyone in their family but attach to one person significantly more than others – only seeking their attention and almost ignoring others.

While sweet and affectionate, Italian greyhounds are athletic dogs that can cover long distances quickly. This breed can be a great companion for many, but knowing if these dogs are the right choice for you requires a thorough understanding of their characteristics.

Our article will guide you through everything about the Italian greyhound to help you determine if this breed is right for you. Read to the end to know if you should adopt an Italian greyhound.

Quick Look at the Italian Greyhound

Below is a summary of the Italian greyhound’s characteristics. We’ll dive deeper into each point in later parts of the article.

Weight/Height	7-14 pounds / 13-15 inches
Coat Type	Short, smooth coat
Grooming Needs
Shedding
Temperament	Affectionate, playful, sensitive, athletic
Good With Kids
Good With Other Animals
Intelligence
Easy to Train
Energy Level
Barking Habits
Lifespan	14-15 years

What Is the History of Italian Greyhounds?

The exact breed origins aren’t known, but Italian greyhounds are believed to date back thousands of years. Many paintings and archeological artifacts depict the Italian greyhound as a companion alongside royalty throughout the world, from ancient Egypt to the Roman Empire.

Among the many royals who kept Italian greyhounds, some notable names are Louis XI, Queen Victoria, Charles IX, Catherine the Great, and Anne of Denmark. Italian greyhounds gained much of their recognition in Renaissance Italy, where they were kept as a status symbol among the wealthy.

The breed’s popularity spread throughout the world in the centuries following the Renaissance. One of the most memorable trades involving the Italian greyhound happened in the 19th century. Chief Lobengula, the monarch of the Matabele warrior tribe, paid 200 cattle to Luscombe Searelle to purchase his Italian greyhound in Johannesburg.

The popularity of the Italian greyhound remained stable until the start of the First World War. By the end of the Second World War, the Italian greyhound was nearing extinction. It was the efforts of American breeders that kept the breed alive and repopulated the breed in Europe. 

Recognized in 1886, Italian greyhounds are one of the earliest breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club.

What Do Italian Greyhounds Look Like?

Shortly known as the Iggy, the Italian greyhound has many coat color potentials. Black, blue, cream, fawn, and red are common coat colors. In addition, Italian greyhounds may have multi-colored coats that are either black and tan or a combination of the above colors with white.

Italian greyhounds may have white, black, or blue markings, with some also having black or blue masks. Out of all the coat color potentials with markings, blue coat color, often referred to as gray, is the most prevalent in Italian greyhounds.

Besides the coat, Italian greyhounds have long and narrow heads. Their necks are slender, often requiring special collars as standard ones can easily slip out of their heads due to their proportions. For this reason, most Italian greyhound owners opt for a lurcher collar or an appropriate harness that fits their dog’s body.

What Size Is an Italian Greyhound?

The Italian greyhound is categorized as a small dog breed. Iggies weigh between 7 and 14 pounds and stand 13 to 15 inches tall at the withers. The height of the Italian greyhound may be a little over that of a typical small dog breed, but weighing less than 14 pounds makes them an exception.

What Is an Italian Greyhounds Coat Type and Length?

Iggies have short, smooth coats. They don’t have an undercoat, and because of this, they have difficulties keeping warm. As an Italian greyhound owner, investing in appropriate dog clothing for winter is a must to ensure your dog stays warm.

What Is an Italian Greyhound’s Temperament?

Italian greyhounds are affectionate and loving dogs that are such people’s dogs. They tend to attach to one person in their family and can become quite clingy. The sensitive nature of this breed doesn’t make them ideal for individuals living a busy life planning to leave their dogs home alone for extended durations.

Anything over three hours of alone time can make an Italian greyhound anxious, which can be challenging to manage, even if crate-trained. There’s nothing more an Iggy wants than to be with their favorite human – and at all times.

Overall, Iggies are affectionate dogs that crave their owner’s attention and time. Below, you’ll learn more about the Italian greyhound’s temperament, going over the breed’s family life, aggression, barking habits, and more.

Are Italian Greyhounds Good With Kids?

Italian greyhounds typically get along well with kids, and the small size of this breed makes them a good pet for families with young children. 

However, Iggies are sensitive dogs that can get overwhelmed and intimidated by loud children. They don’t do well in homes with much noise and may develop behavioral issues due to anxiety. Italian greyhounds pair better with quiet children who will calmly interact with them and respect their space.

Are Italian Greyhounds Good With Other Animals?

Iggies generally get along well with other dogs. When raised together, Italian greyhounds will also behave just fine around cats. With proper socialization, you won’t need to worry about your Italian greyhound acting aggressively towards strange dogs.

While these are good for families with dogs and cats, those with prey animals might want to think twice before bringing home an Italian greyhound. These dogs have a very high prey drive. The prey drive of Iggies is so strong that it takes immense socialization and training to manage their instincts to chase after small furries.

For this reason, Italian greyhounds aren’t the best breed if you have prey animals. Keeping prey animals in a part of the home inaccessible to an Italian greyhound can be an option. However, the athletic abilities of the Iggy may make them find a way to get what they want, especially when driven by instincts.

Are Italian Greyhounds Aggressive?

Iggies are affectionate and loving dogs that don’t have inherent aggression. They may act shy around strangers, but if new people approaching an Iggy know how to greet dogs, they will get used to their presence fast.

However, neglecting socialization and letting minor behavioral problems grow into major issues can make any dog aggressive. The only instances where an Italian greyhound may act aggressively is if they develop behavioral problems.

As mentioned above, separation anxiety is common with Iggies. Letting these dogs home alone for extended periods may make them anxious and act hostile, though not towards people or dogs. Italian greyhounds left home alone for long durations tend to display destructive behavior and damage anything coming near their faces.

Do Italian Greyhounds Bark?

Italian greyhounds are talkative dogs that use their vocal cords to communicate often. Iggies may bark at a stranger approaching home, howl to greet their owners, or whine to get attention. Teaching Iggies not to howl or whine is quite difficult, as they do these when experiencing intense emotions, but they can learn not to bark at everything.

All these things raise questions about the breed’s compatibility in apartments with noise restrictions. It comes down to the owner’s dedication and willingness to train their dog. Iggies can be a good fit if they aren’t left home alone for long periods and you can train your dog not to bark excessively. Besides this, Iggies make great apartment dogs.

Are Italian Greyhounds Affectionate?

As we’ve touched on multiple times, Italian greyhounds are one of the most affectionate dogs. Despite their agile and quick builds, Iggies are the ultimate definition of a lap dog that can’t get enough of their owner’s love and attention. Iggies often prefer being on their owner’s lap more than playtime.

The overly affectionate and sensitive nature of the Italian greyhound is one of the reasons that they were highly favored among the nobility as companion dogs. 

Are Italian Greyhounds Intelligent?

Italian greyhounds aren’t the smartest but are fairly intelligent dogs that understand their owner’s emotions and social cues well. However, Iggies often display anxious behavior, which may discourage them from using their minds.

You can make them more open and courageous by helping an Italian greyhound build confidence. This will enable them to gain confidence to use their minds more often.

For example, an Iggy may be intimidated by loud sounds from a dog puzzle. Rather than pushing them to solve the puzzle, taking everything one step at a time and making such activities relationship-based by getting yourself involved will enable them to use their minds for action. We’ll discuss more on how their intelligence impacts trainability below.

Are Italian Greyhounds Energetic?

Italian greyhounds are energetic dogs. They should be walked for at least an hour, with occasional sprints to allow them to be aware of their physical capabilities. Since they are smart dogs that benefit from confidence-building activities, dog puzzles, scent work, and interactive games are excellent ways to keep an Iggy tired.

Although energetic, Italian greyhounds are quite adaptable dogs that will adjust to their owner’s life. They take occasional periods with minimal exercise lightly without acting badly. That’s, of course, assuming that an Iggy will still get the affection and love they deserve from their family.

However, this doesn’t mean an Italian greyhound will become a couch potato because their owner doesn’t take them out for regular walks. They still need daily walks to benefit their health – at least 30 minutes to a bare minimum.

Are Italian Greyhounds Easy to Train?

Italian greyhounds can be easy or difficult to train, depending on individual temperament. Iggies are generally eager to please, but they have a sensitive personality. Training works the best with these dogs following positive reinforcement techniques with lots of praise and pets in addition to treats.

Finishing basic obedience training shouldn’t take long, provided the right guidance and motivation. When young teenagers, introducing an Italian greyhound to agility training can be helpful for confidence-building and give them an outlet to release excess energy.

One thing to note about the Italian greyhound’s trainability is they are notoriously difficult to housebreak. It can take up to a year for an Iggy to be fully house-trained. This period can be stressful, but powering through it with lots of positive encouragement is the best way to house-train an Italian greyhound.

Are Italian Greyhounds Good Watchdogs?

Italian greyhounds have an alert temperament with a tendency to bark to warn or seek help from their owner. These make them considerably good watchdogs. However, they are small, sensitive dogs that can’t uphold any guarding duties.

Are Italian Greyhounds Good Service Dogs?

Due to their small size and difficulty in training for advanced commands, Italian greyhounds aren’t the best service animals. They are simply companion dogs that want their owners to service them, not the other way around.

Being an emotional support animal is a more fitting title for an Italian greyhound. Since ESAs don’t need any training, they are automatically a good choice. However, not everyone’s loving pet qualifies to become an emotional support animal. You should know the ESA laws in order to understand if you qualify to have your Iggy as your emotional support animal.

How to Care for an Italian Greyhound?

Italian greyhounds are high-maintenance dogs. This breed requires an involved owner who will provide optimal conditions for their dogs to live a fulfilling life. Below, you’ll find what it takes to care for an Italian greyhound, focusing on grooming, shedding, health, and feeding.

Do You Need to Groom an Italian Greyhound?

Italian greyhounds have minimal grooming needs. These dogs don’t require brushing in the typical sense as they don’t have an undercoat. Brushing an Iggy using a damp rubber mitten is enough to keep their coat in the best condition.

Other than coat care, Italian greyhounds need their nails trimmed, paw care, daily dental care, and flea prevention. With all these, grooming sessions with an Italian greyhound is a breeze.

Do Italian Greyhounds Shed?

Since the Italian greyhound doesn’t have an undercoat, they don’t shed like a Siberian husky or a golden retriever does. At the same time, they aren’t like the poodle. You may find a few strands of hair where an Italian greyhound sits, but because the coat is very short, it may become like dust particles in the air.

While Iggies aren’t as allergy-inducing as breeds with an undercoat, they aren’t as hypoallergenic as the poodle. They may still trigger allergic reactions, but those with mild pet allergies shouldn’t be too concerned.

What Health Problems Do Italian Greyhounds Have?

Italian greyhounds are overall healthy dogs with very few health problems. Progressive retinal atrophy and hypothyroidism are the main illnesses to watch out for in Iggies. Since these diseases can be genetically inherited, adopting an Italian greyhound puppy from a breeder that screens their dogs is highly important.

Iggies are also susceptible to joint problems and obesity. They should eat a high-quality diet in appropriate amounts to prevent gaining excessive weight. Italian greyhounds are sturdier than they look, but their thin legs may be prone to injuries. Rough playing in unsafe environments should be avoided.

How Long Do Italian Greyhounds Live?

Italian greyhounds are long-lived dogs as they are generally healthy dogs with very few health conditions that affect them. On average, the Iggy has a life expectancy of 14 to 15 years.

What Should an Italian Greyhound Eat?

Iggies can eat high-quality dog food appropriate for their age, size, and activity levels. The most appropriate diet for an Italian greyhound is what your vet recommends. After examining your Italian greyhound’s health, your vet can point you to the best dog food.

Some Italian greyhounds may have allergic reactions to certain types of dog food. Watching for signs of allergies, such as itching, is important to know if a new diet is ideal for them.

Is an Italian Greyhound the Right Dog for Me?

The Italian greyhound is an affectionate and sensitive dog breed that can be considered a one-person dog. Iggies bond strongly with everyone in the family but usually attach to one person more than others, making them their favorite human.

The sensitive personality of the Iggy makes them suited only for individuals and families that won’t leave their dogs home alone for long durations. As mentioned, anything over three hours can make these dogs anxious.

With all their traits, Iggies are more suited for quiet families and individuals working from home. If you have the time and availability to be with your dog every day, the Italian greyhound can be an excellent, affectionate, and loyal companion.