Italian Greyhound
This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Breed Group | Toy |
| Size | Small (7-14 lbs) |
| Height | 13-15 inches |
| Lifespan | 14-15 years |
| Temperament | Affectionate, Playful, Alert |
| Good with Kids | Good (older children) |
| Good with Other Dogs | Good (especially other IGs) |
| Shedding | Low |
| Exercise Needs | Moderate (30-45 min daily) |
| Trainability | Moderate (can be stubborn) |
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Recommended for Italian Greyhounds
The Farmer's Dog - Fresh food for small breeds | Embark DNA - Health screening for genetic conditions | Spot Insurance - Coverage for leg fractures & dental issues
Top Food Choices for Italian Greyhounds
The Farmer's Dog - Fresh, portion-controlled meals | Ollie - Custom fresh food for small breeds | Hill's Science Diet - Small breed formulas
A sighthound that lives under a blanket
Italian greyhounds stand about 13 to 15 inches and weigh 7 to 14 pounds. They run in bursts, then they want to be on a person. The coat is thin. A sweater in a cold house is reasonable. A sweater is not a treatment for a cough or a shiver from pain.
They are often good with other gentle dogs, especially other IGs. Recall off leash is unreliable because they course anything that moves. A fenced area or a long line is the walk. Apartments work if the dog is not left alone to panic and if the floors are not a slip-and-slide.
Fractures, dental extractions, and anesthesia
Broken legs are the signature injury. Periodontal disease is the signature bill. Patellar luxation, epilepsy, and eye disease show up. Sighthounds can be sensitive to some anesthetics. Tell the clinic what you have before a dental. VCA covers dental disease in small dogs. A leg carried after a jump is the limping page and an x-ray, not a theory about a bruise.
Italian greyhound questions
Do Italian greyhounds break legs easily?
Yes. A jump off a sofa is a common fracture. Ramps, supervision, and no roughhousing with bigger dogs are the prevention. A dog that will not bear weight needs a vet, not a day of rest you decided on.
Are they good with kids?
With older, calm kids. Toddlers and IGs are a fracture waiting for a hug. They are affectionate with their own people and chilly with a rough household.
How much exercise?
A few sprints and a short walk, then a warm lap. They are not endurance dogs, and they are not dogs you leave in a cold mudroom.
Decision Guides for Italian Greyhound
Smallest of the sighthounds
Italian greyhounds are the smallest sighthounds in the American Kennel Club toy group, at about 13 to 15 inches and 7 to 14 pounds. Progressive retinal atrophy is the eye disease to ask a breeder about, next to the leg fractures and the periodontal disease that dominate the vet bills. Ramps and a dental plan go into the first clinic conversation. Anesthesia belongs at a hospital that already has a sighthound protocol, because these dogs can respond strongly to some drugs, and the surgeon should hear the breed before a dental is booked. A leg carried after a jump off the sofa is a radiograph visit. Recall away from a leash is unreliable, so the walk is a fence or a long line.