| Italian Greyhounds: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Italian Greyhound personality and behavior. |
|
|
My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Italian Greyhound, including these excerpts:
"The Italian Greyhound is sweet-natured, gentle, and quiet, yet more playful and athletic than his racy appearance might suggest.
This comfort-loving dog can usually be found on soft furniture, often hidden under a blanket, pillow, or jacket. However, the same dog will suddenly explode into a burst of vigorous running and leaping, tearing pell-mell around the yard, darting and zigzagging without altering his pace, or bouncing off the sofa and beds.
His yard must have a high fence, for he is an excellent jumper. Off-leash walks would be foolish; he can be out of sight in seconds and has no traffic sense.
Polite (often a bit aloof) with strangers, there is a potential for timidity, so he should be socialized early and thoroughly.
The Italian Greyhound is amiable with other dogs and cats, but some have a high prey drive and will run squeaky creatures into the ground.
IGs (pronounced eye-jees) or Iggies are mildly stubborn and very sensitive. They respond favorably only to gentle, upbeat training methods that emphasize food rewards. Verbal corrections are less upsetting and distracting to them than physical corrections, because they can be touch-sensitive, startling when touched unexpectedly or grabbed for a hug.
Yet Italian Greyhounds do love to be stroked, and indeed demand affection and physical attention.
Housebreaking is notoriously difficult; many refuse to go outside in the cold or rain."
History
Probably more than two thousand years old, the Italian Greyhound was especially popular during the Middle Ages and was depicted in Renaissance paintings.
Size
13-15 inches and 8-14 lbs, though larger individuals are common |
|
Italian Greyhounds
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- Is small and lightweight, with a unique slender, curvy build that he often shows off by posing like an elegant porcelain statue
- Has a sleek easy-care coat that comes in many colors and doesn't shed much
- Moves with light-footed grace and a high-stepping gait
- Can switch from couch potato to fast, agile athlete in an instant
- Is polite and peaceful with everyone
- Doesn't bark much
An Italian Greyhound may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- The fragility of toy breeds (see below)
- Destructiveness when bored or left alone too much
- Shyness or fearfulness when not socialized enough
- Running away, oblivious to your calls, when an interesting sight or scent catches his attention
- Emotional sensitivity to stress and abrupt changes in schedule
- An independent "what's in it for me?" attitude toward training
- Notorious housebreaking difficulties
An Italian Greyhound may not be right for you.
| If I were considering an Italian Greyhound... |
My major concerns would be:
- Fragility. Too many people acquire an Italian Greyhound puppy without understanding how incredibly spindly and fragile it is. You can seriously injure or kill an Italian Greyhound puppy by stepping on him or by sitting on him when he's curled under a blanket or pillow, where he frequently likes to sleep. Leg fractures are extremely common in young Italian Greyhounds, who believe they can fly and will launch themselves out of your arms or off the back of your sofa.
| Italian Greyhound puppies are NOT suited to small children, no matter how well-meaning the child. Children cannot help being clumsy, and that a child meant well is little solace to an Italian Greyhound puppy who has been accidentally stepped on, sat on, rolled on, squeezed, or dropped onto the patio. Even Italian Greyhound adults may feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can't help making -- and stress and shyness (even defensive biting) may be the result.
|
- Separation anxiety. More than most other breeds, Italian Greyhounds need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you.
- Providing room to exercise. Italian Greyhounds MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy through all-out galloping. They prefer to exercise in short bursts, suddenly tearing pell-mell around the yard. Without some space to move, they will practically run up the walls of your house.
| Italian Greyhounds cannot be trusted off-leash. They will take off -- oblivious to your frantic shouts -- after anything that catches their attention. |
- Timidity. Standoffish by nature, Italian Greyhounds need extensive exposure to people and to unusual sights and sounds. Otherwise their natural caution can become shyness or suspicion, which are difficult to live with.
- The independent temperament. Italian Greyhounds are not Golden Retrievers. They are independent thinkers who don't particularly care about pleasing you. Most Italian Greyhounds are stubborn and can be manipulative. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
- Emotional sensitivity. Be honest...is there tension in your home? Are people loud or angry or emotional? Are there arguments or fights? Italian Greyhounds are extremely sensitive to stress and can end up literally sick to their stomachs, with severe digestive upsets and neurotic behaviors, if the people in their home are having family problems. Sighthounds are peaceful, sensitive dogs who need a peaceful, harmonious home.
- Housebreaking problems. As a behavioral consultant, I would put the Italian Greyhound on my Top 20 List of "Hard to Housebreak." Consistent crate training is mandatory. Sometimes a doggy door is necessary. And some owners never do get their Italian Greyhounds fully housebroken.
| Not all Italian Greyhounds are alike! |
- There are energetic Italian Greyhounds, and placid Italian Greyhounds.
- Hard-headed Italian Greyhounds, and sweet-natured Italian Greyhounds.
- Serious Italian Greyhounds, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Italian Greyhounds, and Italian Greyhounds who love everyone.
| If you acquire an Italian Greyhound puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
| If you're considering an adult Italian Greyhound... |
There are plenty of adult Italian Greyhounds who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
 If you would like to link to this review,
here is the HTML code:
<a href="http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/italiangreyhounds.html">Italian Greyhounds: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em</a>
|
Copyright © 2000-2008 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
|
