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Italian Greyhound

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1. General Description of the Italian Greyhound

   The Italian Greyhound is a smaller and more slender version of the Greyhound. Its head is long and flat, tapering to a dark nose. Eyes are dark and bright, giving a look of intelligence, and the ears are small and thrown back unless alert, in which case they are folded at right angles from the head. The jaw is fine with a scissor bite. The tail is slender and tapered with a slight upward curve and carried low. Supple skin is covered with a short, soft, glossy coat. The coat can be any color with any markings except brindle or black and tan. The Italian Greyhound’s overall appearance is one of elegance and grace.

2. Italian Greyhound Temperament

   The Italian Greyhound is very dependent on its owner and quite submissive. They are gentle and playful and are best trained with gentle consistency. They can be disobedient without knowing it so be forgiving without being a pushover or they will try to take advantage. They prefer quiet households and are quite gentle, so be careful when an Italian Greyhound is in the midst of large dogs or rambunctious children. They can be stressed easily and may get snappy when frightened but can be soothed with calm strokes. The Italian Greyhound shares the same love for the chase that his larger cousin has, so be careful when the dog is playing off leash.

3. Caring for an Italian Greyhound

   Apartment life is great for Italian Greyhounds, as they can be active indoors and do not require a yard. This breed is sensitive to cold weather so when it gets chilly out, put a sweater on your dog before going outside. Though quite playful in its own right, the Italian Greyhound can get impatient with big dogs that play too rough. Italian Greyhounds are great walking companions and can even accompany you on a jog provided you don’t go too far. The breed sheds very little so a rubdown with a towel and very occasional brushing is the only grooming needed. Bathe only when necessary and after bathing be sure the dog is completely dry. Brush the dog’s teeth regularly to prevent tartar build-up, and clip the toenails regularly for the dog’s comfort. The Italian Greyhound is susceptible to periodontal disease; in some cases, this breed may also develop epilepsy, progressive retinal atrophy and patellar luxation. Italian Greyhounds are also very sensitive to drugs and vaccines, and may suffer from life threatening seizures if medication is not administered with care. A poorly bred Italian Greyhound may suffer from low bone density, causing the dog's bones to be sensitive and break easily; well bred Italian Greyhounds generally do not have this problem.

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We include the following list of misspellings so our internal search tools can send you to the right place. People often misspell Italian Greyhound as Italian Grayhound, Italian Grey Hound or Italian Gray Hound.