IS THIS REALLY THE BREED FOR YOU?
please read the whole page and see the video clip before you get this breed. please also read health concerns and tests page
THIS BREED SEEMS MORE LIKE A DEER THEN DOG
they are meek, sweet, loving, snugly, alert. but can seem flighty and hyper to some. The puppies are VARY "puppiefide" (playful) and MUST be watched or confined until around the age of 18 months for their own safety.
LEGS!
Young Italian greyhounds are still growing and their legs aren't yet at full strength until around 18 months. until then you MUST watch them! with the deer like temperament that they have they will jump, leap and frolic. will gladly jump UP and OUT off the couch instead of down. if they come down on their legs wrong they may brake a leg. also you must be very careful if you have chain link fence. we have heard of a Italian greyhound braking both legs by jumping up on a chain link and getting both legs caught in the holes. after 18 months the legs are stronger and the pup has grown up some. it can still happen after 18 months but less likely.
More on legs with x-ray here
ANESTHESIA
This breed is sensitive to "shot" anesthesia and you MUST find a vet that uses "gas" anesthesia! please find a vet that knows sighthounds or go to the page and print this onfo of for them. Are sighthounds really dogs?
NAILS
This breeds nails grow VERY fast. you must check and maybe clip once a week.
THIS IS A MOST OFTEN A QUIT BREED
Most are very quit and are not guard dogs. this is good for someone who have close neighbors and not for others ,who wants a guard dog. but some will bark like other toy dogs
SHEDDING
They do shed but not much :)
ODER
This breed has very little dog odor. some say they don't have any :) rarely will you have to bath an IG.
THEY DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO BE TOP DOG
They are most often then not, a submissive meek dog .
SNUGLY
This breed seems to know what a bed is, if you don't want a dog to sleep in bed with you (under the covers) then THIS IS NOT THE BREED FOR YOU! before 18 months if you want your pup sleep with you put a collar and leash on your pup and tie it to your wrist so you can feel if the pup moves and tries to jump of the bed (remember LEGS) also try and keep your pup in the middle of the bed.