Italian Greyhound

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The Italian Greyhound is barely over a foot tall, but has all the grace and sweetness of his tall Greyhound relatives. He is extremely slender.

This breed is believed to be thousands of years old. Miniature Greyhounds appear in the ancient artwork of Greece and Turkey. Two thousand year old skeletons of the dogs have been found by archeologists. The dogs reached Europe by the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance, Italian noblemen adopted the breed as their own, and it became known as the Italian Greyhound.

The Italian Greyhound is a sporty little dog. He prances lightly in play and keeps his sense of fun throughout his life, preferring to spend most of his time with his owner. He likes attention and affection, and is a peaceful, gentle friend.

The Italian Greyhound's coat is short and smooth as satin. Because he has no undercoat, he needs the protection of a jacket in winter. He can be any color except brindle and classic black and tan.

Excerpts from the Standard

General Appearance: Similar to the Greyhound, but much smaller and more slender; an ideal of elegance and grace.

Size, Proportion, and Substance: Height--13 to 15 inches at the withers.

Fun Facts

An Italian Greyhound is not the same as a Whippet, though both dogs are small versions of the Greyhound. The Italian Greyhound is at least one-third smaller than the Whippet. He is a slimmer and more delicate dog. They both love laps, but only the Italian Greyhound was bred especially to be in one.

Excerpted from The Complete Dog Book For Kids © 1996, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.