What can you tell me about Italian Greyhounds??

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You wanted personal experiences and not just general information, correct?

My wife and I rescued an IG one year ago, and here's a short summary of our experience so far:
-- like any dog, they have plenty of energy to burn. We give our IG 1 1/2 to 2 hours of exercise per day, whether it be through roller blading, running, walking, or general play. Also, this is a breed that was born to run, so while a backyard isn't a necessity (we don't have one), it helps.
-- On the flip side, once given proper exercise IG's are big-time couch potatoes. They love to burrow into blankets and sleep.
-- Aside from a couple of accidents, we've had minimal "accidents." Keep your dog on a regular schedule and it should do ok.
-- Separation anxiety was, and to some degree still is, an issue with our IG. She no longer whines when we kennel her (exercise and a calm demeanor on the owner's part will help), but she still has bouts w/ anxiety.
-- This is a dependent dog breed that will follow you most everywhere. They want to know where you are and what you are doing.
-- As for health, leg breaks are always a concern (IG's under the age of 1 are most prone to breaks). We also clip our IG's nails at least once every two weeks and brush her teeth 1 or 2 times per week.
-- Don't expect complete obedience. For example, a lab will fetch a ball for hours on end. Most IG's -- our's included -- become easily bored. They have an attitude of, "ok, that was fun, now what?"
-- Some owners train their IG's to use potty pads during the winter months. We haven't tried this but may next winter. For this past winter, we took our dog out every day to go to the bathroom (and trust me, with some -40 wind chill nights, it wasn't fun for both IG and human). But we did put a coat, booties, and a ear-coverer on her so to keep her from freezing...literally.

Overall, make sure you get an IG w/ the right energy that fits your style. Regardless of energy, it's important to give the dog daily exercise, but some will be higher energy than others. Finally, be patient...these dogs like to get into trouble (and without proper exercise, will really cause trouble), so make sure to be consistent in training but still remain calm.

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Italian Greyhound Booties...Show more

For me, definitely a Whippet. I've been looking into the breed for almost 4 years, and I think a Whippet will be my next dog (although I don't plan to get a third dog for at least few years at the earliest). A Greyhound would be wonderful, but I don't want a dog quite that large. Not saying I never will, just not at this point in my life. An Italian Greyhound would also fit into my life well, but I have two small dogs now, and I'm ready to go back to a more medium sized breed for my next dog. I considered dozens of breeds, but I always came back to the Whippet. While there is no "perfect" dog, a Whippet is just about everything I want in a dog, and fits me and my lifestyle perfectly....Show more

Description
The Italian Greyhound is very similar to the Greyhound, but much smaller and more slender in all proportions and of ideal elegance and grace.

Head
Narrow and long, tapering to nose, with a slight suggestion of stop. Skull Rather long, almost flat. Muzzle Long and fine. Nose Dark. It may be black or brown or in keeping with the color of the dog. A light or partly pigmented nose is a fault. Teeth Scissors bite. A badly undershot or overshot mouth is a fault. Eyes Dark, bright, intelligent, medium in size. Very light eyes are a fault. Ears Small, fine in texture; thrown back and folded except when alerted, then carried folded at right angles to the head. Erect or button ears severely penalized.

Neck
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Long, slender and gracefully arched.

Body
Of medium length, short coupled; high at withers, back curved and drooping at hindquarters, the highest point of curve at start of loin, creating a definite tuck-up at flanks.

Shoulders
Long and sloping.

Chest
Deep and narrow.

Forelegs
Long, straight, set well under shoulder; strong pasterns, fine bone.

Hindquarters
Long, well-muscled thigh; hind legs parallel when viewed from behind, hocks well let down, well-bent stifle.

Feet
Harefoot with well-arched toes. Removal of dewclaws optional.

Tail
Slender and tapering to a curved end, long enough to reach the hock; set low, carried low. Ring tail a serious fault, gay tail a fault.

Coat
Skin fine and supple, hair short, glossy like satin and soft to the touch.

Color
Any color and markings are acceptable except that a dog with brindle markings and a dog with the tan markings normally found on black-and-tan dogs of other breeds must be disqualified.

Action
High stepping and free, front and hind legs to move forward in a straight line.

Size
Height at withers, ideally 13 inches to 15 inches....Show more