Italian Greyhound
About the Italian Greyhound
Temperament
Physical Characteristics
| Size Category | Small (10-25 lbs) |
|---|---|
| Height | 13-15" |
| Weight | 7-14 lbs |
| Coat Type | Smooth |
| Coat Length | Short |
| Colors | |
| Hypoallergenic | No |
Care Requirements
Exercise Needs
Moderate (30-60 min/day)
30 minutes per day recommended
Grooming
Moderate - Weekly
Mental Stimulation
★★★★★Moderate mental stimulation needed
Drooling
★★★★★Living Conditions
Cost of Ownership
| Purchase Price | $1,200-$3,000 |
|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $1,000/year |
Costs vary based on location, breeder, and individual needs. Annual costs include food, veterinary care, grooming, and supplies.
Health Considerations
Like all breeds, Italian Greyhounds may be prone to certain health conditions:
Regular veterinary check-ups and proper care can help prevent or manage many health issues.
Best For
- Apartment Living
- Active Owners
May Not Be Ideal For
- Long Work Hours Away
- Sedentary Lifestyles
Guides for your Italian Greyhound
The story behind the Italian Greyhound
Small greyhound-shaped dogs appear in Mediterranean art and artefacts from antiquity, and small hounds of that shape were kept around the Italian peninsula for many centuries. The breed as understood today is tied to Renaissance Italy, where miniature sighthounds became favourites of noble households and appeared frequently in portraiture as symbols of refinement. Whether they retained any practical use hunting small game is debated; the primary role was clearly companionship. The type spread through European courts and reached Britain, where Victorian fashion for extreme delicacy briefly pushed size down too far and weakened the breed. Later breeders corrected course by restoring soundness and moderate bone. The Italian Greyhound is recognised by the major registries and remains a steady, if never numerous, toy breed with active enthusiast communities in Europe and North America.
Originally bred for: Companion dog, Court lapdog, Small-game coursing. You can trace how working roles shaped today’s breeds across our dog guides.
Feeding a Italian Greyhound
Tiny sighthounds burn energy in bursts and often eat fussily, so offer a palatable, calorie-rich food formulated for small breeds across two or three little meals. Dental health is a weak spot, making texture and tooth care worth attention. Keep the outline lean but never gaunt.
Watch for: No breed-specific allergy pattern is recognised. Small, picky eaters can develop upset stomachs from constant menu changes or rich treats, so consistency helps. Dental disease sometimes masquerades as fussiness. If appetite or weight drops, involve a vet rather than experimenting with foods.
Not sure what to put in the bowl? See our picks for the best dog food for small breeds.
Mealtime extras: training treats worth keeping in your pocket. Everything else lives in our dog nutrition and feeding hub.
Living with a Italian Greyhound
Day to day, the basics matter most: how much exercise your dog needs, how often to get out for a walk, and how much sleep is normal.
For play and enrichment, browse our favorite dog toys and interactive toys for rainy days.
Gear that fits the breed makes life easier: a well-sized dog bed, a comfortable no-pull harness.
Raising a puppy? Work through crate training and the teething timeline — or see how old your dog is in human years with our dog age calculator.