Content
- Origin of the Italian Greyhound
- Characteristics of the Italian Greyhound
- Italian greyhound personality
- Italian Greyhound Care
- Italian Greyhound Training
- Italian Greyhound Health
O Italian Small Lebrel or Italian Greyhound is a calm and peaceful dog, with a slender and refined figure, and reduced dimensions, being one of the 5 smallest puppies in the world! Its appearance resembles that of the Spanish Galgos, but with a considerably smaller size. This does not mean that they are not, like all greyhounds, incredibly agile and fast. Next, we'll reveal all the fun facts about these miniature greyhounds here at PeritoAnimal.
Source- Europe
- Italy
- Group X
- Slender
- muscular
- provided
- Extended
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Low
- Average
- High
- Sociable
- very faithful
- Intelligent
- Tender
- Quiet
- Docile
- floors
- Houses
- Older people
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Short
- Smooth
- Thin
Origin of the Italian Greyhound
We are talking about one of the oldest races in the world, as there is archaeological evidence, both skeletal remains and their record in decorations of the time, dating from the year 3000 BC and they prove that the Italian lebres already existed in ancient Greece, as well as evidence that they even accompanied the Egyptian pharaohs for over 6000 years. Thus, although the exact origin of the Italian Greyhound is unknown, it is suspected that the breed descended from this medium-sized Lébrel that already existed in Greece and Egypt.
In Europe the breed was highly prized for several centuries, accompanying nobles and kings on their hunts and gatherings, thus appearing in paintings and portraits of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
It is true that, in their origins, the size of these Lebres was superior, but over time the breed evolved and reached the current dimensions, establishing itself in the nineteenth century as the breed we know today.
Characteristics of the Italian Greyhound
Italian greyhounds are small dogs, with between 4 and 5 kilos of weight, and a height between 32 and 38 centimeters at the withers, with no notable differences between males and females.
The figure of the Italian Little Lebrels is slender and elongated, but guarding balanced proportions between the length and height of your body. In addition, it differs from other Greyhounds because your back is not arched, and yes straight. Their extremities are thin and wide, provided with powerful muscles, which makes them very agile dogs that can reach surprising speeds.
The head of the Italian Greyhound is also thin and long, especially as it gets closer to the muzzle, which has a proportionately large truffle and dark in color. Its ears are set high, wide and bent at right angles to the nape of the neck.
Following the characteristics of the Italian Galgo, your coat is short and smooth, usually showing colors such as black, grey, cinnamon, white or Elizabethan yellow: not brindle, always solid in color, although white spots may appear on the chest and feet.
Italian greyhound personality
The sweetness and intelligence are characteristics that stand out in the Italian Greyhounds. They are very homely animals, who like and demand pampering and attention from their family, with whom they love to share moments of play and activities, as well as rest and tranquility.
Although their agility may make you think otherwise, they are animals calm, and although they need to practice physical activities daily, they are not nervous at all, on the contrary, they are quite silent. Therefore, they need an environment that allows them to stay away from noise and agitation, as they are animals very sensitive, who are easily stressed in these situations, as well as in new and unpredictable situations.
Due to the Italian Greyhound's temperament, it is considered a good companion for older people or families with older children, but it is not the best choice as a playmate for young children, as they may bother you with their overflowing energy. and unpredictability. However, if both are brought up correctly, there should be no problem, as the Lebrels are very sociable and affectionate with those they trust.
Italian Greyhound Care
Because it is a short-haired breed, with little care it is possible to keep its coat smooth and tidy, being recommended brush it weekly and bathe it as a guide once a month. What should be considered is that, as they have a short coat, these puppies are more sensitive to cold. So if you live in an area where the climate is cold, in the face of extreme temperatures it is advisable house the Italian greyhound to prevent catarrh and hypothermia.
Another of Galgo Italiano's cares is the cleaning your teeth, as they tend to develop tartar more easily than other breeds. Therefore, it is recommended to brush your teeth at least once a week, although the more frequent you brush, the better your pet's oral health. For this brushing, you must use the proper utensils: on the market, there are toothpaste that can be applied simply with your fingers, and you can even prepare a toothpaste yourself at home.
Although we have highlighted that the Galgo Italiano is a calm dog, he is also curious and intelligent, so you cannot neglect your physical activity. So, it is convenient to carry out activities both indoors and out, to keep the animal physically and mentally stimulated.
Lastly, you should keep your nails neatly trimmed, your eyes and ears clean, and feed them in a balanced way, covering all your nutritional needs, which vary according to your age and level of physical activity.
Italian Greyhound Training
The training of the Italian Greyhound will be greatly facilitated by the wonderful combination of intelligence and curiosity that characterizes the dogs of this breed. He will always be willing to learn and devote his full attention to the trainer.
You must pay attention to your getting used to new situations and people, since they are very fearful dogs, especially those that were rescued from the street or from some shelter, since many were unfortunately mistreated. That's why they can react in very different ways, even becoming aggressive because of the panic they can suffer in certain situations. Consult the article on how to socialize an adult dog to get it right, and don't hesitate to call in a professional educator if necessary.
To get your Little Lébrel to adapt to life with you, it is important that you get him used to his new environment, it is opportune for him to get to know as many places, animals and people as possible while he is still a puppy, so it will be easier for him to show himself more sociable with strangers as an adult.
Once socialized, you can start introducing the basic canine obedience commands, always through positive reinforcement, and more advanced tricks to keep the Italian Greyhound correctly stimulated. For being such a smart and curious dog, it's a good idea to do it too intelligence games.
Italian Greyhound Health
The Little Italian Greyhounds do not have major congenital diseases. However, it is true that they can suffer from some ailments that affect all dog breeds, such as canine rabies or filariasis, so it is important to follow the vaccination schedule and protect it with products against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes .
Due to their small size, especially when they are puppies, you need to be careful when handling them, as they are very affectionate puppies that love to follow their owners everywhere, you can end up stepping on them accidentally, which can be extremely dangerous because their bones are fragile and very fine. So, it is necessary to be attentive to avoid possible fractures during its development..
As we have already mentioned, due to its short fur and low percentage of body fat, it is a breed of dog that is very exposed to weather conditions, so it may suffer from colds, respiratory problems and hypothermia. To avoid these health problems in Galgo Italiano, just keep it dry and sheltered.
Lastly, you shouldn't ignore the psychological aspect, as these are puppies. very sensitive to stress and anxiety generated by frights, loneliness or traumatic experiences. Therefore, you must provide the Galgo Italiano with a calm environment, full of affection and affection, and thus you will have a stable, healthy and, above all, happy pet.